Conversation Club Chatter

Hustle and bustle

Today I mailed the two Minnesota boxes - I saw on my receipt that the two rather large boxes I was carrying weighed a total of 26 pounds.  Thankfully I could use the automated station almost right away.  Then I came home and worked on the Christmas letter - for the past 3 years I have made a photo collage that tells the story of our year.  I finished that tonight, so tomorrow I can do the cards and get them in the mail! Yea!  I usually send about 35, only to out of town friends and relatives.  Have made 3 batches of fudge (one went to MN), and 2 batches of snack mix (each one is 3 boxes of cereal, a can of peanuts and half a bag of pretzels with the butter and spices etc) and next up will be cut-out sugar cookies. 

I have to say, it is great with Steve gone - I can work right through meal times if I want, and leave my project messes laying out - just have my own schedule.  He emailed me from London, is very busy with the class during the day, and then doing a project for Hans in the evening.  Jarda, a Lilly employee from Czech Republic, is also taking the course, and will be involved with the business too.  They will go to Brussels on Friday night till Sunday to meet with Hans and the rest of the team, then Steve goes back to London Sunday night and home to Indy on Monday.  Sort of funny - Hans is here at Lilly this week, and he will fly home to Belgium on Friday too.

Posted by Carol on 12/15 at 10:51 PM
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next cc?

Raquel said no cc at her house this week nor next. Do you want to come here?  I can do it although I could put it off if everyone is too busy.

Wednesday I go to Greenwood to get my muscle nerve conduction test. Anyone want a ride to Greenwood? My appointment is at noon and they said it will take an hour. I could drop someone off at the mall and pick them up after Bill will be at a funeral for a friend from church (age 64).

Posted by Susan on 12/13 at 04:58 PM
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Time to Start a new Post

Sue, I’m sorry about the muscle prep for your surgery. I remember a couple of my friends having the surgery and the recovery time wasn’t long or bad. if I can help with anything, after the surgery ( getting movies, etc from the library like I did for Maureen or anything else) let me know. Carol. you always have such a good time with your grandaughters! Barb and I are hoping to go to Munster this weekend, even with the snow storm possible. My Mom is worried, of course, but we are planning to go Friday, before it starts. I want to celebrate Chanukah with my family since Elliott’s family really doesn’t do anything. Matt is in Orlando and said it was 51 degrees yesterday ( I think I heard somewhere in Florida it’s 25 degrees today) The whole country sure is cold! Maureen, it sounded like you enjoyed your trip. Besides Munster my only trip in the near future will be to Iowa, in the Spring. I have to tell all of you, the lady who is displaying her art( in our display case for this month) teaches painting, out of her house. I’m considering going to her house and checking out the classes. If any of you are interested come to pike to see her and her student’s work.

Posted by CarolFay on 12/08 at 02:06 PM
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Snow and tree and shopping

We got our tree yesteday at Habig’s and today Delaney and Ella came over and helped decorate it.  Really makes a difference to have them assist us!!  Then they went outside to play in the snow - sledded down the slope of our front yard, made a snowman and had a snowball fight - came inside with nice rosy cheeks.  After that Ella had a rest, and I took Delaney to the Fashion Mall as she had birthday money to spend.  She had her heart set on a North Face fleece hooded jacket.  They were out of what she wanted at the North Face store there, so we looked at Nordstrom’s and as luck would have it, they had one, in her size and in the color she had wanted.  Fun day!  Ella went home later on, but Delaney is here overnight and we will meet up with everyone at church and Sunday School tomorrow.

Posted by Carol on 12/05 at 12:26 AM
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Any RSVPs for Thursday?

I am looking forward to seeing all of you!

