Think first!

You'd think that since I am a fairly intelligent creature that I would remember to use Flonase or my herbal nasal spray before I tackle the great outdoors! Well, I didn't and not only is my brain foggy from PMSing but I am so stuffed up. As soon as I eat something, I'll do the spray to see if it helps a day later. Even our friend Kathy says she takes Advil before she plays tennis to avoid the aches and pains that will probably settle in. Advil doesn't like me, so I was popping a Tylenol at 1 am this morning. My body was like 'hey toots, are you crazy? Manual labor and you do not mix!"

I heard that Terri Schaivo passed away today. Her husband is bringing her up to Bucks County, PA. to her final resting place. It's beautiful there and we daytrip there once in a while. That's where Terri and Michael grew up. I hope now that she is gone, that the story will vacant the news. We have to concentrate on getting our troops home. Mom was also saying she worries about her grandchildren being taken care of through social security when they are her age. I think people even my age have to worry! I don't know what will happen in the next 20 yrs, but it's not a pleasant thought to know that we may not get the help we deserve.

The clean up begins....and a unexpected phone call

Yes, you did feel the earth move today!! We were out cleaning out the flowerbeds of leaves and twigs today as it was nice and around 60 degrees. I got both fellas to help me in a few places. I wish one of them would blow the leaves out of the beds in the autumn. It would make a lot less work in the spring. I was around all those damp leaves and mold and so far the only reaction I've had was after dinner when I sneezed about 6 times in a row. There's a ton more to do, the little pond is loaded with leaves on the bottom. I'm wondering if I have any 'pet' tadspoles in there. The spring peepers (Sean hates it when I call them that) are really 'chirping' lately. A nice 'find' was a bunch of crocuses under the chestnut tree. I must have gotten some as an Easter gift from years past and they got dumped there, so they were popping up in purples and white.
I've been in a dilemma since last night. Colleen, my sister-in-law was looking for a picture of her daughter Tori from her 1st birthday (needed it for a school scrapbook). She couldn't find any! So I started to look, and then I looked some more. Finally, I came to the last stack thinking they were newer photos and there were the 1st birthday photos! Colleen didn't take many shots I guess as she was in most of the ones I had! So I hope they were able to save the ones I sent through email.
While I was looking through the photos, I ran across one of our friend Kathy from Tennessee. About 3 hours later, out of the blue she called to wish Brian a belated Happy Birthday. Kathy shares the same birthday as me. It was nice to chat with her. She asked me if I was going to ever get my BS degree now that Sean was getting one, and I told her that I didn't want to be a teacher and was happy with what I was doing now. Some career woman sure don't understand us domestic goddesses!

Boy that looks like Cosmo!

You are a goddess!


Which Ultimate Beautiful Woman are You?
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Everyone poops-some people are fascinated with it...

For mom and my brother Don

Interesting Easter

It was the first time in many months that my two brothers, me and our families were together in one room. The blue eyes in that room were blinding! Out of 11 people, I have hazel eyes, Brian has green eyes and my brother Ken has brown eyes. So you see what the dominant gene is in this family.
Before we went to my brother's house, we went to 'brunch' at a local restaurant that we had never eaten in. As soon as I walked in the door my throat became itchy and was that way the entire 45 minutes we were there. Seems the bar was open on Easter Sunday. That is tacky in my opinion. Along with a bar comes cigarette smoke. That was my problem. Brian and I thought we were going to a buffet.It clearly stated on the newspaper flyer that it was a 'brunch', so they had about 15 things on the menu. We all picked omelettes. When we got the food, I was a bit repelled by the smell of the onions in the overcooked red skin potatoes. There were mostly skins and I didn't want to eat them. The omelettes had a 'gas' taste from the stove. It's very hard to mess up a meal like this, but they did. No butter for the toast either. They won't see us back and I feel like complaining about their lousy food.
We went to my younger brother's house. It had been his son Kenny's birthday on the 23rd and I had gifts for him and Easter things for him and his sister Tori. My older brother and his family stopped by too. My older brother has let his hair go almost completely white and I was a bit shocked when I saw him. Sean enjoyed hanging out with his cousins. I was always so happy that at least he saw them once in a while.
We dropped by my mom's and Dave and his family came over there too. I threw Dave some 'bait' and he started teasing me like he has done all our lives. Like, saying 'you can eat a hoagie in the rain', etc. What really peeved me was him putting down Universal Studios saying it was a 'glorified Great Adventure' when he's never been there. I think he is just jealous we are going to Florida. That's a brother for you.

