Ann

Like Muriel, I've almost stopped collecting. I would have to say that my favorite things to collect now are pictures of the grandbabies!!! Oh...almost forgot...I do have quite a collection of cookbooks. I just don't know what it is about cookbooks that makes me feel the need to keep on buying them. It's not like I cook a lot....just like the recipes...lol!!!

A very gentle Southern lady was driving across the Savannah River Bridge in Augusta , Georgia one day. As she neared the top of the bridge, she noticed a young man who was about to jump. She stopped her car, rolled down the window and said, 'Please don't jump, think of your dear mother and father.' He replied, 'Mom and Dad are both dead; I'm going to jump.' She said, 'Well, think of your wife and children.' He replied, 'I'm not married and I don't have any kids.' She said, 'Well, think of Robert E. Lee.' He replied, ''Who's Robert E. Lee?'' She replied, ''Well bless your heart, just go ahead and jump, you dumb a-- Yankee.'

What do you collect??? NO...dust doesn't count!!!

So very sad.....such an untimely passing. My prayers are for this family. "She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility," their statement said. "She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure." Obama and Soetoro-Ng asked that donations be made for the search for a cure for cancer in lieu of flowers. A small private ceremony will be held "at a later date."

Fifteen reasons why men have 2 dogs and not 2 wives: 1. The later you are, the more excited your dogs are to see you. 2. Dogs don't notice if you call them by another dog's name. 3. Dogs like it if you leave a lot of things on the floor. 4. A dog's parents never visit. 5. Dogs agree that you have to raise your voice to get your point across. 6. Dogs like to do their snooping outside rather than in your wallet or desk. 7. You never have to wait for a dog; they're ready to go 24 hours a day. 8. Dogs find you amusing when you're drunk. 9. Dogs like to go hunting and fishing. 10. A dog will not wake you up at night to ask, 'If I died, would you get another dog?' 11. If a dog has babies, you can put an ad in the paper and give them away. 12. A dog will let you put a studded collar on it without calling you a pervert. 13. If a dog smells another dog on you, they don't get mad. They just think it's interesting. 14. Dogs like to ride in the back of a pickup truck. And last, but not least: 15. If a dog leaves, it won't take half of your stuff.

What Are Grits? This is for all you Yankees that aren't familiar with that southern dish: Grits What Are Grits? Nobody knows. Many people feel that grits are made from ground up bits of white corn. This is obviously a lie. Nothing as good as a Grits can be made from corn. The most recent research suggests that the mysterious Manna that God rained down upon the Israelites during their time in the Sinai Desert was most likely Grits. Critics disagree, stating that there is no record of butter, salt, or cheese raining down from the sky, and that God would not punish his people by forcing them to eat Grits without these key ingredients. How Grits are Formed. Grits are formed deep underground under intense heat and pressure. It takes over 1000 years to form a single Grit. Most of the world's grit mines are in Southern Georgia, and are guarded day and night by armed guards and fierce attack dogs. Harvesting the Grit is a dangerous occupation, and many Grit miners lose their lives each year so that Grits can continue to be served morning after morning for breakfast (not that having Grits for lunch and dinner is out of the question). Yankees have attempted to create a synthetic Grits. They call them Cream of Wheat. As far as we can tell the key ingredients of Cream of Wheat are Elmer's Glue and shredded styrofoam. These synthetic grits have also been shown to cause nausea, and may leave you unable to have children. Historical Grits As we mentioned earlier, the first known mention of the Grits was by the Ancient Israelites in the Sinai Desert. After that, the Grits was not heard from for another 1000 years. Experts feel that the Grits was used during this time only during secret religious ceremonies, and was kept from the public due to it's rarity. The next mention of the Grits was found amidst the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii in a woman's personal diary. The woman's name was Herculaneum Jemimaneus (Aunt Jemima to her friends.) The 10 Commandments of Grits I. Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits II. Thou shalt not eat thy Grits with a spoon or knife III. Thou shalt not eat Cream of Wheat and call it Grits, for this is blasphemy IV. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors Grits V. Thou shalt use only Salt, Butter, and Cheese as toppings for thy Grits VI. Thou shalt not eat Instant Grits VII. Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits VIII. Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits IX. Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits X. Thou shalt not put sugar on thy Grits either How to Cook Grits For one serving of Grits: Boil 1.5 cups of water with salt and a little butter. Add 5 Tbsp of Grits. Reduce to a simmer and allow the Grits to soak up all the water. That's all there is to cooking grits. How to Eat Grits Immediately after removing your grits from the stove top, add a generous portion of butter. (WARNING: Do NOT use low-fat butter.) The butter should cause the Grits to turn a wondrous shade of yellow. (Hold a banana or a yellow rain slicker next to your Grits; if the colors match, you have the correct amount of butter.) Next, add salt. (NOTICE: The correct ration of Grit to Salt is 10:1 Therefore for every 10 grits, you should have 1 grain of salt.) Cheese is optional. However if you wish to add cheese, cut it into 1/4' squares and add immediately before you eat your Grits. You do not want your cheese to melt completely. Now begin eating your grits. Always use a fork, never a spoon, to eat Grits. Your grits should be thick enough so they do not run through the tines of the fork. The correct beverage to serve with Grits is Milk or Chocolate Milk. (WARNING: Use whole milk only - DO NOT use 2% or, heaven forbid, Skim Milk.) Your grits should always be eaten in a bowl. Never use a plate to eat Grits. Ways to Eat Leftover Grits: (Leftover grits are extremely rare.) Spread them in the bottom of a casserole dish, Cover and place them in the refrigerator overnight. The Grits will congeal into a gelatinous mass. Next morning, slice the Grits into squares and fry them in 1/2' of cooking oil and butter until they turn a golden brown. Many people are tempted to pour syrup onto Grits served this way. This is, of course, unacceptable. image