Posted by Kate on 11/30 at 11:08 AM
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Remember the day

Have been reading some interesting reflections from school friends on Facebook today, thinking back to the day when JFK was assassinated.  What one of us remembers, another one expands on - but what is eerie is that we all basically have the exact memories of that afternoon, and what we were doing when we heard the news. Our 7th grade Algebra teacher,  Mr. Reynolds (not the most serious or credible teacher if I remember correctly) came in to our class, first one of the afternoon, and said “Did you hear President Kennedy was shot?” - I remember waiting to hear the punchline to this very sick joke. So very sadly, it was not a joke. My family spent the entire weekend in front of the black and white TV set. Then on Sunday morning after church I was with my dad in Lilja’s Drugstore, buying the Sunday paper and that’s where we heard that Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald. It was a growing up time for me, being sad beyond words for this very grown-up tragedy. My eyes still tear up when I think of this.

Posted by Carol on 11/23 at 12:07 AM
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Gobble Gobble

I was thinking of what the turkey says when I wrote the title but then it occurred to me - that is what we do!  I am going into this eating season with a different approach this year - hopefully.

I read somewhere : the first bite always taste the best, so savor it and don’t eat as much. You should spend as much time eating the meal (eating slowly, having conversation) as you spent preparing it. And in Michael Pollan’s book, Food Rules, you shouldn’t eat anything that has ingredients you can’t pronounce - stick to real food.  I’ll see if I can remember to bring his book to the next CC - it is very short.

All that being said as long as Saturday’s weather was cold and gray - we made Martha Stewart’s pumpkin bread pudding, pumpkin ice cream, and chestnut pumpkin bisque (and tomato soup and blue cheese garlic soup). We also went to Best Chocolate and bought some truffles to take to Akron.  I thought we’d play - can you identify the flavor? We still have a dozen truffles wrapped securely in the freezer from when we had our trip there!  If I hadn’t tripled wrapped them I am sure we would have broken into them by now!  I still need to make a pumpkin log, chocolate chip pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and sweet potatoes.

Rachel is coming here. Dave and I are doing the Drumstick Dash in Broad Ripple Thursday morning and going to Dave’s brother’s for dinner that night.  Friday we are driving to Akron and celebrating Thanksgiving on Saturday.  Kevin and Jen will also be there.

Thanking God for the the many blessings in my life…

Posted by Maureen on 11/22 at 09:08 AM
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Had A good conversation club but we missed Kate and Maureen

It was a nice evening at my house. I’m happy I was finally able to have CC. We decided the next one should be the week after Thanksgiving. Kate, we think it’s your turn if you can have it. Otherwise Maureen, you are next. Sue Kitzi and I had lunch, outside oh Yumm, like you did, and had a great lunch. Yester day was a beautiful day. I enjoyed going to the gift and Hobbie show even though I didn’t buy anything. I enjoyed being with Kitzi. Tonight I think Elliott and I are going to see his Dad at the rehab center.

Posted by CarolFay on 11/13 at 05:36 PM
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Travels

Coming back to Indianapolis weather was great - a continuation of our vacation. We went on a 20 mile bike ride Friday.

I do believe though that the weather here might have been warmer than in Zion and Sedona.  I think the highs in Zion were in the 50’s - but it was great for hiking.  Sedona it was in the 60’s.  Both places were in the 30’s and 40’s at night.

The vistas in Sedona and Zion were spectacular!  It is beautiful country!  We decided to go only 3/4 of the way up on one hike - Angels Landing - in Zion.  Someone way back when named it Angels Landing - from the ground - saying that only angels would land there.  There was a reason for that!  As you neared the top there were shear drop offs of 1500 feet on both sides. They had a heavy gauge chain that you held onto while you placed your feet in natures steps that were made of sandy rocks.  After the first set of chain I felt that I got close enough to the angels!

Already planning another trip somewhere!

Posted by Maureen on 11/13 at 12:08 PM
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don’t you hate it?

When you write up an entry and hit the back button instead of the submit?

