Happy Halloween!

We don't have one thing that we could give out if anyone dares to come up our driveway.  There are no kids of trick or treating age in our neighborhood..oops...Kayla just might bring her little one .  I'll get something when we go to the gym just in case.  We had a delicious lamb stew last evening with Linda and Vic.  Nothing much going on here...it's cold!....later...

More than Chilly

It's downright cold!  I covered my herbs and all of my other plants are fine even though I didn't cover them.  We're now in a fight with the squirrels over the bird seed.  That 40 pound bag cost almost $30. and is almost gone.  We may end up in the poor house, but the birds and the squirrels will have fat tummies.  Now for football...we watched Va Tech and although they won, they shouldn't have.  They were awful!  We couldn't get the Auburn game, but they did win.  We watched a few programs that I had taped.  Today we'll be going to Vic and Linda's for stew.  She called this morning.  I was going to do a pork loin roast which I will do tomorrow instead.  Go Patriots...I don't usually root for them, but they are playing the evil Steelers.  The Berkshires in western Mass. got over 2 feet of snow.  We were up there at this time last year and the weather was beautiful.....later....

Money Ball

We obviously were not meant to see this movie.  The last time we went to Knoxville to see it the theater was closed to host a charity and Hugh Jackman was there.  Yesterday we went to town in the Pouring Down Rain and ate lunch at Red Lobster and then went to the movie.  Guess what?  They had technical problems with the film and cancelled that showing!  The next movie that sounded good wasn't for another hour, so we left.  We then went to Carolina Pottery which we had been wanting to go to, but couldn't find its location.  We finally got there and had fun looking for things.  I got a few things and we just looked around...it's a huge store.  We got home around 3 and were glad to be out of the rain.  It continued to rain all evening, but it is sunny today.  R. put the fountain away and filled all of the bird feeders.  It's supposed to freeze tonight so we need to disconnect our hoses.  I need to flow off the deck, but it is too wet today.  We had a wonderful fire last night and watched Monsters, Inc.  I liked it okay, but it wasn't as good as Toy Story.  I taped A Gifted Man and will watch that sometime this week..maybe tonight.  I'm glad the Series is over.  I didn't like either team, but liked the Cardinals the least.  Football today.  I just heard that the Vols have the third hardest schedule behind LSU and Alabama.  They play South Carolina today and their quarterback is a true freshman who has never played in a college game.  Good Luck!...later...

Rain and Chilly

We picked a bad day to go to the movies, but maybe that's a good thing to do on a rainy day.  I'm not sure what we'll see...either Money Ball of The Ides of March.  I'm leaning toward Ides, but it's in a location where I don't want to have lunch...we'll see.  I also want to find a nice decorative pot for a plant I'm going to bring inside and see how it does over the winter.  Nothing much else to report.  I just want to say that having a DVR makes life so nice when there is nothing on tv worth watching, but you have some programs you have saved via DVR.  Tonight may be the night for Monsters, Inc.....later....

Ex;pecting Rain

It is really warm out right now, but the sun has given away to clouds and it looks like rain any minute.  We may have frost by the weekend so I cleaned up my indoor plants yesterday and brought most of them in this morning.  The 3 big ones are still out, but R. will have to bring them in.  I was up early and got veggies cleaned and other things done.  R. noticed that I said in an earlier blog that I said we got 100 and some gallons of oil.  We got 793 gallons.  He thought if I didn't correct that everyone would think I was crazy.  I said I didn't think my correcting it would change any opinions.  Am I right?!?  I have nothing else to talk about except that I am tired of Halloween shows on TV.  I did DVR Monsters, Inc.  We have never seen it and my kids said we need to see it.  We'll watch it sometime this weekend....later....

Out and About

I just got back from getting my hair cut and a trip to Kroger's to get 10 avocados and some tomatoes.  I'll be making guacamole and freezing some.  I also went to the natural food store to get some white bean extract, but it's on order and not in yet.  That was something Dr. Oz recommended as a block to starches such as pastas and breads and an aid in losing belly fat.  It's worth a try..nothing else seems to work.  I know all of our time at the gym is a must, but if you think you lose weight...think again.  I have split pea soup in the crock pot and now it's almost lunch time and time to watch The View...later...

A Great Fall!

