five minutes to twelve o'clock
So they gathered up the pinned together blocks and went downstairs to the cozy sitting-room and sewed the rest of the morning . And while they sewed Grandmother told stories about when Mary Jane 's mother was a little girl and came to visit . Right in the middle of a fine story , Grandfather came into the room and asked , `` Is n't there going to be any dinner to-day ? '' And sure enough it was five minutes to twelve o'clock ! Grandmother jumped up and hurried to the kitchen and Grandfather said , `` Well , is n't it too bad it 's a rainy day ? '' `` Rainy ? '' exclaimed Mary Jane , for she 'd forgotten all about the rain and her lonesomeness of the early morning .