phyllser

Someone told me yesterday.... since 1 Jan is in 2011, their company rule is that "holiday" has to be taken in 2011... so next Monday is their day off, not Friday. Made sense to me. Stupid LBT is pulling up my quotes from the other thread again!!! GRRRRR! No.... not heading south yet... Planning to leave on Sunday.... originally, Monday, but then Earl remembered Monday morning back to work traffic through Tacoma.... Coming north Tacoma traffic was MUCH worse than Seattle/Everett. So... guess we'll leave on Sunday. Will stop at son's for a night or two. Was planning to stop at my sister's in OR, but they don't get back from SLC where they're spending the holidays with their new twin grandbabies until the 3rd. That will be Monday... and then they have to drive home from Portland. So we'll be further south than that by then. Very tired.....have been over at Tracy & Jim's for 2 days. The four of us kept Jodie & Al's 3 kids so they could have their anniversary getaway. They never get to go to the movies, so they went to one last night and one this morning! And they had a nice dinner last night and stayed in a hotel. Growing up, we always kept our decorations up until Jan 6th also. And, we don't necessarily stick close to that now, it's usually down no later than that, but sometimes take it all down a day or so after New Years. We don't usually go out, either, although last year we went to a real fun party at another RV park. This year we'll just be over at our daughter & son-in-law's, probably watching movies! They love to watch movies over and over and they have quite a collection. Tonight we watched "Knowing"! A little freaky, but it was okay.

Someone told me yesterday.... since 1 Jan is in 2011, their company rule is that "holiday" has to be taken in 2011... so next Monday is their day off, not Friday. Made sense to me. Stupid LBT is pulling up my quotes from the other thread again!!! GRRRRR! No.... not heading south yet... Planning to leave on Sunday.... originally, Monday, but then Earl remembered Monday morning back to work traffic through Tacoma.... Coming north Tacoma traffic was MUCH worse than Seattle/Everett. So... guess we'll leave on Sunday. Will stop at son's for a night or two. Was planning to stop at my sister's in OR, but they don't get back from SLC where they're spending the holidays with their new twin grandbabies until the 3rd. That will be Monday... and then they have to drive home from Portland. So we'll be further south than that by then. Very tired.....have been over at Tracy & Jim's for 2 days. The four of us kept Jodie & Al's 3 kids so they could have their anniversary getaway. They never get to go to the movies, so they went to one last night and one this morning! And they had a nice dinner last night and stayed in a hotel. Growing up, we always kept our decorations up until Jan 6th also. And, we don't necessarily stick close to that now, it's usually down no later than that, but sometimes take it all down a day or so after New Years. We don't usually go out, either, although last year we went to a real fun party at another RV park. This year we'll just be over at our daughter & son-in-law's, probably watching movies! They love to watch movies over and over and they have quite a collection. Tonight we watched "Knowing"! A little freaky, but it was okay.

GOOD MORNING AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Hope you all have a GREAT day! Still sitting in my pjs with my blankie and my puppy on my lap still sleeping! She is NOT an early riser. Have to carry her from the bed to my chair every morning. Put my Red Hat lap blanket over my legs and she curls up there. It's been an hour and she shows no signs of being ready to wake up! An occasional long deep sigh is the only sign of life so far! Wasn't even interested in going back to the BR w/Earl to help him take a shower! She usually likes to be right there if there is water running! Wonderful evening with the girls last night. Drove down to Jodie's church... very nice service. Then to their house for dinner... Tracy & Jim, too, so I did have our family together for Christmas Eve!! Loved it! Got all choked up in church singing Christmas carols! So... opened gifts after dinner... then headed back north for Tracy & Jim's. Went to their church at 9pm... much smaller church, another very nice candlelight service. We can't light candles in the chapel at Sky Valley, so I REALLY enjoyed that! Talked to grandson, Cody, in OK this morning. He lives with his other grandma... who was still sleeping, and he was playing with toys he opened last night. He's 10. Ah... Earl came out and Zoey jumped off my lap! Guess she's ready to go outside. HUGS, Sistas!! Gotta call my MAMA.

