A cleaning day today trying to catch up with Dave's help. I did get a Christmas gift for my hairdresser today and the other girls in the salon, and started wrapping gifts. Isaac's gifts are done and now for the rest of the gifts tomorrow and we still have to decorate the tree. My knee is holding up with Aleve and an icy/hot patch and managed getting over 10,000 steps. Yahoo! I hope I won't pay for it tomorrow.

Now resting for the evening.

Shirley

Hi Phoebe !

Busy day of laundry, a bit of decorating the second floor, organizing all the wrapping/packaging materials, cards etc. I have many things packaged and ready to go. Also finished reading a book that needs to be returned to the library and got in my daily 10,000 steps. 10+ flights of stairs (actually 26 so far today), hit my goal for activity calories burned and have 13 hours of standing (the amount needed each hour to get a credit).

We had some big fluffy snowflakes and I enjoyed watching them but apparently the streets were slick and people were in accidents with three killed today. Not a bit lovely.

Ready to pack up for church tomorrow. A bit more snow overnight perhaps.

Wishing everyone well.

Buzz, you will keep at it until you have things all straightened out. I know you have the determination.

Marie, hello my friend. Hope you are well today.

Shirley, keep resting your knee. It takes a lot of time to heal our bodies.

Sandy, good luck with your attorney consultation. I am glad you are getting some professional advice.

Marcella, how lovely to have your son sharing his plans with you. I believe that is rare.

Hugs.

Lin

Jackie....I have the Shark Rotator, which I love. However I have a toy poodle that doesn't shed, so I do not have to deal with animal fur. My friend got the larger model that is for Pets and she was very happy with it. I can tell you that on carpets this baby works wonderfully ! You will wonder where in the heck all of the dust comes from because it does such a great job. Be sure to disassemble it to see if you can handle the weight of the lift out canister, which you might use on stairs and other things. That was a deciding factor for me, but I now have a small place. Liked that it isn't near as pricey as a Dyson and does such a great job ! Let us know what you get...:)

Back from our usual doggy walk, this time in mist rather than fog although we could see blue sky through it and the sun doing its best to shine. Home with washing on the line and the sun burned through. We did wander off track accidentally a couple of times on the top moor and the dogs played a game of sit and watch us walk away until we have to call them so they get a training treat so occasionally we looked back into a grey wall, no sign of them until we whistled then out of the gloom they bounded so pleased with themselves!

Ladies, your Shark advice is invaluable so thanks very much and Anne the latest Dyson V8 is £499 in the UK whereas I can get a Shark true pet handstick which sounds like the one Diane has for £149 so you can see I'm loath to spend too much unless I have to. Luckily George doesn't shed but picks up bits in his shaggy leg hair and deposits them once in the cottage whereas big, black fluffy Boris leaves a furry blob on the carpet every time he sits! At least they're obvious to the eye so decision made on comments you've all made because it's also lightweight according to descriptions online. Of course as per usual with me, looking for one item to purchase I noticed something I had no intention of buying, a Vax dual power pet carpet cleaner that appears to do a great shampoo job. It was in a sale so I save over £100 which suits me just fine.

Marcella ~ A friend has a creative son just like yours although he's a fashion photographer and they have a wonderful relationship where he tells her anything and everything so I understand the joy you feel when he shares his ideas about projects. You must be very proud.

Phoebe ~ So long as you, Jim and all the pets are ok then that's fine.... you just have to accept we worry about you if we hear nothing for weeks!

I'm going to finish my coffee and pop outside to see if it's not too wet to do a few chores. On the way to our walk my car beeped and warned of ice on the road even though it was 4c but it feels a lot warmer already so I must make the most of it.

Have a good Sunday everyone.
Jackie

Good morning
Sneaker
marie

Sandy - Love the picture.

We have no snow, but it is cold here. I'm thinking it's a perfectly good day to stay inside in some snuggly clothes and keep warm.
Marcella

Cute picture Sandy. Now where is your photo with Mr. Claus?

We had some snow yesterday and this morning a strange light drizzle. The guy came and shoveled the snow and now it has warmed up and most has melted. Colder weather is expected for the upcoming week I believe.

I didn't comment on vacuums as I no longer have pets but in general something that is easy to lug around, empty, etc. is what works for me.