Yep....I voted last Monday. I stood in line from 11:15 to 2:10. Thank goodness we had a little cool front move through here and the day was wonderful. I just kept thinking about how often we forget how precious these freedoms are!!! Don't want to tell you how I voted but I can tell you but the first letter of his last name is "O"

Did you take advantage of early voting???

What is the scariest movie you have ever seen????

Halloween Humor Q: What do you get when you divide the circumference of a jack-o-lantern by its diameter? A: Pumpkin Pi. Q: How do you make a witch stew? A: Keep her waiting for hours. Q: How do ghosts begin their letters? A: "Tomb it may concern..." Q: What happened to the guy who couldn't keep up payments to his exorcist? A: He was repossessed. Q: What do you call a person who puts rat poison in a person's Corn Flakes? A: A cereal killer Q: How do you mend a broken Jack-o-lantern? A: With a pumpkin patch. Q: What is a ghost's favorite ride? A: A roller ghoster. Q: Why are there fences around cemeteries? A: Because people are dying to get in. Q: What do you get when you cross Dracula with Sleeping Beauty? A: Tired blood. Q: Why was the mummy so tense? A: He was all wound up. Q: What kind of street does a ghost like best? A: A dead end. Q: How do you know if a ghost is lying? A: You can see right through him. Q: How is a werewolf like a computer? A: They both have megabytes. Q: Where do vampires live? A: At the Vampire State Building. Q: Why don't witches like to ride their brooms when they're angry? A: They're afraid of flying off the handle. Q: Where do ghosts go on vacation? A: Lake Erie. Q: How can you tell when a window is scared? A: They get shudders. Q: Why didn't the skeleton dance at the Halloween party? A: It had no body to dance with. Q: What do you say to a ghost with three heads? A: Hello, hello, hello. Q: What is a witch's favorite subject in school? A: Spelling! Q: When does a skeleton laugh? A: When something tickles his funny bone. Q: What tops off a ghost's sundae? A: Whipped Scream Q: What has a black hat, flies on a broomstick, and can't see anything? A: A witch with her eyes closed. Q: Why is a ghost such a messy eater? A: Because he's always a goblin. Q: What happens when a ghost gets lost in a fog? A: He's mist. Q: What sailor like to be chilled to the bone? A: A skeleton crew. Q: Where does Count Dracula usually eat his lunch? A: In the casketeria. Q: Where did the goblin throw the football? A: Over the ghoul line. Q: What do you call a goblin who gets too close to a bonfire? A: Toasty ghosty. Q: What do you call a ghost with a broken leg? A: Hoblin Goblin. Q: What do you call a wicked witch who lives by the sea? A: A Sand-witch Q: What did the baby ghost eat for dinner? A: A boo-loney sandwich. Q: What do you get when you cross a were-wolf with a drip-dry suit? A: A wash-and-werewolf. Q: What did the papa ghost say to the baby ghost? A: Fasten your sheet belt. Q: Who does a ghoul fall in love with? A: His ghoul friend. Q: What is a vampires favourite mode of transportation? A: A blood vessel. Q: What do you call a dog owned by Dracula? A: A blood hound. Q: What kind of hot dogs do werewolves like best? A: Hallowieners. Q: What do you call serious rocks? A: Grave stones. Q: How do you picture yourself flying on a broom? A: By witchful thinking. Q: Why did the witch's mail rattle? A: It was a chain letter. Q: Why did the vampire's lunch give her heartburn? A: It was a stake sandwich. Q: What do you call a skeleton who refuses to help around the house? A: Lazybones Q: Why did Dracula take cold medicine? A: To stop his coffin

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FOR SENIORS You know you are too old to Trick or Treat when: 10. You get winded from knocking on the door. 9. You have to have another kid chew the candy for you. 8. You ask for high fiber candy only. 7. When someone drops a candy bar in your bag, you lose your balance and fall over. 6. People say: "Great Boris Karloff Mask," and you're not wearing a mask. 5. When the door opens you yell, "Trick or..." and can't remember the rest. 4. By the end of the night, you have a bag full of restraining orders. 3. You have to carefully choose a costume that won't dislodge your hairpiece. 2. You're the only Power Ranger in the neighborhood with a walker. And the number one reason Seniors should not go Trick Or Treating... * * * 1. You keep having to go home to pee. No matter, have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN anyway.