Thanks, Cheri! Very insightful comments. I agree... so glad they're not terminating!! DGS mother did many times and I'm sure I should have a few more grandchildren if she hadn't! That was her preferred method of birth control! She was not faithful to our son.... long story. They're still not divorced but haven't seen each other in about 10 years or so. Talk on the phone often, though. Wel... enough of that!! We had a WONDERFUL Christmas Eve.... attended candlelight services w/both our daughters.. 50 miles apart but we pulled it off and even had dinner with both of them after the earlier service. Sitting around in pjs for now, but will be going over to our daughter & son in law's in about an hour for quiche and a quiet morning with them before the onslaught!! HAHAHA!! DGD & her boyfriend and their two dogs will be coming later. And SIL's older daughter from his first marriage will be coming with her DH & 2 little ones.... so, actually we already have FOUR step-great-grandchildren! Her two and her brother in CA has two. DGS is a fireman/EMT and has to pull a 14 hr shift in the hospital ER where he works (has 3 jobs actually! hospital plus 2 part-time FD jobs.) We may be seeing his GF later, but, sadly, she moved out on him yesterday. I think they're trying to work things out, but.. after less than a month of living together she has decided she wants her freedom! Go figure! Lori... so very glad to hear DD is okay!!! We were all sending a LOT of prayers her way!! God is good!! Well, gang.... Again... hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Christmas Day!! I better get off here and make some more phone calls. So far only talked to our DGS in OK... Cody. He lives with his other grandma. It was 9:30 a.m. and he was up by himself playing with his toys and she was still sleeping. He's 10 years old and a real sweetie. Oh... gotta tell one more story! After service at youngest daughter's church we went back to their house for dinner. I always hang my coat on the end of the banister either at the bottom or the top of the steps going up to the living room/kitchen. I was wearing a purple jacket. So when we left.... took purple jacket off the banister at the bottom, threw it over my shoulders because it was raining but not really too cold so didn't put my arms in the sleeves. I get all the way back to DD#2's house, take it off and discover it's not my coat! It's DD#1's coat! Same color as mine! So I called her and I had to take some teasing.... I'd had NOTHING to drink, honest! Then she says, well, you can have it if you want it. But, I don't think it'll fit you because it doesn't fit me very well anymore! (She's probably at highest weight I've seen her at.) So, with my nose a little bent out of shape, I decided to try it on after I hung up! FITS FINE, thank you very much!! HAHAHA!!

Well... this time multiquote didn't work for me either!! Tired... after midnight and Earl just went to bed. Now I have to wrap his presents!! LOL Candace.... Earl opened a bottle of Two Buck Chuck!! HAHA!! I'm jealous! Wonderful afternoon/evening with our two daughters. Tracy & Jim went with us to Jodie's church and then back to the house for Christams Eve dinner. Jodie &Al made spiral cut ham and scalloped potatoes in the crock pot! Turned out great! All kinds of intersting developments today.... DGS, Adam.... just moved in with his girlfriend at Thanksgiving. She moved out today! Seems that even at 21 parents had her on a curfew.. 11/12 pm! So... when she moved in with Adam, she started flexing her muscles... partying a lot, even staying out all night. Adam let her know that was not acceptable... so, after signing a lease with him for 1 year... she's now moved out and signed ANOTHER one year lease somewhere else... And she paid for most of the furntirue, so she left him with nothing.! Then they both show up at Tracy's this afternoon TOGETHER! Don't know what is going on, but we are suspecting she's met someone else. Just too weird. Adam wants to get married, setle down and start a family and she is not ready! Okay.. then.... find out DGS, Kurtis... turned 18 yrs old yesterday... gf is preggers... we're going to be great-grandparents in July!! Oh, my! He has part-time pizza place job, no diploma, no GED! And he's excited! Then this.... Not to be Debby Downer, but another cause of concern... remember when I was whining a couple of weeks ago because Red Hat "Queen" gave me too many jobs to do at our Christmas party and I was stressed out? Well.... about 10 days later, her DH had a stroke. At first we were told, minor, just speech difficulty and he would be fine w/rehab. But today I had an email saying he's been transferred to hospice!! Totally shocked and I'm not sure what is going on, but he is NOT an OLD man! Probably about my age... 67 ish! And, email says his wife will be staying there, too. She was having health problems (back) and I felt was walking on the edge of disaster... very high strung and not coping well with the back pain. I'm afraid this may have sent her over the edge... so, just asking that you keep Barb & Roger in your thoughts and prayers.