I have been asked to take on more duties for the church. I said I would think about it and I am. Also reviewing the year's financials as Stewardship has been asked to authorize monetary gifts for a number of members with financial difficultities. I take this quite seriously and about sweat blood trying to be helpful while not hurting the overall finances too much. I think perhaps taking on another duty which would be all up to me may not be a good thing. We'll see.

Wishing everyone a good day. It is damp and chilly so am going to make a nice mug of tea and will read for a while.

Hugs.

Lin

Hello everyone! We are snowed in at the moment. My neighbour will help, but I'll be digging us out as well! Promises to be a cold cold week and with both sons on their travels a busy week for me as well. So I probably won't be around much either!
Hope it's a good week for everyone.
Anne.

Good Morning,

Boy these comments sound like winter alright.

Sandy, so adorable.

Jackie, I hope you aren't still driving around in circles. Hahaha

Anne - I'm sure your snow is beautiful nonetheless.

Sitting here with a coffee having had my two pieces of toast. Ed is still in bed. I am the early riser in the family. I wake up and start to worry about all I have to do so I get up rather than stress. Then Ed is still in bed so I can't be noisy, which I am, so I sit and read the paper and get caught up on the world with my iPad.

Gemfrire, what a great picture. Made me smile. Care to share your name?

Jeri

And me too

I had my breathing test today at the diet clinic. I had to blow into a tube with my nose closed and breathe normally for 10 mins. Your throat gets dry and when you swallow your ears close up. My results were better than the health educator thought. I am burning more calories than she predicted, although they would like to see an even higher number next time. I will do this test again in 6 weeks. I am still logging my food and will start upper body exercises while my knee still heals. It has greatly improved with my walking quicker now. I see the doctor on Thursday with my x-ray and see what he says.

We had some rain today and I hear we are getting a storm this weekend.

Shirley

Yesterday's trip wasn't too bad because going into town I followed my nose and managed to get to my friends by cutting through a supermarket car park which wasn't on the detour route! To come home my friends suggested I go out of town in the opposite direction to home, get on to a motorway and drive back to the outskirts on the other side then get off on to my road home which worked but not sure I'd want to do too often!
A dismal day weatherwise but we've had our walk around the local woods before I popped into town to collect a new yoga exercise mat after George and Brady between them destroyed the old one..... last class for the year tonight. While I was there I bit the bullet and purchased the Shark vacuum cleaner which is now sitting in its box on the sitting room floor while I have my coffee and contemplate reading the instructions. Usually I go head first in without reading and then get cross that an item doesn't do what I expect but I have time this morning. Last night I wrote all my Christmas cards for posting in the UK so will send them on their way after visiting my neighbour in the local hospital, that's if I can park!

Buzz ~ No patience required, you're an amazing lady and we love you.

Alice ~ Adorable graphic, thanks!

As ever please keep your snow on that side of the pond!
Jackie

Had a delightful visit from one of my first cousins once removed! His father and I were first cousins since our Mothers were sisters. He is considering buying a "second" home down here so will perhaps become a "snowbird"! When I opened the door, I thought it was his father standing there, the similarity is so great! Spent several hours listening to fascinating stories he'd gathered while compiling a family tree and learned things I'd never even thought to ask while growing up in Boston! Jon is one year older than my son, who is 62. We shared a sandwich in our Bistro, ended up sitting there with our Chaplain Joel, who looked teary eyed as he was telling Jon about how much he misses Mike! They had been close friends and had the same wicked sense of humor! So my day passed. Attended a piano concert tonight with everything from Mussorgsky to Tchaikowski to the Flight of the Bumble Bee, played in a somewhat jazzy style! The talented artist was a young lady from Russia, whose fingers flew over the keys like running water! For my taste, however, I found it too much technique without enough soul! I kept my mouth shut as everyone seemed to be in awe. And here I am wondering how it has reached almost 12:30 AM while I am still here at the desk! I have several cars to make but am learning not to be compulsive about it any more.
All the glorious trimmings are up for the Hanukkah-Christmas season and everything is festive indeed. I wore black to dinner tonight and many people remarked on the weight I had lost. Hah, I have gained back each of the 7 pounds that came off, and I hope it's just water, but I doubt it! The secret is wearing black!
Sleep well!...
Buzz

That's hilarious Diane and Sandy, thanks! Lovely idea, it would be ideal as a ringtone but my old phone probably wouldn't cope.

A busy day out and about including a pub meal with friends this evening so will catch up with you all tomorrow. Enjoy your Wednesday.

Jackie