Conversation Club Chatter

Last night I saw Charlie Wilson’s War and really enjoyed it!! The acting was great and unlike my friend Dora, I understood most of it. Vicki also enjoyed it. Tonight I’m going to NC to see the NC girls and boys play in the holiday basketball tournament finals. Tomorrow I’m going to the Pacer game with Donna, Sunday is the Colts game with Vicki, Monday, at 2:00 is the BSU basketball game, in Muncie. Elliott and I will sit with Jenifer while Matt works the game. Then, when we come home, we will get together with Neal and Dora and watch the IU football bowl game. After all those sporting event do you think I deserve a movie on New Year’s Day? I do but it depends what plans Matt and Jenifer have. Have a great New Year!!

I’m back home and temperarily without a home computer. Elliott took it to get it serviced and the antivirus updated since his grade book is on our computer. I am using the library computer for the time being. This is a slow time for the library but I’ve finally learned how to weed picture books so I can do that tonight.
I enjoyed the time with my family. My sister and I watched Christmas stories on Lifetime! We bought Josh a Magic set so Bobby taught him how to do a couple of magic tricks. Matt enjoyed meeting Jen’s family. He said her Grandfather was allmost as funny as his maternal Grannndfather!! From what I’m hearing Bobby has two girls that really like him and one, for sure, that he likes back. I overheard him telling her he just can’t get serious until he is done with his masters. He has to concentrate on coaching and classes. She bought him a beutiful IU picture frame for his diploma and gave him a framed picture of the two of them at the Colt’s game. Hher name is Rachel. She is Blonde, very pretty, great figure and a year older than him. They were both on the IU athletic board!! Bobby left for IU, today, to work the baseball camp. He won’t be back until after the 1st. He is going to Chicago for New Years. I’m taking Monday off so Elliott and I can be at BSU, with Jen, While Matt is working the basketball game. He got us tickets. It’s a 2:00 game on the 31st.

Last evening I completed my 32nd annual read of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. If ever there was a book to put my thoughts where they ought to be at the celebration of Christ’s birthday, it is this one. The characters, setting, plot and overall message are perfectly written by Mr. Dickens.

“… for it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself.”

Merry Christmas to all and God bless us, everyone!

Since I was # 10 on Aunt Sylvia I thought it’s time to start a new one. Carol , so it sounds like you are not going to Aunt Sylvia’s funeral or gonig to be with your family for Christmas. Am I right? There is snow and it’s cold today but we are still planning to go to Munster at 5:00 today. We are taking Matt’s twin bed to Josh, so he can use it until they buy I new one. Bobby, my parents and I will take Josh to a movie tomorrow. Tonight, After dinner, Matt’s girfriend, Jenifer, is coming to my sister’s house to meet our family before Matt meets her family, tomorrow. I saw Juno and Sweeny Todd. I really liked both but Sweeny Todd was very bloody. Blood squirted out of the throats the barber slit! I’ve never read or saw Sweeny Todd. Vicki thinks it’s based on a true story. Carol, Do you know anything about that? Maureen, I am also Happy Rachael and Dave are home. I think we will run into some snow in Munster. Kathy, did you ever say what family you will be with for Christmas? Sue, I’m happy for you Shana will be with you. Carol, you will have your boys, Davie, Melissa and the girls, right? Our Chanukah celebration will be on Cristmas. Merry Christmas to ALL!

Must tell you all that my Aunt Sylvia passed away yesterday morning. She was my father’s last sibling – his oldest sister, he being the youngest of 5. She had been diagnosed with cancer last summer, elected to try chemo and it did give her several months of relief. She had just gone down to Arizona for the winter and yesterday took a turn for the worse. Hospice came in, and her son and daughter flew down from Minnesota and were there the morning when she died. Her life was full and wonderful and a blessing to all, and she lived well into her 90’s. I am not sure when they will have the funeral, but it will be in Minnesota. I think it would feel quite sad to be the very last (but for one brother-in-law) in one’s family. I am thinking about flying up for the funeral depending upon when they decide to have it.

I decided that after 10 comments on one post we needed a new post!

I am glad I took today off instead of getting paid for eating breakfast with the staff and killing time for 6 hours. I actually slept till 6 without coughing so my morning was off to a good start. I then did weights and am now getting ready to go for a walk (first one of the week).

Carol Faye… whenever Elliott goes over to NC I’d really appreciate it if he would give us a call so that we can get into the building. Even I using my most persuasive arguments could not get Quandt to give me a pass. I haven’t tried for 2 years so maybe I’ll try again.

Sounds as if Dave and Rachel are starting their drive back this afternoon. I didn’t realize it but Rachel has been sleeping on an air mattress out there. She hasn’t slept in a bed now for 6 months and is looking forward to it!