Merry Christmas to all!! It's midnight and DH finally went to bed so I can wrap his presents! He & the puppy, snuggled up, but I hear whimpering from the bedroom... puppy, not DH, concerned because I'm not there yet! LOL! Wonderful day with daughters and their families and went to Christmas Eve services with both!! First at 3:30pm for the youngest grandchildren, then tonight with oldest daughter. Mixed blessing today..... DGS who just turned 18 yesterday is going to be a daddy.. GF is preggers... I understand he is quite happy about it. But.. no diploma or GED, part-time job at a pizza place, etc! Not the best of circumstances, but.... as I said on FB... babies always a BLESSING and God has a plan! Not to be Debby Downer, but another cause of concern... remember when I was whining a couple of weeks ago because Red Hat "Queen" gave me too many jobs to do at our Christmas party and I was stressed out? Well.... about 10 days later, her DH had a stroke. At first we were told, minor, just speech difficulty and he would be fine w/rehab. But today I had an email saying he's been transferred to hospice!! Totaly shocked and I'm not sure what is going on, but he is NOT an OLD man! Probably about my age... 67 ish! And, email says his wife will be staying there, too. She was having health problems (back) and I felt was walking on the edge of disaster... very high strung and not coping well with the back pain. I'm afraid this may have sent her over the edge... so, just asking that you keep Barb & Roger in your thoughts and prayers. So now I better go be Santa and get those gifts wrapped. Love you all and wish you a wonderful Christmas!!

Hugs and prayers, Lori!! Hope all is going well. Merry Christmas everyone! Very busy day today.

AMEN, SISTER!! Hugs on the DD situation! Difficult on Mom! So sorry.

Yeah, Jim & Earl went to Navy base and got groceries and Christmas shopping done while Tracy and I fooled around! We went to Target, RiteAid, Surf Shack, Taco Time. We bought silly Santa hats that play "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer", Christmas shirts for our dogs, etc. RiteAid had all kinds of Christmas stuff 50-60% off so we both went out with arms loaded with bags! Guys got back while we were still unloading the car! We watched Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation after that, had dinner... Earl did steaks on their grill that Jim's sister sent from Omaha steaks! I thought they were small filets, but Jim said no. So... don't know what they were, but small and tender. Then we watched another movie and made gingerbread house. Was after 10pm when we went home. Stomach feeling rocky this morning. Hasn't really been right in almost a week... cramps, etc. Burping, belching, yuck! Heard from youngest son this morning. His son turned 18 today and thinks his girlfriend might be pg!! That would make him a grandpa and us great-grandparents! Not a happy scene, though. As I told Steve, Kurtis changes girlfriends as often as he changes his underwear. And.. I've been bugging him for over a year about getting his GED because he wants to go in the Marines. He keeps telling me he has to wait until his mother gets him a laptop so he can do it online!! Lame excuse. Get off your butt and do it! You don't need a laptop to get a GED! At least he's working now..... in a pizza place. I'm sure there is no healthcare. He's going to follow in his father's footsteps, I'm afraid. Four of us are going to Jo & Al's church for Christmas Eve service tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. then to their house for dinner. Then back here to Tracy & Jim's church by 9 p.m. They're still not coming to Tracy's on Christmas, but will come up on Sunday afternoon. Then the kids are staying with us while they have their anniversary getaway. Glad to hear the pool didn't flood!! There was flooding in some of the buildings at Sky Valley. Candace.... no more snow, right?! Karla.... hockey game??? outside??? No way!! LOL