After the awful summer we so appreciate this fall.  It has been superb!  We are just now getting some good colors.  On our way up north this weekend we were disappointed at the drabness of colors, but on the way back down there were changes and very colorful.  We may go up to Townsend this weekend.  We also have to get out all of our bird feeders and put the fountain away.  Yesterday we got 193 gallons of oil at $3.45 a gallon.  We had 200 gallons left which wouldn't have lasted the winter.  I guess we use about 400 gallons a year.  We may try to go to a movie on Friday.  The one R. wanted to see isn't here yet.  It is the one with Kevin Spacey and I can't remember the name.  Today R. is going to Walmart and I'll do a bit of ironing and to the gym this afternoon...later...

Back From a Fun Weekend

The weather was perfect and we had a lot of fun.  Friday we got to go to the pumpkin patch with Trip, Susan and J.J. and then to his preschool for some Halloween fun.  He was dressed as a Bengal Tiger.  After that we had dinner and then home.  Saturday we went to see Max's soccer game and they won!  Later Muir and Jim and Anne and the kids came to Trip and Susan's.  Susan made some awesome chili and we carved pumpkins which I will post.  It was great to be with the family!  Max read a story to J.J. at the end of the day and cracked us all up.  He is a true ham.  For those of you who also read Muir's blog...I need to clear up one important thing.  The French Cake Iron belongs to ME!!  I am such a generous mom that I brought it to her so she and Maggie could make French Cakes...again I always give when it comes to my kids!  We came home yesterday and today will have our lawn cut for the last time and will get 500 gallons of oil for the furnace.  The first time we got it 20 years ago we paid 90 cents a gallon.  Today it is over $3.00.  I hate to see that bill!  Now for some pictures from the weekend.....A few of the pumpkin pictures are blurred.  That happened when I turned off the flash.

Ready to Hit the Road

We'll be leaving here a little before 9.  We need to stop at McDonalds to get a Frappe and a biscuit.  Lunch will be at Skyline in Kentucky and then on to Trip's.  The rain is over and the weekend should be nice, if a bit cool.  We'll be back sometime Sunday afternoon.  I think we were in the Berkshires at this time last year.  That was a great trip....later....

In Praise of my Bed!

Flannel sheets, the down comforter and a cold room make for ideal sleeping!  It was super cozy last night.  Of course we had the fans on, the door open and the heat off.  It was about 40 and the greatest sleeping weather.  It's a good thing R. also likes these conditions although sometimes he wants to turn off the fans.  I usually win out on that one.  I have liked these sleeping conditions since childhood.  I would turn on my little fan and open my window.  Daddy would turn off the fan when he came up to bed and then I would turn it on again.  We got a lot done yesterday.  The ceiling was painted and I got tons of ironing done.  It's still quite chilly.  I went to Target, Kroger's and the library this morning.  I wanted to get some cds to listen to on the way to Trip's tomorrow.  No sun today, but it should be better tomorrow.  We also had a great fire last evening.  R. actually started it about 6 and it lasted until I turned in at 10...later....

Rain, Rain, Rain.

Woke up to rain about 3 or so and should be raining all day.  That's okay by me.  I'll be ironing and changing the bed linen from summer to winter.  The flannel sheets go on today along with the down comforter.  Watch it get really warm now.  The painter should be here soon to paint the ceiling of the great room.  Other than those chores I have nothing.  The soup last night was delicious and we'll be having that for lunch and I'll freeze the rest.  Tonight I'll make creamed dried chipped beef over toast.  Mother used to serve it over waffles and sometimes I do it over a puff pastry shell, but R. prefers toast.  Panicked a bit this morning when I saw about the wild animals that escaped in Zanesville.  When I first tuned in they were saying Columbus and I was going to make sure Maggie didn't even poke her head outdoors, but I don't think they'll get that far.  What is sad is that they have shot many of the animals.  Now that the Columbus zoo is getting involved they will try to tranquilize them and thus save several...later...

Late Blogging

The problem is that my laptop is on the desk in our bedroom and R. gets up later than I.  I'm usually up at 6 or so and I could easily blog then but he usually doesn't appear until nearly 9.  We do have a computer in our downstairs den which I could use, but I'm too spoiled for that.  I also like to read Muir's and Jerry's blog before I do mine so I can make comments if needed.  This morning I left to go to Kroger's just before 8.  When I got home I started making ministrome soup.  It's all done except for the beans and pasta which I will add this afternoon after I get home from the gym.  Today I got some pancetta at Kroger's and started with that.  Usually I don't add any meat.  This is another beautiful day..the last for awhile.  Rain and cooler temps coming in tonight.  Tomorrow we're having our ceiling painted and I'll do a large amount of ironing while that is being done.  I have tons of things that were packed away for the summer and need ironing.  I took our down comforter to the laundry yesterday in hopes of having them launder it, but they charged $30.  That was ridiculous so I decided to see if I could fit it in my washer and I succeded this morning.  It is all ready now for cold nights.  ....later...