I am tired from taking a three hour walk with the boys in the am. I stopped briefly at Maureen’s and then walked down to 73rd. I picked up political signs to recycle. Appropriately (or Ironically) the sleeves are ideal for lining my trash buckets. then I went to JEL and got a scalp treatment for my dry scalp. Delaney (from Carmel) massaged my scalp with a cream and then I nearly fell asleep in the dryer. I also got a haircut. Then I dropped off three big bags of things to thrifty threads. I was strong and did not go in and buy more items. Slowly I am getting thngs organized and sorted but I guess that is a liftime occupation. Would you believe that I was looking at ads for parttime jobs on craigslist today? Tempting.

Posted by Susan on 11/04 at 11:48 PM
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Poetry Plus tonight

All are invited - Jim Winters, a friend of Sharon Harvey’s, will present the program “Masterpieces of Religious Verse” tonight (Tuesday) at 7:30 pm in Pilgrim Lutheran Church library.

Posted by Carol on 11/02 at 10:12 AM
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garage sale madness

Friday I spent over $90 on rummage sales. $45 went for a 12 piece place setting of Johnson Brothers ‘summer chintz’ pattern. These dishes are made in England and will be perfect to serve my desert for cc meetings. Today I had my sale and made about $90. Easy come easy go. It was much colder than I expected. Thanks Maureen for stopping by. I am going to try again tomorrow for the morning only. I have several large items that did not sell: drop leaf table, sofa hideabed; treadmill; my motorized trike. I may be asking more than traffic will bear or the right people just haven’t stopped by. I had a lot of traffic due in part to Kara placing a funny rant about her mom having too much stuff on craigslist. One man even printed out the letter and had it with him. Carol Fay,  I wish you would come by and take a look at my hand puppets. I have about 12 including Mickey and Minnie and many others which I had collected through the years. the most expensive is $3. Happy Halloween everybody.

Posted by Susan on 10/30 at 07:10 PM
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I guess CC isn’t this week.

Should we have it on the 11th? Next week I think two of you said you couldn’t come and It turns out I work next Friday and am thinking of going to Munster next weekend. Thursday, November 11th, Veteran’s Day Is staff Day so I get home early ( we start at 8:30) and don’t work Friday. How is Thursday, November 11th?

Posted by CarolFay on 10/28 at 05:38 PM
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I forgot to save and good news!

I sent an email about not being able to have CC this week and meant to post it on CC but forgot. I also mentioned what a great four days off I had. I saw two movies, Red and Hereafter ( bot good but I really enjoyed Hereafter), Poe Cabaret, no Heartland ( I was too tired Sat. and it was an 8:30 PM movie. I enjoyed going to Nashville and IU on Friday. The GOOD NEWS is There are definitely enough people who volunteered to retire or quit so nobody else will be laid off. I definitely will have a job. There will still be switching but I’m thinking possitive and know I can handle whatever happens as long as I have a job. I’m scheduled at pike for at least the first two weeks of November and do work a Friday so I get a Sat. and Sunday off.

Posted by CarolFay on 10/25 at 02:14 PM
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Garage Sale next Saturday

I need to get my garage emptied for winter and next Saturday is supposed to get to 68 degrees. I would appreciate visitors any time on Saturday. Kara and I went out Saturday morning but I think I blew my savings with the Zvlle coffee shop stop. Two coffees and two scones were almost $11. It was yummy and fun though,  You don’t have to buy anything at the sale (although that would be nice) but after the first few hours it is often lonely and boring
Last weekend was incredible for boys size four clothing. I went to a sale with a friend that had so much I offered to buy it by the bagful( about $30 dollars I think). I ended up divvying up clothes and sent a $20 in postage to my nieces boy; gave an equivalent amount to the son of the fellow who mows my lawn; a kitchen garbage sack full to a friend who was visiting her grandson last week and a stack of about 2o slacks and sweaters for Kara’s nephew. why one boy had so many clothes is a puzzlement. they were all good brands and in excellent condition.

Posted by Susan on 10/24 at 12:57 PM
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