LOL!! It took me a while to figure that out and I didn't want to ask!!! DH= dear husband DS= dear son, or dear sister DGS= dear grandson DD= dear daughter Then there is SIL..... which could be sister in law or son in law, DIL is daughter in law..... sort of blog slang!

I've gotten some cards out but not finished!! And may not! So busy now that we're home.... spent all day yesterday with DD#1 & her DH. Didn't get home until after 10pm. She and I went shopping all afternoon, and the guys did the same.. they went to the Navy base. DD & I went to Taco Time for lunch.. had white chicken chili and a chicken taco. We bought funny Santa hats at RiteAid that play "Grandma Got Run Over by a Raindeer", Christmas clothes for our dogs, stocking stuffers, etc. and of course, went to Surf Shack for lattes!! Fun day!! After all our adventures, came back, watched a movie, dinner, another movie! Both were old Christmas movies... Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation and the one about the kid who wanted a Red Ryder gun for Christmas. "Check-Ins".... download Foursquare ap for your phone. It's fun! You get points for check ins. So many check ins at a place and you are the "Mayor"! I guess that's how it works. My sister & her DH headed your way today to spend the holidays w/their pediatrician son and the two new twin grandbabies. She is pretty excited! I'm sure she doesn't care what the weather does once they get there! Flying out of Portland today. Good news on the knee!!! I do water aerobics every day when we're in CA.. Mon-Fri, that is. But, take it easy on the jumping stuff. If anything hurts, I quit. I figure as long as I keep moving it doesn't matter if I do exactly what the tape is saying! Okay... don't know where that box came from or how to get rid of it!! Well..... there is a box to insert image up above where you can change your font, etc. BUT.... there USED TO BE an option below the text box that allowed you to upload as many photos as you wanted to. I don't see it now!?????? WOW!! Quite a testimony about your Mom!! You WILL do this!! VERY GOOD NEWS!! I think I have the fart flu, too! Like I told Laura... the option WAS there and NOW it's not!!???? Go figure?! Why did they mess with our site!????

Well, in all fairness... he didn't actually THROW the water... he was having a fit of rage and grabbed it and flung it across the car and it went everywhere! I guess that is sort of throwing it! LOL!! I was admittedly pouting because I was mad about going up 101.. which probably turned out to be a good thing because if it was snowing in the mountains as hard as it was raining where we were... we would have had a miserable drive if we'd even been able to get through! So... I wasn't speaking much to him... like hardly at all. So, I'm getting back in the car at McD's with a hot cup of coffee in my hand and there's no place to put it because he's put a bag of dog food in one cup holder and a cup of water for the dog in the other. So I said, "Why can't i ever have a place to put my coffee cup!??" And that's when all hell broke lose. Things flying everywhere, including the dog.. he tossed her in the back seat! But.. after 3-4 hours of HIM pouting, he apologized! TOO much driving. Maybe if he'd let me do some of it he wouldn't get so nasty! At any rate, we are home! And I'm going to bed!! Exhausted!

All I can say, Laura, is HUGS, HUGS, HUGS! I hope you have a wonderful, and well-documented Christmas, though bittersweet in so many ways. Ladies and gentleman..... I am way behind on reading posts! I was doing pretty good keeping up on my phone in the car, but we arrived at our daughter's around 4pm and stayed for dinner. So we got home a few hours ago and you people have been extremely busy I think! So... just let me say, I'm exhausted.... and I can't think straight right now. We had a good visit w/son and his family yesterday, good visit w/daughter this afternoon, and glad to be home. Zoey went bonkers for over an hour when we got home... running up and down the hall, throwing her toys around wildly and just generally acting crazy. Candy stood post at "her" door... the spare room, and growled every time Zoey ran by. And now I'm going to sign off until tomorrow!