Sorry!

I was too busy in the morning to blog.  First I made brunch...French Toast in my waffle iron with sausage gravy over it.  After that I showered and got ready for the walk.  It was a beautiful day..sunny and a lot of fun.  Linda, Bev and I were the only ones not walking a dog.  We walked 3 miles along the road in Townsend.  On the way we stopped at several art galleries to have our cards stamped.  Each stop had water and snacks for both people and dogs and we went into the galleries and saw some great art.  I'm not sure how many dogs, but there were a lot..every variety from mutts to one woman with a great Dane and 2 Doberman's.  We saw one Yorkie who the human said was 20 years old, but we think she was lying.  This dog was way too peppy and could have been 12 or so, but not blind, not deaf, just a tiny bit grey.  There were some dogs there being fostered and I held one..a toy fox terrior who was 4 months old.  I could have him and I really would like to, but I'm not going to force the issue.  At the end of the 3 miles we were taken back to the start via hay wagon.  We also got goodie bags, with dog and cat treats, dog toy and other things.  I got mine hoping Baxter would be around.  Lo and behold when I got home Baxter was there so he got some treats and food.  After the walk the 3 of us had lunch and I got home around 4.  Good football results for most of my teams.  Va Tech won, Auburn won, Ohio State won, Bengals won.  The Vols lost to LSU and next week they play Bama so that's most likely another loss.  I'm glad I got my fall/winter clothes out as it is supposed to turn cold this weekend and we will be in Kentucky/Ohio and it will be colder there.  Today I'll take our down comforter to the laundry that is by the gym to be washed and dried.  It is too big to fit in my washer.  Now I must get to the laundry..it's all washed and dried, but now I must fold and put away...later...

Football Saturday

Unfortunately it doesn't look like we'll get the Va. Tech game and they're playing Wake Forest who is undefeated and it should be a good game.  I'm not going to watch the Vols get slaughtered, but Auburn is on this evening and I'll watch that.  Right now I should be getting on the ball and doing my clothes..summer out, winter in, but I'm not at all in the mood for that!  I saw a recipe yesterday on Chew that looked yummy and I'll make it as a snack this evening.  Bake a spaghetti squash.  After it is done and the flesh put into a bowl.  Put blue cheese, green onion, chopped sage leaves, 1 egg and some flour in another bowl and mix well.  Add squash and then heat vegetable oil and take the squash mixture by spoonfuls and drop into the oil.  Drain and eat.  It looked really good.  Tomorrow Linda, Bev and I are going on a walk to benefit the spca.  I think it's a 3 mile walk and there will surely be lots of dogs doing the walk as well...should be fun.  I'm off to do my clothes...Ugh!!

Sunny but Chilly

Brrr..however it will get to 70 today.  I think we'll have our first indoor fire tonight.  David was supposed to come over this morning to paint our great room ceiling and then go to Richard's to put a new screen and track on his back door.  He picked up the screen and secured it to his truck, but on the way over his rack came unhinged and the door flew off and buckled.  He ordered a new door and will now come out here on Wednesday.  R. may go to Walmart this morning to pick up a few things.  We need bird seed and suet.  We did put one feeder up on Wednesday and it took the birds about 1 minute to find it. We hadn't seen the humming birds for several days, but hadn't taken the feeder down yet.  Lo and behold we had one show up yesterday afternoon.  I think it may have just been a migrating one coming from further up north.  I'll leave the feeder up for a while longer in case others show up.  The Vols play LSU this weekend and I know they'll get creamed.  Tomorrow I'm putting away my summer clothes and bringing out my cold weather things...a chore I dread every year...later....Muir..keep the Eva pics coming..they make my day!

Fun With Jim and Nancy

Our company just left.  We had, as always, a very nice evening.  We were supposed to have a sunny day yesterday, but the sun never appeared.  We did sit out on the deck for appetizers and talked for a long time before I started dinner.  We ate inside around 7 and then went back outside.  R. had put a fire in the fire pit and it was very pleasant.  We stayed out until after 11.  I'm not sure what time we went to bed, but I didn't wake up until after 7 this morning.  I made coffee, put out fruit and muffins and we sat outside and ate.  We do hope to go down to Atlanta to see them.  We have never been to the Atlanta Aquarium and want to see that.  Today we will go to Lowe's to pick up paint for David to do our ceiling in the great room.  He'll be here tomorrow morning.  I guess I have to take everything off the tables, etc.  I finally got a new picture of Eva on Muir's blog.  I was ready to email Maggie and complain about no pictures coming lately.  I need pictures every week!  I'm anxious to get skype set up.  later.....

