Yesterday, SATURDAY, Louie and I got to spend the day with my sister Nancy. She doesn't often get days off work that coincide with our days off, so she SO graciously gives me her schedule so I can keep up with her. She had this weekend off, so Louie and I headed down early to spend the day with her and go junkin'. This is my sister and I, taken a few years ago. She now does not wear glasses, and I don't know WHAT the deal is with the white under my eyes and on my cheekbones, but at any rate, here is a picture of my sister and I. I was 7 1/2 years old when she was born. We have not always had the best relationship, but I can tell you now, she would crawl across gravel for me. We are very very close, and I appreciate her friendship, and love her so much.
We arrived at Nancy's about 8:45am, and she was still putting on her makeup and getting ready. She had to look pretty, because she was getting her 'mugshot' for her driver's license renewal picture. While she was doing that, Louie and I were looking up places in the Quad Cities to find a part for my refrigerator that needs fixing. We found one, and headed there to pick up the part, (which by the way, was the WRONG one..........(sigh!)........so Louie will be making some phone calls to try to get the correct one on the way.) After that, we took Nancy to the Driver's License place, and we ran through McD's for a snack. He got me a tea, and it was so THICK, I could have added a half gallon of water to it, and it would have been just right. I had some water, and tried to water it down, but it was just no use. (SIGH!)........so much for that. We replaced that with a glass of water.
When Nancy got out with her BEAUTIFUL new photo in hand, we went down the road to Walmart so I could get a new computer monitor. I was so jealous of her new one, that I wanted one, and since we just got our income tax back on Friday, what a better time, eh? It is 22" and I love it! My other monitor was only a few months old, so Louie got that one. I love these thin, widescreen flat panel monitors. My new one is only a couple inches wider, but WHAT A DIFFERENCE! It added about 4" from top to bottom too. The one Louie got from me today was a 20" widescreen flat panel. The one he had, was a flat panel, but not a widescreen, and I believe it was only 17", and square. He has a computer out in his 'shoppe' where he works on, and builds pool cues, and the monitor out there is a 17" BIG old heavy, long from front to back monitor, so his old flat monitor will give him much more space on his workbench. He had, at one time, a smaller flat panel out there, that my brother had given him, but it didn't live long, for some reason, so he will be glad to have this thinner model back. Here is my new monitor, which by the way, seems to look longer and shorter, for some dumb reason, but it fills the cubbyhole just about perfectly!
From there, we went to Silvis, Illinois so Louie could go to his favorite Billiards supply store, and we spent some time there, then Moline to Ryan's for lunch, and Rock Island to Goodwill. From there, back to Moline to 'Mr. Money' so Nancy could buy some speakers for her home stereo, then to East Moline to Goodwill. From there, back to the Iowa side to Bettendorf to Goodwill, Davenport to the Salvation Army 'As Is' store, connected to the Adult Rehabilitation center, the DAV (Disabled American Veteran's store), JoAnn Fabrics, Sue's Hallmark, Goodwill on 53rd Street, and finally, Farm and Fleet. (Ok, I know you are all scratching your heads and wondering why all the towns, and back and forth. The towns all run together. You can't tell where one ends and the next one begins. On the Iowa side, are Davenport and Bettendorf. In Illinois, which is just over the bridge crossing the Mississippi River, is Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline. Some call this area the Quad Cities: Davenport, Bettendorf, Rock Island and Moline. Some call it the Quint Cities: Davenport, Bettendorf, Rock Island, Moline and East Moline.) After we spent the day together, being silly, and wearing Louie out with our silliness, which by the way, he loved, and joined in on, we went to Godfather's Pizza. Nancy has a camera phone, and she was snapping pictures of the clown making balloon animals. Then, she wanted a picture of Louie and I, so we GRACIOUSLY accepted, being on our BEST behavior.