Hi, gang! We are in WA and will stop at daughter's for dinner rather than through Seattle area at rush hour. AND truce was reached- other daughter and DH and two of us ggoing south to go to Christmas Eve service with yhem and have dinner. Then Sunday they will come up with the kids. Kids will spend the night with us so they can have anniv. getawsy. Joyce- so sorry about your knee! Anxious to hear what doc says. Sorry-thats about all the pinkie typing I can do right now. HUGS!!?

Age difference???? NAH!! She loved having you as her MOM until you disagreed with her on something. So the relationship was conditional.... warm and fuzzy as long as she got nothing but positive affirmation. But, a little tough love and she wrote you off. She wrote all of us off, in fact. I take it Lee is moving to TX with her. And all she does is talk about how much she hates the system she is working for... AGAIN!. I've had a little too much egg nog tonight so I better shut up. TEN HOURS in the car... too much. Didn't eat much al day, so went out for fish and chips tonight, and a glass of wine. Came back to the motel and had some egg nog... with all sorts of bad stuff in it... Almost killed each other this morning. Hope tomorrow goes better!! LOL! I lost the I-5 vs. 101 argument, so I was sort of pouting, but not being a bitch... but that's what I got accused of. Someone had a melt down and threw water all over the car and it wasn't me! We drove 468 miles yesterday, probably about the same today, and have 479 to make it home tomorrow! But, at least we will be cutting back to I-5 somewhere north of here, since we are past the bad part of the mountains and there should be no further threat of snow. The wind and rain was awful today and it was a scary day! Dog and cat are doing great. Cat is sleeping in my place on the bed right now, next to Earl, and Zoey is on the floor at my feet. She jumped off the bed when Candy got up there. We'll both kick Candy out when I go to bed in a few minutes. Can't think anymore... Good Night Moon!

Meredith... so sorry to hear about that poor puppy! So sad! How about not fitting through the turnstile!????? Way embarrassing! Happy Anniversary!!! Did I say that already???? Brain dead after two long days in the car... and one more to go! Almost killed each other this morning. Wonder what tomrrow will bring??!! LOL So... DH is a long lost relative??? I'll have to seee a photo! Has it stopped yet???? Our friends in Three Rivers have the "north fork" running through their front yard as of this morning!! 2nd time in a few months that it has rerouted itself through their yard. They have 14 acres on the river. Oh... just before we left, found out that the grandson of a friend of mine at Sky Valley just got a job teaching English at the high school in Farmerville. I think they are there this week looking for a place to live.

She is a Shih Tzu Yeah! Very big challenge to try to keep up! Glad your "meet the parents" went well! Yes, we had miserable weather all day... rain, rain, rain, and some wind. Tomorrow might not be too good either~! At our son's tonight. Near San Francisco. Leaving early in the morning. Probably will be staying somewhere in southern OR tomorrow night. Knew you'd pull off the dinner party without a hitch! Excellent! Sounds like you really enjoyed it, too. Grandkids all call us Grandma & Grandpa... but some use grandma and grandpa H, youngest ones, grandma phyl & grandpa earl. Janet goes by LALA, and I have a friend who goes by GOO GOO!!! Chris... keeping your dad in our thoughts and prayers. Will be waiting for your update.