Rain is Gone..Sun Coming Soon

I need to scoot out of here in a bit for my appointment and then back here to finish up the cleaning.  R. will do the deck as I hope to have appetizers outside this evening.  I just need to dust and set the table.  R. will do the vacuuming.  I finished my book..The Blessing of Animals and loved it.  I hate to finish a good book.  I hope the next one doesn't disappoint.  It is foggy this morning after all of yesterday's rain.  Today is supposed to be super with sunshine and 73 degrees..more rain tomorrow and then a nice weekend.  Next weekend we will be going to Trip's and we need nice weather so we can go to the Pumpkin Patch with J.J. and then to Max's soccer game on Saturday..later...

Rainy Day

It started raining last evening and rained most of the night and is still at it..not hard, just a nice gentle rain.  We need it so I'm happy.  I got up at 4 this morning..yes, I said 4.  I couldn't sleep so I got up did some reading and a puzzle and was ready to go to the store, but wanted to wait until it started to get light.  I was back home by 8 and made my dessert which looks so yummy.  The crust is of oatmeal, flour, brown sugar and butter.  After that bakes you add a can of apple pie filling and top that with sweetened condensed milk with carmels melted in it and top it with more of the oatmeal topping and walnuts and bake it some more.  I can't wait to sink my teeth into it.  My kitchen is a disaster and as soon as I finish here I need to clean it up.  Also, I'm reading a book that I can't put down!  The Blessing of Animals.  I'll bring it with me when I go to Cincy.  I want Anne to read it..she must!  Now I need to get to the kitchen so I can go back to my book..but I don't want to finish it!...later...

Lots to Do Today

First of all...Happy Birthday, Jerry.  I think I'm correct, but if not I know I'm close.  Hope you have fun all day.  I just want to say I'm so sorry that programs that I like are on CBS on Sunday.  The football game always goes long and that throws the whole evening off.  Plus, last night we were going back and forth between 60 Minutes and the PGA Golf which went into a playoff and went on forever.  We were also trying to catch The Amazing Race on and off, but didn't get to see much of that.  The Good Wife was also late, but I did get all of that and DVR'd Boardwalk Empire.  Got up early this morning and started the laundry and then made Gorgonzola/walnut muffins and made the dough for my appetizer cookies which I will cut in the shape of leaves.  That is also done with butter, Gorgonzola, flour, herbs and pecans.  As soon as I fold the laundry I will head upstairs to finish cleaning up there.  Jack should be here soon to cut the grass..probably the last cut of the season.  later.....

Football

The Va Tech game was one of the best and most exciting games I have seen in quite a while...and we got a win.  Other than that we did get some things accomplished yesterday, but not enough.  Today we must finish with the blinds upstairs..one is up, the other we had to wait because it was time for Tech to come on TV.  R. needs to throw up the rest of the wood and cover that and I need to make 2 meat loaves and put my pots away for the winter.  We're getting a late start because we were reading our 2 papers and doing the puzzle.  I made pancakes for breakfast this morning and they were awful!!  It's not like it's a hard thing to make or that I left something out.  They were dense and tasteless.  Oh well..we did have eggs and bacon also.  I have to get going....later...

No Plans

I do plan to make 2 meat loaves, putting one in the freezer.  To do that I need to go to the store for a few things.  Yesterday I started taking my plants off the deck and cleaning out the pots.  R. threw up some more wood and I cleaned up my potting place.  I have a bit more of that to do today.  I want all of that done this weekend while it is still warm and sunny.  We'll watch golf and football today and maybe some programs that we previously DVR'd.  I watched  A Gifted Man and really like it...later....

Dog for a Day

Yesterday R. walked our hill instead of going to the gym, but I did the gym.  When I got home Baxter(The Golden Retriever who lives near us) was here walking with Richard.  As soon as I got home he came up to me to go into the garage where I keep treats for him when he occasionally gets loose and comes to see us.  He will never come inside, but he did yesterday.  Then I brushed him and gave him water and he left, but came back later and stayed until almost dark.  I'm hoping he comes back today as he is such a sweet dog.  He used to play with Wolfie, but Wolfie would not let him get near the house.  When he tried, Wolfie chased him away.  That was my thrill for the day.  Today I'm cleaning and starting to get the guest room ready upstairs for our guests who will be here on Wednesday.  The oven is being cleaned as I write and it smells in here.  The humming birds are still here.  I thought they had gone, but saw one this morning so I refreshed the food.  The fall festival is here this weekend and we don't go.  They have some big names and it messes up our whole town.  We went one year and it was fun.  I think Reba is the main act on Saturday...later....

