mymare from Naperville, IL

Hi Mary, Thanks for the visit to my page. It was 96 here today. The whole town is getting pretty impatient for cooler weather. It was cooler last weekend (upper 70's) and then it warmed up again. Just teasing us I guess. But hey, at least we won't be doing the trick-or-treat thing in the snow like I did when I was a kid.

Hi Mary, sorry i haven't chatte for a while, i've mostly been lurking - buzz thru the puzzles, some of the chats and move on. i started rosetta stone Spanish online (free from our library), so i'd be silly not to do it. i'd like to do the French also. it's the best foreign language program i've seen so far. love it.
thought i'd share which books i just finished. i liked denise jackson's it's all about Him and the Saving Graces (i forget the author) both were quick reads and good. the others i got this last time were either not good or i had read them before.(i hate it when that happens - lol) headed back to the library today. they have james patterson's new book on hold for me. what fun. i have about 10 on reserve for whenever they are returned. i sure don't mind waiting and then i don't browse so long. lol. one on my reserve list is the new one by nicholas sparks. the only one of his books i didn't care for was Dear John. it was too predictable. i've also finished (finally!) the book on tape, Founding Brothers(Revolutionary War period). it covered little known facts about 6 well known people from that era. i love that stuff.

all for now. hope all is well and your bowling scores are HIGH!

thanks for your recommendations. i'll look at them. i went to the library yesterday, the Cross by J.Patterson was waiting for me. hope it's good. (i love the Lake House movie, is the movie based on his book? i thought so, but wasn't sure) also got a book about the presidents. hope it gives me some insight and not just bio info. the 3rd one i chose is smut set in 1400's scotland. love that time frame in the british isles. guess i shouldn't call it that and expect to include all 3 countries. lol. my hubby is scot-irish and from our geneology searches, we found out that mixing the 3 isn't welcomed! lol. i just order my 2 DILs (and 1 for me) soft wool scarves of the tartan from Cavan County, Ireland, as that's where hubby's ancestors are from. hope they like it. i would have rather gotten the family clan tartan, but that's not available except for 5 metres (how ever much THAT is!lol) that was $$$$$$$. so i settled on the county tartan. my son started the roots trace for his daughter and found some interesting things. i've kinda been checking into it more to see what they were doing and why the moves that were made. my hubby seems to come from hillbilly stock in the Appalatians - they were probably all moonshiners and stockcar racers. no wonder he loves NASCAR. lol
our weather is still in the high 80s and i expect to freeze next weekend when we head to IN for reunion weekend. brrrrrr. don't know if i even have clothes to wear for the weekend. doesn't make much sense to buy outfits for less than 2 days. i'm not sure i even have a coat. hope my mom comes through with one!

Hello Mymare - I am just stopping in to say, "Hello." I have brought you a gallon of Michigan Apple Cider. It is very good this year. I hope all is well with you and your family.

Hi Mary Thanks for the visit. We don't really celebrate Halloween over here but the apple cider sounds great

Hello Mary! - Thanks for the visit. You have made a lot of stockings! I can remember in years gone by sewing stockings for school. They were simple felt stockings, but I would do about 100 on the sewing machine for the feast of St. Nick. The children would put their shoes in the Hallway that day and would find a stocking full of candy in them!

My Mountain Band is playing for the Senior Citizens group today. We will have fun. They will give us a free lunch for our services! Tomorrow night we are playing for the Harvest Festival for the local Methodist Church and Sunday we are going to a Nursing Home. It is a busy week-end!

I had my second Dobro lesson this week. I think I will enjoy it.

Our leaves are changing also. We have lost a lot of leaves already. We have the gentle rain today, too.

I haven't seen any of the ads you are talking about. The job situation here is very poor. I am sure the gas prices has hit the tourism hard this year, also.

If you ever come to Michigan, let me know. We are only about 5 hours from Chicago. (On a good day.) It would be fun to meet and chat.

Have a great day!

hello there Mary...you thought nobody knew it, eh?
ah ha! I happen to know..guess what??
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY DEAR MARY..

Thanks for the visit! I had an uncle who lived in Naperville for a while back in the 70s. I can remember stopping at his house on the way back to school in Minnesota just after New Year's Day, 1977. It was horribly cold and there was a blizzard that made driving as hazardous as I can remember. I am originally from New England and your mention of caramel apples and cider brings back so many childhood memories of those days.

Thanks for the birthday wish - we are having friends over this afternoon for some authentic Louisiana Cajun Gumbo! My wife is a genuine Cajun from Baton Rouge and an exceptional chef!

Thanks Mary for your kind thoughts on the death of my husband, Geoff. Our Sudoku family is a great one to have at any time and its a family of choice. I'm honoured to be a member, to have so many friends across the world who can share in our good times, have a laugh with us and also be there for us when we need guidance, comfort or strength when times are tough. Thank you for being a part of that family. Lynne

Thanks for the great welcome. It is spring here in Melbourne but we have a reputation for changeable weather. Beautiful one day horribly the next. Food sound nice but I am a chocoholic.

Hi, Mary! Thanks for the reply. It's been so long since I lived in the Chicago area that I can't keep up with all the changes! I was born in Oak Park and grew up in Crystal Lake, then moved back to Oak Park during high school. As an adult I lived and worked in Chicago (lived in Old Town and Near North) for 10 years before moving to New York. I had many family members in Chicago until a few years ago when they all left! Fortunately, I still have friends there so I have excuses to go back for visits. Chicago is - and always has been - my favorite big city (except maybe for Paris) in the whole wide world! I do not, however, miss the winters!!! I love to ski but don't mind flying to get to the snow! Cheers! Jane

Mary - interesting video - it reminded me of a costume my mother made for me when I was in grammar school. I was a giant pumpkin. It was hard to sit down in class.