Not in the RV, guys. Just the CR-V. Cat was on the console between the front seats first couple of hours. She got on Earl's lap once. It was SO funny. Zoey is jealous whenever she sits on Earl's lap. So as soon as Candy got settled across his lap the dog all of a sudden takes a big leap into Earl's lap, too, and lands right on top of the cat. We both started laughing, but Candy didn't even flinch. No hissing, no reaction at all. Earl scooped up Zoey and sort of tossed her back to me! It was pretty funny. But, first stop... at the top of the "grapevine", Earl fixed a little "hole" on the floor behind his seat and that's where Candy was the rest of the day. And Zoey was on my lap ALL day. We got to Chris & Kellie's about 3pm. Kellie was worried about how their dog would react to Zoey... she's almost 10 yr old beagle. But she was fine. Snapped at her a little a couple of times but no big deal. We left Candy in he car. Earl fixed her a little nest in the dog crate, with door open, and she has litter box, food & water so she's fine. It's not very cold out. Their old cat, Remo, is about the same age as Candy, but he's made himself pretty scarce all afternoon. We'll be up and out fairly early in the morning. Still trying to talk Earl in to staying with I-5, but I'm afraid I might lose. He seems determned to avoid ALL snow and go up the coast. It'll take a lot longer. We will have to stay in a motel tomorrow night and have to find one that's pet friendly which could be quite a challenge on 101. Get this, coffee buddy.... truck stop was OUT OF coffee!!! Earl was OUTRAGED!! No coffee at a truck stop!! They had about 3 huge coffee brewers and they were all empty! Excuse was they needed to clean the filters and brew some more. Well, YEAH!!! So we go down the road a few miles... to the bottom of the grapevine, where friend Jacki said there is a Starbucks. Stopped there and the line was so long I came right back out the door because I knew Earl would get very impatient if I stood in line like 15 minutes! So I went across the street to McDonald's and got two large black coffees! Kellie fixed big pot of chili tonight. It was good. After dinner she & I and the girls made a quick trip to Target. Now watching Survivor! Where is El Mexicali?? We ate at Pollo Loco for the very first time the other day after my dr. appt. We both really liked it. Earl went to bed already. I got up so early that I'm getting pretty tired, too, so will probably go upstairs soon. Need to take a shower so I don't have to in the morning. And can't wait to change in to pjs because the dog threw up all over my sweats! Must have eaten something off the floor! I smell really sour! Gross!

Yeahxv, I guilted him into letting me write that check. His bark is always worse than his bite. I know he feels good about it. Choir director thanked me profusely at party yesterday! Between both parks we gave around $1000. Two spin out accidents first two hours- both cars totalled!! About to stsrt up "grapevine".

Have gone almost 150 miles. Hugs, Karla! Do you believe it- cat is on front console roght next to Zoey with no hissing!! We thought shed stay in back!!

