March 14

There’s not much going on here.  I’ve been getting my fabric ready to make some baby quilts in between keeping the house cleaned and the office work done.  I did buy a pattern to make Mandi a winter coat, but since it has gotten warmer, I think I will take the pattern down with me to Florida and see what kind of adjustments will need to be done to it to make sure it will fit a Boston Terrier.

I finally got my ticket to go to Florida.  I am looking forward to having some time with my family. 

I’m having a bad time with hives again.  I’ve discovered that I can’t do any nutrasweet at all.  The problem is my favorite candy is filled with it.  After tonight, I think I’ll be able to keep away from it.  Both my legs are full of hives. 

I think the people who decide to keep doing daylight savings time should be hung up by their toe nails and tickled in their arm pits!

I leave for Florida next Sunday night on Amtrak.  Train leaves at 9:00 pm and arrives 9:07 am.  I’ve got my little netbook all set up and ready to go.  Scott’s regular laptop is dying, so I’m getting my stuff off of my regular one to give to Scott. 

That’s all the excitement for now!

March 2.10

We are waiting for our next snowfall as I write.  I thought I told winter to go away!  Oh well, we are supposed to check the weather at 5:00 because they could change our 1 – 3 inches to 3 – 5 or so depending on the jet stream location!  If we get anything post worthy, I will take some pictures for you.  I may have to get brave and go out more than just opening my front door!

I just had to change the battery in my camera because I had gone through it.  I bought an extra battery so that I wouldn’t have to be without my camera.  I’ve been taking bird pictures.  Also, I started taking squirrel pictures for my friend Joan.  They have recently had trouble with squirrels building nests in their attic.  She was getting ready to start a reward for their pelts, but I convinced her not to do it!  TeeheeJ  Bear and Chloe love to chase them and I love to watch their funny antics so I let them be in my yard.  I found a new nest in my neighbors tree, so they are being fruitful and multiplying

I have all my traveling supplies ready, now I just need the right time.  I’m waiting to see how long my Aunt and Uncle are going to be at Mom and Ray’s house.

Enjoy the pictures.   All is well here.  We had a great homegroup dinner last night.  We enjoyed our feast and then the laughing began.  I haven’t laughed that hard since the last time the kids all came over.  Food and friends are a wonderful thing!  I should have brought my camera, but I forgot!

http://picasaweb.google.com/elmcneill/March210#

Winter go away please!

I don't know about you, but I'm about done with winter this year.  We had a winter weather advisory here again this week.  It also looks like we may get another storm next week.  Alright already, we are done with this!  We haven't had it any where near as bad as the north, so I know I shouldn't complain, but I'll complain for all of us instead of just me!

We got a couple of hours of flurries, but nothing serious.  I took some pictures, but it seemed so anti-climatic compared to the northern states that I didn't bother to post any of them. 

I have a new little canon camera so I am playing with that.  It also takes movies which I played with as well.  I love having new gadgets.  I get that naturally from my Dad.  He loves to tinker with new gadgets too!

I got a gift card from Joanne Fabrics from Rachel and Elisha for Christmas, so I decided to go there this morning on the way to get groceries.  I never did get groceries.  I got too hungry so Julia and I stopped and got lunch.  I had a whopper and onion rings, no bun to keep away from my food allergies.  While we were sitting there enjoying our lunch, I decided to go back to Joanne's to get some flannel to make baby quilts with.  They had a 50% off sale on flannel.  Elisha's sister who got married this last summer is expecting her first baby and Janelle a friend of Rachel's is also having her first.  Rachel brought Janelle over to my house to let me teach her about card making.  We all had such a grand time together that I kind of feel like I'm going to be a Grandmother!  I got 2 different fabrics to make nightgowns with and then I'm going to get started on baby quilts. 

Everyone is doing well here.  I had a whopper of a sinus headache this morning, but my decongestant pretty well took care of that. 

Birds at my feeder

I got these two pictures while sitting at my window.  I wasn't sure what they were so I looked them up. 

I got up early this morning and yesterday and the temperature was 39 degrees, it was a real heat wave!  I don't have to wear my big coat when it is that temperature.  It took about ten minutes less time to get outfitted to walk.  Tomorrow rain is coming and maybe some snow also them temp. is going back down to 20 so I will have to wear my coat again. 

I'm trying to think if anything else exciting has happened and I don't think it has, so I'll close. 

http://picasaweb.google.com/elmcneill/February2310#

February 22.10

Trying out a new font size to see if this will turn out better.

You will notice that a lot of my pictures are of Bear or Chloe.  That is because they are my best friends and are always around when I take my camera out!

I got a new bird feeder.  It is made out of recycled plastics and is very sturdy.  The birds are enjoying it and I am enjoying the fact that it will not fall apart like my wood ones have.

My thyroid was in normal parameters and I'm starting to feel human again.  I'm not sure what the long funk was about, but I'm glad it is over.

http://picasaweb.google.com/elmcneill/February2210#

Picasa Web Albums - Elaine - final phase 1 kitchen

 

I cleaned the kitchen all up on Monday so that I could take pictures.  When I took out the camera, the battery had died and I didn't know how to change it.  Scott showed me the process tonight so now I am all set to do it by myself.  (Wednesday)

We are probably going to change the paint color in a few weeks.  We are also going to do a tile backsplash in the future.  Also, I want some more lighting put in, probably around the same time as the tile backsplash. 

I got myself a little netbook so I can travel better on the train.  I am so happy with it.  Right now, it is sitting in the kitchen.  My desk has my other laptop so I can do our paperwork and some writing when I have the chance.  My laptop bag was so heavy the last time I took the train that I vowed I would have a netbook before I took it again.  It is much lighter to say the least.

Everyone is well here.  I got my thyroid levels checked today, so I will hear what needs to change by tomorrow.  Then, I can feel free to take the train.  My favorite Aunt and Uncle are going to Mom and Ray's on March 7th for a few weeks and I hope to be able to see them on this trip.  I need to get my netbook set up to transfer pictures so that I am ready.  Last time I forgot to take any pictures of them and I felt really bummed about that.  I am also looking forward to meeting Mandi, a new Boston that joined the family a couple of months ago.

Enjoy the pictures!

http://picasaweb.google.com/elmcneill/FinalPhase1Kitchen#

Misc. news

I thought I had pictures of the kitchen all finished (phase 1) but I didn't so I will have to repost again soon.  Scott's weekend job ended up being that weekend, then all week, and then this last weekend.  The kitchen looks so nice.  We don't think we have the right color for the kitchen so we'll wait a few weeks to give Scott a break and then maybe try again.  The color is a little on the peachy side and doesn't quite work.  Our bonus money ran out, but we plan on fancying up the cupboards and putting some more lighting in the kitchen, that will be phase two.

We'd like to tile the bathroom floors some time.  It shouldn't cost so much and also Scott will be able to do that himself as it is a smaller project. 

I have not been eating the way I should so I've had this horrible hive patch for six months.  I decided a week ago to go back to behaving.  It's been a challenge with everyone having so much fun with chips and dip!  My hive patch is now much better.  It was a bright cherry red and now it is a fading brownish color.  I will probably have a scar from it, when it heals up.  I am not missing the itching at all. 

Joel is doing much better.  He's able to be back to work and school.  His memory isn't functioning well, so he may have to drop a course from his school load.  The neurologist is taking him off of the extra medicines that were for the migraines.

Sorry for the delay on the pictures.  I downloaded all the ones I had taken and there were none of it completed!  I will try to get them to you soon.