"Sittin' round the Pot Belly Stove!"

[furluvcats]

We just got the call from the Realtor...we got the land we have been trying to get for a week now. We had to end up bidding off on it, because there were other offers, and let me give a bit of real estate advice, in case you're ever in a bid war and you really want the house or piece of property:

There is a thing called an escalator clause...meaning you can actually write up your offer as (x) amount higher than the highest bidders offer. Capping it an the highest amount you'll pay for the property. That is how we got our property...I thought of it, it was legit, and we won!!! WooooHoooo.

So, next, we find a contractor and we build...Furry has her peice of paradise in the snow!!! Very excited...knew you'd love to hear it David...we'll have to sit on my front porch or by my pot bellied stove once its all built up and chat a while...look forward to it David!!

Our daughter turned 13 yesterday...the girl at dinner thought Chloe was "of age" and was about to offer her a glass of wine, when we told her it was her 13th birthday....lol. Poor girl couldn't believe us, and asked all the others working there how old they thought she was, and their answers ranged from 21-26!!! Omg...you other parents feelin for me?? lol Tonight sh'e invited 50 friends for her bday party...God help me! Then all the girls are sleeping over....ARGH! :O)

Take care everyone!!!

[O Town]

Great news furluvcats! Great idea, that worked. Hope the house building goes off without a hitch! Boy, I bet all them teenage girls are gonna wear your butt out tonight. LOL. That is gonna be wild.

Pburg thanks for the iced tea that really hits the spot. The garage sale went well, didn't make a killing but did fairly well. Sold alot of the kids clothes. I had a ton. Now only a half ton. LOL. It was time well spent with my mom, and grandma(who is 93 and acts like some 60 year olds I know), so that in itself was nice. My grandma lives next door to my mom and has all my life. Was great living next to the my grandma who throughly loved spoiling us kids. So we all contributed to the sale. My grandma was selling some really old things dirt cheap, lots of people snatched up her stuff. It was a beautiful 2 days as well, temps in the upper 70's with a good breeze. All and all it was great.

Well I guess I need to go fix my people some dinner. Don't know what but whatever it is it will be easy, I am wore out. Pancakes anyone???

Have a great evening everybody!

[vbhoutex]

Furry I am on the way!!!! That is AWESOME!!! Oh wait, you have to build the porch first!!! Well, start that first and then do the house!LOL!!! You better be careful what you offer, I may just show up unnanounced. I'm happy for you guys!!!

I remember some of the garage sales we had in the past and the memories are more of the great family visits than the sale itself. We don't do them any more. Too much work for us old farts!!! And we have gotten rid of most of the old stuff already, between the sales in the past and our "flood" two years ago.

[breeze]

YAAAAYYY for Shannon! That's great that you got your
dream spot in Paradise! God Bless You with 50 girls for
a sleepover, dear - I would go insane!

No yard sale for me, either - before I moved back here, three
years ago, I had a trailer load of stuff that got hauled off
to the city dump. I use everything, now - old or not! I did
count change this morning, that I had saved, and scored
$43.00! So, with that wonderful little windfall, I went to
the grocery store, and, I'm leaving some S'Mores to share
with my Stovian buds! Ya'll enjoy!

[coriolis]

Good luck with the project Furluvcats!

50 teenagers in the house? That sends a chill down my spine!

[furluvcats]

YEA...We survived the party!! It was actually only about 30 kids, most of them boys...(skater boys)...and only 6 kids stayed over, so it wasn't so bad...ugh...the music these kids listen to!!! (Did I just say that?? lol I sound like MY mom!!!) THE SLEEPOVER PART WAS GIRLS ONLY...wanted to clearify that...Guys left at 10pm!! Actually, my daughters b/f stayed, but as my sons guest, and they slept in OUR room, on the floor with a bunch of crinkly plastic bags blocking the door, so we would hear if they tried to leave the room in search of females...lol They were very good boys and asleep before we were! I kinda slept with one eye open tho, just in case...

Thanks for the wellwishes on the property at Big Bear :O). We feel blessed to have gotten it and plan to do wonderful things with is...our youth pastor has actually asked to take the youth group there for an outdoor adventure this winter....since it backs up to National Forrest, it feels like it goes on forever...also, point of interest, the Pacific Trail is right behind us ...pretty cool :O).

David, I can't wait til we build and send you pics of the porch...we overlook the lake and the ski slopes, so an expansive deck/porch is a definite!

Well, its quiet now...nobody is home but me, so I'm going to go curl up with my book, and imagine I'm in front of the big rock fireplace...watching snow falling gently outside...ahhhh

PS: I'm leaving behind LOTS of birthday cake for you guys...evidentally teenagesr would rather dance than eat cake! lol

[breeze]

Thanks for the birthday cake, Shannon! Yummy! Big Bear
Country - WoW! I'll look to see your new home featured on
The Travel Channel's "True & Amazing Homes"! It sounds
like it will fit right in! Also, glad you survived the invasion of
the teens!