Hi, Lovelies! Here I am!! Recap..... I don't remember where I left off, though!! Thurs TOPS, dr appt, lunch, shopping while Earl went to oil change appt, then home to get ready for Sky Valley Christmas dinner at 5:30 p.m. That was kind of fun... was late in signing up so sat with people we didn't know at all. Good to get acquainted with some different people. Except the lady sitting next to Earl (about 90 yrs old) talked his ear off but she was deaf as a doornail!! Kind of funny watching the exchange from across the table!! LOL! Canadians to my left and couple from Seattle that I didn't know to my right. "Hostess" is new to the park and recruited to be a hostess when she didn't have a clue what she was supposed to do.. so food not real well coordinated, but not her fault since no one told her. So we had ham and a lot of salads and a lot of green beans! Another table passed us a potato casserole, so that helped. One cherry pie for 16 people was cut in VERY tiny wedges!! Which was fine with me. I took a few bites.. mostly the crust.. LOVE the crust... and gave the rest to Earl. And there were brownies, but... again.. a few bites and gave it to Earl. Ham was overcooked!! HAHA!! I'm complaining a lot, huh?! It wasn't about the food.. I enjoyed the visiting, and especially enjoyed the entertainment!!! Kids from the Boys and Girls club came and sang a few Christmas songs! So cute!! I said it made up for missing our grandkids' Christmas programs at church and school... did you happen to see video of Thomas signing at his on Facebook??? So cute!! Anyway... this one little boy.. I remember him from last year... just can't stand still, so he jumps and dances through every song they sing and I just sit and giggle! Put a couple of pictures of that on FB, too... but... you had to be there. Kids are from mostly low income families in Desert Hot Springs... lots of them single Mom families. Boys and Girls club gets them after school, helps them with homework until moms come and pick them up. And some were pretty little... but our choir director goes down and practices with them before they come and sing for us, so he tells them to "ham it up" and they sure did that!! I just LOVED it!! They took an offering for the Boys and Girls Club when it was over, but Earl didn't have his wallet, I didn't have y checkbook, and not much cash. So on the way home I told Earl I wanted to take a check for $100 to Activities office for them the next day. HAHAHA!! He about came unglued --- can you hear it??? , but he let me do it! First he said "I think $25 would be good!" But I said, "NO, I want to give them $100!!" And he quit arguing with me!! Amazing! And that is the best Christmas present.. for ME, this year!! Love those kids. So... we're leaving in the morning... and didn't leave today because of two parties.... Red Hat at noon, and open house at friends' here in the park later in the afternoon. Well, I felt crappy, and had SO much to do to get ready to leave that I ended up skipping the Rd Hat party!! But we did go to the open house. I busted my butt all morning and got my packing just about completely done. And in the process went through ALL my clothes, All my jewelry, ALL my makeup and all the JUNK on the couch!! Honest, Janet... you can sit on it now! Only one little stack of stuff in the corner is left!! I have not, however, made much of a dent in writing Christmas cards!! So... if you don't get one... LOL...... all it is is the picture of us on our decorated golf cart, that you already saw, with "Merry Christmas from Phyl, Earl and Zoey" at the bottom.... I forgot about Candy!!! HUGS!! I love you all!! But I am such a procrastinator! My good friend, Janet, from NYC that died in April always sent out her Christmas letters some time in January!! HAHAHA!! Maybe I'll do that! So.... skipped the Red Hat thing but went to friends' open house. Had a couple of cookies, a lot of coffee, and some cheese, crackers and salmon! Mmmmmmm! But.. came home and started feeling lousy again... headache, face felt hot... took my temp and it was 99.3. So I had a can of healthy choice chicken soup, southwest style, for dinner later, and two glasses of wine.. my little glasses! Fever seems to be gone now and headache, too. Have had stomach cramps and trots for last 24 hrs. Better be gone in the morning! So... 10 inches of rain forecast for L.A. area over the next few days, supposed to be raining heavy here for next 5-10 days but haven't seen a drop yet! Hope it's not too miserable driving up through northern part of L.A. and Pasadena in the morning!! And hope it's not snowing in the mountains!! One weather report I heard said some areas of the mountains could get up to 15 ft of snow!! HUH????? For real???? I think Earl is going to insist on cutting over to the coast for the 2nd half of the trip as northern CA mountains and maybe So Oregon, will almost surely have heavy snow. Rain and fog in SF, rain and big wind storm in Seattle area last night. Granddaughter coming home from U of WA to SF last night was stuck at SeaTac for FIVE hours!! Should be an interesting trip!! Will try to keep you posted. Deal with the golf cart was that he was so sure we were going to get all this rain... insisted it was starting at 9 a.m. yesterday, and he didn't want the golf cart to be wet when he was ready to cover it up because we're leaving. He bought these big plastic tarps... like painting things you put on the floor... can't remember what you call them, and then another heavy plastic tarp over the top of that, tied down with all these bungee cords and clothesline!! But... never did rain yesterday either!! Well, think I'll write a few more cards and go to bed. Up at 5 a.m. and you KNOW that won't be easy for me!!! Earl wants me to get up early and leave right away and stop at Denney's for breakfast. Wonder if he's going to make me coffee to take with me???