A Nice Fall Drive

We drove to Hot Springs, NC yesterday via back roads.  I guess it was 5 years ago when we were there for a wedding.  Two bars that we liked when there had closed and we had lunch in the hotel restaurant.  No leaf color yet.  We did see a bit of color just starting in some of the higher elevations.  We came back through Gatlinburg and down through the park.  I didn't make the soup last night because we had a late and big lunch.  I'll make it for tonight.  I really haven't done much around here this week.  We did get outside stuff done but mainly we have just played and had fun.  I must clean house tomorrow.  I also need to do the upstairs which I do only when we are expecting company.  I haven't touched it since Anne was here in July.  I don't really feel bad about this since no one every goes up there..not even us.  I do keep our luggage in one of the closets so I go up for that...later...

Loving This Weather

It's another beautiful day with more to come.  It is warming up and we're starting to see a bit of color on the trees.  We're actually going to take a ride today.  We thought of going up to Cades Cove, but I think we'll drive to Hot Springs, NC.  It's a pretty drive on back roads.  That is where Kristyn was married and we'll probably have lunch in the pub there.  Yesterday we did yard work..trimmed the Rose of Sharon and threw wood up.  Later R. wanted to go to Lowe's to get a repair kit for the one hose and I went along and we got new blinds for the guest room.  I'm anxious to get them up.....I think I'll make potato/leek soup for dinner tonight....later.....

Movie Fiasco

Yesterday we went to Knoxville to see a movie.  First I stopped at the kitchen store to get some leaf cookie cutters and then we had lunch at Abuelos, a Mexican restaurant.  We then drove to the theater, and guess what?  A sign saying the theater was closed all day for a premier for a charity and Hugh Jackman was there.  Go figure!!  Anyway we had nothing else much to do, but we did go to Best Buy with the intention of buying a camera to set up Skype.  Maggie had told us that Muir bought one for $10., but $30. was the cheapest there.  I called Maggie to see where Muir got hers.  It was in a store in Columbus, so she is going to get us one and give to Trip when he is at their house this weekend.  We are going to Trip's in a few weeks so he will give it to us then.  After that we just came home and I did my laundry and a few other chores.  Today we are looking forward to watching an interview of Feredy on the golf channel at 8 p. m.  It was really chilly this morning.  We had our door opened and the fans on and I got out of bed to keep warm.  It is going up to 76 this afternoon...Making a mushroom/onion quiche for dinner...later...

Going to the Movies

We're going to Knoxville today mainly to see Money Ball, but I also have a few things to get and we will get a skype camera.  I have wanted to for some time and did have it on my list.  I'm not sure where we'll eat, but it will be an early lunch because the movie is at 12:30.  Nothing else going on...it's cold, but warming up this week.  Great pictures of Eva on Muir's blog!!....later...

Football Disasters

Well...Va Tech looked awful!!  Ohio State, Miami ()hio) almost Auburn, but they pulled it off.  As for baseball there were some good...the Phillies beat the Cards, but the Tigers lost.  Oh well, you can't win them all.  Very chilly here this morning.  We have some outdoor things to do.  R. will put up our fall wreath and trim some shrubs.  It's a big tv night.  Boardwalk Empire returns tonight along with Prohibition on PBS and The Good Wife.  We'll watch Boardwalk and DVR the others.  I'm making a butternut squash/pasta dish tonight and hoping it is really good.  The crepes last night were delicious and I made eggs Benedict for brunch this morning for my hubby.  He loves them and I rarely make them.  I clarified the butter yesterday so that was already done and I had ham left from the asparagus and ham crepes.  later.....

Brrrr....

I'm not sure what the temperature is, but it is cold!  I put the heat on this morning to warm up the house.  The high today is only 60.  We may have to have a fire tonight.  It sure was nice and snuggly in bed.  Of course we had the fans on and the door opened, but that is just us.  We have yard work to do today before the games come on.  I also have some kitchen chores to do.  I'm in the process of cleaning veggies for a snack later on and I'll be making crepes with ham and asparagus for dinner.  I made the crepes some time ago and froze them.  The humming birds are still here, but I expect them to depart very soon.  R. twisted his knee last night so I don't think he'll be doing much today.  I was hoping to get our fall wreath up on the chimney.  That's the last bit of fall decor to take care of....later....