Where's Miss Mary? Didn't she say she'd be home Sunday,
or, did I dream that? I'm ready to hear about her adventure!
LOL, she'll be like the lady on a department store SALE
commercial that I saw - ladder up to the second floor window,
filling one room with a hundred shopping bags, then, hiding
the ladder, and popping through the front door to greet the
hubby with one bag in each hand...."Good day of shopping,
dear?" "Ummm, yeah - I did pretty good..."

[arkess7]

That is so awesome about the land furluvcats!!!! I bet its beautiful!!! And that leftover birthday cake is satisfying my sweet tooth right now....Thanks!!!
My daughter is 5 so I'm not in any hurry for those teen years!!!

I'm with ya breeze...cant wait to hear about Miss Mary's shopping spree!! I need to get on the ball with my shopping!!! ugggg!!!! I just got my list done for my Thanksgiving dinner that I'm cooking this year......got me a 18 pound butterball turkey yesterday!!!! This will be the biggest one yet!!!!

Well I'm gona go sit by the stove with my throw blanket and watch some TV..........Have a nice night yall!

[wx247]

Miss Mary is probably still bringing in all of her bags from the car. If she went shopping in Chicago there is no telling how much stuff she will have bought! (That is, of course, assuming she isn't waiting for us to pay her bail!)

Our debate tournament went well. I have these first year kids who have only lost one round the entire year so far. I keep waiting for them to lose some so I can see what they are made of... but they don't. I am just amazed at their work ethic. Ed... suprisingly enough, this area of the country still is pretty civil and well mannered in debate. No eye rolling or name calling allowed. We were caught at a restaraunt celebrating afterwards while under a tornado warning. The kids were impressed that I knew a spotter tracking the storms and had connections to know that we were on the other side of town from the funnel cloud.

Well, I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. Shannon (fur) sounds like good things are coming your way.

Try to enjoy your Monday everyone!

[Miss Mary]

Wait - Shannon had a sleepover for 50 girls....wow, more power to ya g/f!!! That is about 40 more than I'd agree to!!! LOL I must have missed that uh, very important detail from your previous post!!!! Glad it did go so well too.

Had to laugh at you all, wondering how my shopping trip went - even GARRETT!!!! LOL That is something when a man notices you're gone shopping.....he he Well, we had had great weather for this time of year in Chicago, took in a play about Menopause (and no, I'm not there, yet!), several very nice meals out, a ~few~ drinks, lots of shopping, about half way done with my list I'd say (it's not a very long one to begin with), treated myself to a xmas table runner from Crate & Barrel (cotton striped runner very similar to a rug really), xmas candles and an inexpensive zip up fleece from Marshall Fields, AND felt great on this trip. Some of you know my diet is wacky, so I have to watch what I eat closely and this year I did very well. I could keep up with the rest, most of the time and it all went very well. I was close to a few SIL's and I'd have to say I grew closer to the other two so that was a positive outcome. All in all, I am so glad I went this year. I'm beginning to get into the holiday spirit. Most stores were decorated for the holidays but overall, most restaurants, hotels and landscaping were not yet. So that felt odd to us. And if you think going this early, we beat the crowds - wow, think again. Sat. afternoon it was packed. When I'd stop at a light and look ahead, it was wall to wall people, on every sidewalk - 10 wide! Can't even imagine that street - dubbed the Magnificient Mile - the day after Thanksgiving.

So I'm back but not in the swing of things yet. Doing laundry, reading the Sunday paper, etc. It might take me a few days to catch up....and oh yeah Eric, I called home late Thursday night to tell Laura and Jim we arrived safely (after 11) and right away she told me who got voted off on Survivor. Here I was standing in a hotel bar - imagine that - and we're discussing a TV show. Do you think I watch enough TV or what? I will miss Bobby Jon....dang that Judd....grrrrr!

Mary

PS - Annette, I need to see that commerical - I've already stashed items that Laura can't see until Dec. 25th. She looked at what I did buy and said - that's it? LOL I said what your sister and aunt are getting? I said - do you really want me to ruin xmas for you, NOW? Reply - well, noooooo.....could tell she wanted a peek and I said no way! Right now her gifts are hidden in a basket of ironing, in the laundry room closet!!! Not exactly a ladder, but close.....

[brunota2003]

uh oh, on my way up here I saw Porkchop, he's coming, I tried my best to put everything up before he got here, but he got the rest of muffins and nog, made more though, its on the stove...

[breeze]

MARY'S BACK!!! LOL, we missed you! I didn't catch your post
last night, as I logged off to get ready for bed, then, my
nephew popped in to visit about 10:30pm! He works the
evening shift through the week, so, he was still wired, and, I
have to be at work by 8:00am! I'm glad that you had a great
time, and, knocked a lot of presents off of your list. Plus,
you got to see a play about "Menopause" - that's like kicking
the covers off at night when it's 30°F outside, because I'm
buuuurning UP, right? Oh, wait - you're not there,
yet...LOL! That's amazing that so many folks were
out, shopping for Christmas, already - I don't miss those
crowds, at all.

I'm so glad that you enjoyed your trip - and, we're so glad
that we didn't have to post bail!

BTW, I think I saw that commercial on HGTV or Travel Channel -
too funny - poor Laura is probably waiting for the moment to
tear up the house, searching!