I have watched this show for way too many years to count!!! This is the one show that I still manage to tape every day and watch when I get home. Oh well...just call it a habit...lol! This should be a very interesting storyline to follow. They have made it known that Kate is NOT a smoker, so this should help spread our message. On yesterday's episode, she had her first chemo treatment.

Although this is a terrible thing to happen, she is very lucky to have you for a friend, Lil. I know what a giving person you are and she will be blessed by your friendship!!!

Beth... Like you, I've been away from the board for a while. It's like "old home" week after reading your post and the replies from friends. I am so very happy that you are happy!!! I do believe that Bill, like Dennis, had a big hand in making life work for you. I'm so glad to hear that your family is doing well. I'm just smiling from ear to ear after reading your post, as I love happy endings. Ann

(((((((((((((((((RY))))))))))))))))))))))

OK Kasey....you twisted my arm and I'll share some pictures of the babies. Jude is now 9 months old and trying to walk. Ella will be two on November 14th. What a joy they are to my life!!!

I hope all of my friends are having a wonderful day today!!! I miss jumping on every day but I can tell you that I am making a promise to be here more often!!! So...here's a question for you??? What was your all time favorite Halloween costume???

Dear TIDE: : I am writing to say what an excellent product you have! I've used it All of my married life, as my Mom always told me it was the best. Now that I am in my fifties I find it even better! In fact, about a month ago, I spilled some red wine on my new white blouse. My inconsiderate and uncaring husband started to belittle me about how clumsy I was, and generally started becoming a pain in the neck. One thing led to another and somehow I ended up with his blood on my new white blouse! I grabbed my bottle of Tide with bleach alternative, and to my surprise and satisfaction, all of the stains came out! In fact, the stains came out so well the detectives who came by yesterday told me that the DNA tests on my blouse were negative and then my attorney called and said that I Was no longer considered a suspect in the disappearance of my husband. What a relief! Going through menopause is bad enough without being a murder suspect! I thank you, once again, for having a great product. Well, gotta go, have to write to the Hefty bag people.

DID YOU KNOW? Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little 'stringy things' off of it. That's how the primates do it. Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.. Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold! Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking. Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking. To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up. For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting. Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic. Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples.. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm! Reheat Pizza Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works. Easy Deviled Eggs Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up. Expanding Frosting When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes.. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving. Reheating refrigerated bread To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster. Newspaper weeds away Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and for- get about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers. Broken Glass Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily. No More Mosquitoes Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away. Squirrel Away! To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it. Flexible vacuum To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings. Reducing Static Cling Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... ta da! ... static is gone. Measuring Cups Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out. Foggy Windshield? Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the window s fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth! Reopening envelope If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily. Conditioner Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair. Goodbye Fruit Flies To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever! Get Rid of Ants Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed! INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the fil- ter after every load clothes.) He told us that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material ... I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like. Well ... the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free ... that nice fragrance too. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box ... well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long! How about that!?! Learn something new everyday! I certainly didn't know dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I'd share! Note: I went to my dryer and tested my screen by running water on it.. The water ran through a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water and a nylon brush and I had it done in 30 seconds. Then when I rinsed it ... the water ran right thru the screen! There wasn't any puddling at all! T hat repairman knew what he was talking about! PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK. NOT ONLY COULD IT SAVE SOMEONE'S HOME, BUT IT COULD SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE. N

Hope everyone that encountered Gustav is safe and sound!!! Here on Florida's East coast, we still haven't dried up from Fay and here comes Hanna. These ladies are really harsh with us. In 2004, it was Francis and Jeanne that hit us hard. I'm just so happy that New Orleans missed a direct hit from Gustav. My heart breaks for all of the people affected by these storms!!!

How many of the following disasters have you been through........? Fire Flood Hurricane Tornado Earthquake Drought

Have you been watching the Olympics? What has been your favorite event?

((((((((Ginny))))))) I so know how you feel and wish I was there to give you a big hug!!!

When was the last time you cleaned out your purse or wallet?

Tell us something new about you today..... Would you rather take a picture, be in a picture or paint a picture???