My naughty little 'Sissypoo' went shopping at Sue's Hallmark (A sister store to the one that burned down here in town, with the same owner) while Louie and I were in JoAnn Fabrics, and when we met up again, she gave me a gift. She LOVES Willow Tree figurines, and has given me several. She added this one to my collection today. It is called 'Grateful'. She also gave me a very nice card, which speaks from her heart, and says just what she wanted it to say. This is what it says:
Sometimes two sisters 'click' in a way that goes beyond just being related. They become each other's support system, ally, and confidante...in other words, they become the best kind of friends. That's how I see us. You're someone I wouldn't hesitate to come to with the worst kind of problem, knowing that I wouldn't be judged, knowing that you'd just roll up your sleeves and try to help me solve it. Do you know how much that means in today's world? It means everything to me. On the inside, it says: Believe me, I have no idea how I got so lucky to get a sister like you. I only know that I'm glad I did. (written by Linda Lee Elrod)
She signed it, I love you....Nancy Jo...'Sissy'
Thanks, Sissypoo............you have no idea how much YOU are loved too!
So, after our bellies were MORE than full, we headed back to Nancy's. We unloaded the van of her 'treasures', and first thing on the list of 'to do's' was to fix her desk. There was a loose piece of trim board on the front of her computer that would fall off just by bumping it, or by opening a drawer. It was supposed to be glued on, and it had little dowel pieces that were supposed to hold it on, things do need repaired sometimes, so with no 'shoppe' tools where she lives, Louie drilled a couple holes through the trim piece and added a few screws. It might not be very pretty, but it is now fully functional! One project down, on to the next. Nancy had some pictures she was trying to write to cd from her trip to South Carolina last summer. She had so many, I had to break them down into sections of so many photos each. Finally, after 5 cd's burned, that project was done. Louie's project while I was doing the photo cd's was to hold Nancy's big comfy chair down in the living room while watching Poker on tv. Nancy and I did hear some LOUD funny sounds coming from the living room which sounded VERY much like SNORING to me. Well, at least he wasn't tapping his foot waiting for me!
After hugs and saying goodbye to the kitties, Louie and I were on our way home. We unloaded the van and as I put the last package on the kitchen counter, I looked at the clock. Now, HOW did it get to be 11:30 PM ALREADY?????
Thanks for the nice day, Sissypoo. We love you!
Louie was acting silly when I asked him if he was nervous about driving. He of course, wasn't, but he had to put on his 'nervous, scared' face, anyway.
I thought a self portait was appropriate about that time. Gorgeous, not? NOT! Don't you just love that double chin? Might as well love it, I think it's here to stay! 
The snow did become worse the closer we got to Milwaukee. Probably the last 30 minutes of the trip were the worst.
Here is one of the pictures I took while Jen and Cindy were riding around town in the snow with us. Can you believe we were looking for some stores to be open? Well, it didn't happen. We did get to eat at Hawg City Grill though!
Louie and I stayed in the Best Western Inn in downtown Milwaukee across the street from the VA Hospital. We stayed there two nights. This is a picture from the lobby while I was waiting for Cindy to pick me up the next morning.
I went with Jen and Cindy on Saturday to some quilt shops, and and Louie went to a pool hall for the day. We also hit a couple Goodwills and Cindy found some nice lamps. I found a really nice quilted table runner for $2.99. Can you believe it was done in the colors I love? Now tell me, why would anyone donate something this nice? I don't care! It's mine now! The back looks fabulous too! I think it may find a home hanging on a wall.
Here is another picture of the just how much snow we got. I heard 14 or 15". This was just one of the hotel guests vehicles before loading up to go home the next morning.
So the storm was Friday, and Saturday it pretty much cleared up and melted, and the picture below was taken on our way home from Milwaukee on Sunday. The weather was beautiful. Louie and I had a great time with Jen and Cindy, and we were glad we made the trip.
Here's just another picture of my sweet husband and chauffeur Louie. He is so good to me, and I love him more than life. 
Thank you Jen and Cindy for a wonderful time, and for making us feel so welcome, once again!
It is SO CUTE! I dreamed of it, and 'lusted' for one, for about 36 hours. I surfed the internet to see what they were all about, then surfed Ebay to check out prices, and I found something I didn't know existed. I found 'SKINS' for Ipod Nanos, like Jen's new Ipod. Then I thought, 'If they make skins for Jen's ipod, then I wonder if they make skins for MY ipod?' My ipod is a few years old, but works wonderfully. It is the Generation 4 Ipod. I think it is the first Ipod without the raised controls. It is has 20 Gigs of space, and I haven't even used 5 Gigs yet! I have enough music on there, if it would stay charged, I could listen nonstop for over 3 days! 