And, thanks for the nog and muffins, Timmy - you gotta
watch that Crouton - unless there's pork chops, of course...

Everyone have a great night!

~Annette~

[coriolis]

Well Mary, it sounds like the Chicago trip was a success! I'll bet it feels good to be home, though.

(I better not mention that we had a lovely ham dinner tonight.)

[O Town]

Good morning. Well Mary I bet you are glad to be home, and try to catch up and get back in the groove. Getting your list half marked off had to be great! I am jealous for sure. lol.

Coriolis we had a ham dinner last night as well. Ham steaks not a whole ham, but ham all the same. Green beans and mash taters.

Wish I could stay and curl up, but it is going to be a busy day. Alot of housework and errands. I will stoke the fire and grab a muffin on my way out. Have a great day everyone!!

~Kelly

[Pburgh]

Thanks for stoking the fire Kelly. I just had to come by and get a little dry. It's raining here in the Burgh. Temps to go up to 70 today!!! I can't believe it's this warm into November.

Mary, your trip sounds great!!! You did some of my favorite things - eating, drinking and shopping. Can't get much better than that. Now come on, give me the skinny - was the one sister-in-law that you and I discussed on this trip?? Anyway, we're glad your back home and had a great time.

I have oddles to do at work to do today so I'll just drop off these KK's, pick up one of those yummy muffins and brew a pot of Earl Grey.

Have a great day everyone
Karan

[Miss Mary]

Thanks for stoking the fire Kelly. I just had to come by and get a little dry. It's raining here in the Burgh. Temps to go up to 70 today!!! I can't believe it's this warm into November.

Mary, your trip sounds great!!! You did some of my favorite things - eating, drinking and shopping. Can't get much better than that. Now come on, give me the skinny - was the one sister-in-law that you and I discussed on this trip?? Anyway, we're glad your back home and had a great time.

I have oddles to do at work to do today so I'll just drop off these KK's, pick up one of those yummy muffins and brew a pot of Earl Grey.

Have a great day everyone
Karan

Karan - you're too much!!! LOL Do you mean the one that's soon to leave the family (i.e. divorce)? Of course she didn't go. Or the one that's been distant with me (real sister of hubby)? If so, she was so warm to me and even hugged me, said she was glad I went. I was in shock, but a pleasant, warm and kinda fuzzy feeling way....this is getting mighty mushy....get out the tissues!!! Have I been watching too many Disney movies or what? he he This year I felt connected to all on the trip and never once said to myself - I wish I was home! Haven't shed one tear either (last year I cried for 3 days after I returned home!). Funny how things work out. I'm the type that just keeps trying and trying, to keep the peace. This time, it worked!

But thanx for asking.....

Mary

[breeze]

I think I can put up the umbrella, now? LOL, Mary, I'm
"mushy" from the rain, but, well - we needed it!

Brrrr...I felt much cooler air when I stepped outside, just
now...glad that OTown stoked that fire, earlier!

I'm grabbing a KK and a cup 'o Earl (thanks, Karan!), and, I
do believe I'll sit here in the rocker and warm, a spell...

Who knows...I might doze off....someone please throw
that afghan over me, if I do, please?

[vbhoutex]

Having to snuggle up under the afghan this am. Is there room for me too? We're in the mid 40's here with a stiff north wind. Actually expecting 30's in the am the next few mornings. Finally we are back to or below normal!!! Felt like early fall here(80's to 60's)for the last few weeks. Some of that warm cocoa someone left will go just fine with my chocolate KK. Yes, I brought the KK's this morning.

I'm heading out to the field for a meeting this morning so I had to stop by here to warm up first. Glad to hear everything is ok for you Breeze, and of course our other members that were in harms way yesterday.

Miss Mary are you rested yet?

[coriolis]

that bad ol cold front is going through here right now. It was 70 at 7 am and it must be in the 50's now. I kept looking in the sky for that big blue line with the arrowheads on it, but it must have passed when I wasn't looking.

BRRRRRRR.

[furluvcats]

Hello all from a warm and almost 90 degree southern california! Amazing warm front we're experiencing...

My grandmother and her husband are flying into today from FL, to stay with us til the end of the month. I'm very excited to have them here for Thanksgiving! We have a trip to Mexico planned, a trip to Vegas, a trip up to Big Bear to see our property, and hopefully snow...other family is also coming in...so it's going to be quite an exciting two weeks for us here!

I posted a thread about gathering Christmas card addresses again this year, and also sent out an email to a few folks...so its that time again, to get addresses in so we can get the Christmas card thing rolling!!!

Still waiting on snow up at Big Bear...I cut a trimming off of one of the Christmas trees on our property so I can have a bit of it here...and I can deck my halls with my very own boughs....lol

Glad you're back Mary and had a fabulous time visiting and shopping! I never got to do a big shopping spree in the city when I lived there...it was too darn cold! :O)

Enjoy your week guys...my kids are off an entire week for Thanksgiving, so we're looking forward to the family time, and blessed to have family coming in to be with us as well...Hope yours is as wonderful and fullfilling as you want it to be!