BTW - if you have a photo you want to submit for an avatar, maybe I can help. The main thing is getting it down to size to submit & must be square. Let me know.

Gday Mary, you seem to be having an exciting time lately.
Enjoy

to all who visit , If you don't know me by now - you sure be aware that I love this time of year - This is actually a test to see if I can copy and paste - because, I plan on going trick or treating on Halloween - I'm going for double chocolate fudge beavertail pastries, some flan, apple cider, wine, strawberry cream cheese pie, going to try some chess pie and visit the Egyptian guest house for a trinket. I hope you enjoy this week also. I also going to see Wicked on Wednesday - very excited and going to put on the Rocky Horrow Picture Show - I use to have parities around this time of year - we always do the time warp.... love ya, bless ya, Mary

I LOOOVE the Rocky Horror Show! My favouritist movie ever!
It had quite a cult following here when I was in my late teens, back in 19blurdyblur. It used to be on at the local cinema at 10.30pm every Friday night for years. We would dress up in all sorts of get-ups and we knew all the dialogue and would sing the songs at the top of our voices. I wasn't as mad for it as some, after all, I only went 17 times!
Please beware, its the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane!

to you, Mary! I have brought you some of that wonderful Apple Cider, a Caramel Apple, Cinnamon/Sugar Donuts and a bag of apples.

We have had such a beautiful Fall this year. About half of our leaves have fallen. Usually by Halloween they are mostly down. We have seen quite a few deer and turkey!

I hope you have a safe and Happy Halloween.

I heard your Treat or Treat - and I brought you a Pie. It was in the fridge. Glad you stoped by.

This 'ole Trick or Treater has a wine glass in hand. Can't sit down in this pumpkin costume.

Trick or Treat!

Hi Mary... thanks for visiting my page and your warm welcome, even though it's starting to get cold out there, you still have that warmest of smiles.... In here, my place, Cebu City Philippines, we don't have winter, it's all sunny and warm through out the year, but we get our share of cold air this time of the year... Have a great day... ciao

Thanks for the heads up for our Aries horrorscope today, Mary. A good one. I was invited out on the spur of the moment for breakfast with my niece and her partner, both of whom I get on well. We had a great morning and I think we did feed energy of each other! I left there and had a very productive day.

Hi Mary, great to hear from you. Thanks for you welcolm hope you enjoyed your bowls. Getting warmer and humid here, coming into summer.

Hi Mary, thanks for the song ♪♫♪ and B-Day cake!♥ I'm waiting for the cold so we can have a fire and sip hot Ovaltine & Kahlua. We don't have as many beautiful fall colors as you do or any snow, enjoy them for us.♥♥ I brought some spiced popcorn and merlot, hope you like it!♥♥♥ PJ (Pam/CA)

tHANK U MARY FOR UR WELCOME,MERRY XMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

Mary, just had to pop in to say I noticed your avatar and I love it.

Hi Mary - Just popping to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving! I have left some flowers on your table, reds, oranges and yellows for your Thanksgiving table!

when you want to - It's better for you.

A week ago last Friday night - my oven locked up on me with a pie crust in it for one of the two Pumpkin Chiffon Pies for the Church Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday. Since I rent, I have to go through the rental agency to get anything done - and of course we had a 3 day weekend. So called them on Tuesday - told them the problem. No call back - re-called in the afternoon: they have to get approval from the owner (who lives out of state). Next day the owner's mother calls me (she lives locally - place use to be her home). Daughter wants her to handle it rather than the property management place. She sees that there is a problem (pie shell still in oven - can't open) - asks me to get some phone numbers of appliance repair places - by Friday she had not found anyone to come out. So a "handy-man" friend of hers comes over to fix it - but not the electrical portion of any problems. Got it open, but now it will not close properly. The "handy man" said it would probably be better to get a new oven. An appliance service repair guy was suppose to call Monday morning (no call)... the owner's mother is leaving town for a month or so tomorrow...

So, with company coming for Thanksgivng - I might just be taking them out to dinner at a restaurant. Good thing I wasn't planing on making Turkey and all the trimings (guest's diets are specific as to what they can't eat).

So thank you for your video.

Interesting video...I'm sure, as Eve has demonstrated, many folks find themselves in similar positions...so glad I'm not one of them Have a happy holiday, and thanks for a visual reminder of my many blessings...may you enjoy more joy than challenges during the up-coming holiday season. Peace

Mary,
Just a quick question, where do you want to use the picture.

Mary - Do you need help on fitting your horse on your avatar? If you want me to give it a try, I will be glad to give it a try.

Hi again Mary,
Unfortunally I am the bearer of bad news. The personally smilies are only available to Supporting Members. Why not think of signing up?
As an alternative I can suggest that you try and make the images as avatars. So sorry I couldn't help you. Instructions on how to make them and submit them are on the Members special features page under the forums. Again I'm so sorry for not being able to help you.
Have a great day

The avatar came out great - you are a fast learner.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Mary!

Mary, just stopping by to wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving.

Mary: HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING &
GIVE THANKS FOR ALL THE BLESSING BESTOWED UPON US HERE IN AMERICA.

Mary - thanks for stopping by. I, too, wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. Don't eat too much turkey. If it's true that you're the only one eating it, then please send me a doggy bag! We're dining out at some friends so I'm not doing a bird this year, and I'm going to miss all those wonderful leftovers!

Wishing you and your family a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving! Hope your day reminds you of all of the wonderful things we have for which to be thankful!

Mary! Thanks for dropping in. A very Happy Thanksgiving to you. I am thoroughly enjoying a couple of days off before I have to get serious about school work again.

Thankyou for the Thanksgiving greeting. Have a Merry christmas, and some of my cranberry salad.