John is home safely. He arrived at 9:30 so I really didn’t visit too long before I went to bed. I am working all week. We had a good chatsthis evening. He will be here until the 30th. Several of his High school friends will be home over the hollidays and with facebook he has hooked up with them. He was quite impressed with our decor changes and with our comcast system. Looks like he will be watching movies in the next few weeks.

Barb and I had a Great time at the Nutcracker! Are seats were in the second row in the Balcony. We could see the pit and the Orchestra. The cast brought out the Conductor for a bow. Barb and I had never seen that! THe show was great! Today, so far, I still have to go to Pike. It’s open!! The weather, last night was rain when we got out of the Ballet. I’m nervous about trying to get to work today. There is still time for the library to close. I’m supposed to be there at 10:00 so I have Friday off. My luck they will close after I get to Pike since they don’t open till 1:00. I’ll let you know later.

Recipe and Review of last night: Kate, you missed a delicious butterscotch pie. Although I may be wrong but I think Carol may have served it before so you may have eaten it then …. and know what you missed! And her homemade fudge (I took my pieces home).

Here is the crock pot recipe I was talking about. I suppose it should have been posted under our recipe section of our website! And no, it wasn’t from the paper after all. Although I did cut one of those out to try next Sunday when Rachel gets home.

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken:

8 small bonelsess skinless chicken thighs (1 lb) We used boneless skinless chicken breasts and just cut it.

3 TBSP flour

1/3 cup orange marmalade

1/3 cup Kraft (recipe must have come from a Kraft magazine) Original barbecue Sauce

2TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP grated fresh ginger root.

Toss chicken with flour in slow cooker.
Stir in all remaining ingredients; cover with lid (what else?)
Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.

I am still planning on going to Carol’s house but Matt and I are meeting for dinner. He just got back from visiting with Jenifer, in Pittsburgh. He hasn’t talked to me about it but he told my Mom he really likes her but a long distance relationship is hard so I’m hoping he will open up to me tomorrow. I’ll get to Carol’s as soon as I can. Elliott is working late. I’m going to the Pacer game, tonight, and checking on DWTS tickets. I wasn’t going to go but now that Helio is coming to Indy I’d like to see him.
I copied and pasted stats from the Central Library Grand Opening. I thought you might be interested!
Here are the official numbers for our Grand Opening on Sunday, Dec. 9th:

Door count (patron visits): 4980

Library cards issued: 211

Items circulated: 4384

Thanks to everyone who had a part in making this day a success. This pretty well includes the whole system whether you actively worked on Sunday, helped in the preparation for the big event or handled all the behind the scenes work while Central was closed. Business is still coming right along – study tables are being used heavily, the study rooms are seeing lots of use, laptops are using the wireless system and the Café seems to be doing well. We have also had lots of children and parents in enjoying the Curve. It feels good to be back to business as usual.

Thanks again for all of your help!

We had a great time, half and half good weather days, but enough for Bill to golf. It’s nice to see our kids so happy.

Carol, sorry I will miss Thursday night. That is our company Christmas Party.

I’m having a great weekend! How about the rest of you? Last night, after work, Elliott and I went to Ted’s restaurant and then Elliott went with me to help me pick out a new winter coat for Chanikah. It seems like it’s been foreever since the two of us have gone shoping together!! We found a $200.00 Columbia coat, at Pennys, on Sale for $109.00!! I also bought gloves and today I got new boots! Tonight I’m gonig with Dora and meeting the Whiteheads at Pike performing Arts. We are going to see Holiday Hop With the Costers, Platters and Drifters. it’s 50s and 60s music. Tomorrow Elliott and I are gonig to the Swedarskys to celebrate Chanukah and then Elliott and I are going with Vicki to Central LIBRARY grand opening. Did you see the wrie up in the paper? There will be entertainers and special events marking the opening. I’ll give you a report tomorrow night in case none of you go!

I hope you that you treated yourself to a nice warm car ride this morning

Elliott just called!! Another really close friend to my in-laws, Aunt Eve Riceman, passed away! The funeral is on Friday! Elliott and I are going with my Mother-in-law to the grave site funeral! It’s at 10:30, Friday morning. I will take off half day. Aunt eve was very close to us and took care of Bobby after my Thyroid surgery! She was 97!! Elliott and his mom are really getting depressed! It’s sad but it is part of life, especially as we get older! Sorry I missed all of you at Star Bucks but I did have a good visit with Matt, before he left for Nashville, Tenn and Pittsburgh. I think I told you he is driving Jenifer back to Pittsburgh and staying with her for a few days. When we go to Munster Matt plans to go to Frankfort, Ill to meet Jenifer’s parents and sister! Does that sound serious to all of you? I think nowadays it’s hard to tell.

It is possible that in redoing the landscape we will not use the princess spirea that are in our front yard. If we don’t, is anyone interested in making a good home for them? The work probably won’t begin till spring but if we get bouts of warm weather …

We have about 12 bushes. They are planted in groups of 6 underneath the windows.