Hi, gang! So sorry to be MIA lately. Busy getting ready to drive to WA. Leaving early in the morning. Should be able to read posts on my phone but don't know if I can post. Will try. Not feeling so hot either.... might have what Janet had last weekend... little nausea, trots, low grade fever. Not really SICK, sick! So we went to an open house in the park for a little while this afternoon. Felt fine. Came home... felt headachy again. Took my temp.... 99.3. So... I am all packed and ready to go, but still writing Christmas cards!! Barely made a dent in them and don't know if I'll finish before Christmas or not!! Zoey is totally wired!! Kept seeing Earl take stuff out to the car and was convinced we were going to take her somewhere tonight! She's finally settled down, but Earl had to sit on the floor and throw toys for a while to wear her out. I've discovered something that I didn't know she'd learned. If she is standing in front of me barking insistently because she either wants a treat or wants me to throw one of her toys across the room.. if I put my finger to my lips and say "shhhhhh, quiet", she barks one more real soft bark and then she shuts up. I didn't intentionally teach her that... she figured it out. Lori... anxious to hear how your dinner went tonight. Sounds like you were well prepared and ready! I'm sure it went great! Apples... got the little snowman ornament today!! THANKS! Zoey really likes the snowflake, too! Had to hang it high where she couldn't reach it. Well.... I have to go to bed soon because I've been told I'm getting up at 5 a.m. and I am NOT a morning person. I do good to get up at 7a.m. And... I need to write some more Christmas cards tonight! HUGS to all of you. Will try to stay in touch while on the road for the next few days.

Look at that!!!! Quote showing up on the wrong thread again!! And I posted on that thread and lost it! I am getting pretty fed up with this site! Today was a little busy... TOPS this morning.. down .4 lb, then went in the hot tub for just a few minutes. Had to skip water aerobics because of dr appt at 10:45 a,m. which was really stupid because they kept me waiting over 30 minutes.. probably closer to 45 and I could have probably gone to water aerobics! I think they bunched up all their appts in the morning so they could have the afternoon off. I was supposed to go at 1pm and they called me and changed it. Anyway... lunch at pollo loco after that. Then Walmart, Costco, and Starbucks while Earl went and got oil changed. Quick glass of wine next door with Wanda and a couple neighbors before coming home to work on Christmas cards for a while. Then Christmas dinner here at the park. Ham... lots of salads and veggies at our table and just one small casserole of taters. Took a small sliver of cherry pie and a small brownie.... had a few bites and gave the rest to Earl. That was it for today.. Nothing tomorrow except start packing, try to finish cards and maybe work on jewelry projects that are unfinished! Weather does not look good for driving north... snow in the mountains. Yeah, jealousy is probably an issue with Jodie... but mostly they're lazy! Jodie & Tracy have had a rocky relationship for a long time. Tracy invited them up for Easter dinner one year and Jodie seemed to accept but at the last minute when Tracy called to ask her to bring something she was told they'd made other plans. Things like that don't sit well with Tracy and she doesn't soon forget!! Alan has always been a bit of a jerk. He gets very disrespectful with me at times, and I don't like that. He has this holier than though attitude. I told Earl today I wish we weren't even going! Didn't want to go to the dinner tonight either, but glad we did. Got to visit with people I didn't know, passed out cards and golf cart photos to several friends, and LOVE to hear the kids from DHS Boys & Girls Club come and sing us some songs.. Rudolph, etc. They are SO cute! We talked about the "going home for Christmas" issue at TOPS this morning. It was a good discussion. One gal said that after going home for a couple of years in a row... and finding their grown kids only had a few hours to spend with them and were busy with their families, they decided they weren't doing it anymore! But, seems like more than usual are doing it this year. Our topic was the 7 saboteurs with regards to eating the wrong things.

Okay... lost my post again! I'm about ready to give up!!! Hugs, everyone!!

Okay... lost my post again! I'm about ready to give up!!! Hugs, everyone!!