'Finger Food' and Skunks

The last few days have provided enough 'gross out' for everyone concerning the digit found in the chili. We were discussing how it got in the chili in the first place. I think it was planted there by a disgruntled employee who may have been in a gang. Someone else said maybe the woman who had it in her food is a weirdo and planted it to sue Wendy's. I know how they make the chili-the burger comes from 'leftover' patties that were probably cooked too long. Someone who was an employee at the chain years ago 'enlightened' us about how it is made.
Tonight I was sorting through my cross stitch stuff (sitting on the floor) looking for another project and it started to get really stinky in here. Brian happen to be sitting next to me in the lounge chair. I was blaming his feet! But then it dawned on it that it was more of a skunky aroma. So we opened the front door and it was like 100 skunks had lifted their butts to our house! We can't understand why it's smelling so much in here, all the windows are shut. Maybe it sprayed on one of the basement windows, or I hope it didn't stumble in the window well outside one of them! I was actually wearing a painter's mask for a while. Phew!

Brian's birthday

Today Brian turned 48. He dislikes birthday celebrations, so he'll get his gifts and we'll go out to dinner and eat cake when we get home. I guess we are just quiet people. I think it's nice to be surprised once in a while. Sean had his share of birthday parties, but after he turned 10, that was the last 'group' party for him. He has everything he needs. That's one way of looking at it.
Sean is going to the movies with some friends soon. This is good. I am so glad they are getting together at least once this week. We still have a lot to do before August, one of which is purchasing a third vehicle for him to use for school. They really need to get busy with that. Paying college bills and waiting for aid is another thing. He got a letter that said he was getting some but we thought he'd qualify for more. Brian wants to talk to the financial aid lady at PSU.
My mom is really depressed over the tire episode yesterday. My brother can get her a tire! I know she is thinking she is getting too old to drive or she is still scared over what happened. We didn't let my grandmom drive at mom's age. I don't want something worse to happen to her.

Two Stitching Blog questions...

The first question dealt with how many hours a week do I stitch. I usually stitch 1-4 hours in the evening, but it depends on what I am stitching or if I am in a hurry to finish something. So multiply that by 7 and that's 7-28 hours a week. I'd say the average is exactly what it figures out here-14 hours a week. Sometimes I just can't sit more than 2 hours at a time and need to get up and move around and change my position.

What are your thoughts on craft and/or needlework shows? Have you been to one or are you planning on going to one this year?
I've been to a couple of them-The Heart of Cross Stitch. It was held in Valley Forge and Lancaster, two areas accessible to me. This is a defunct show now. The other show (CATS) is in Hershey and that's more of a drive for me. I did enjoy going and meeting the different designers like Teresa Wentzler, Dale Burnett, Terrence Nolan and a few others. Loved seeing them actually working on their projects. Shows are definitely stimulation overload-so much to look at, so much you want! If you love cross stitching, you have to go to at least a few shows.

Virgin Mary in the Roaster pan- to me it 'looks like a chicken leg'.

I think 'this' Terri would say 'let me go'.  

Not a good day...

Well really the only good thing about it was my nephew turned 9 yrs old, but I didn't get to see him on his birthday.
It was a terribly rainy day. Not a good day to do last minute Easter shopping like my mom did. She came out here yesterday and we went up to Lancaster as planned. Sean did the driving and it was a nice sunny day. We hit a few stores we never usually go in plus some of our favorites. We had a nice dinner in a restaurant we hadn't eaten in (Texas Roadhouse). We were really tired, so mom stayed all night. It may have been better if she had gone home last night. On her way out of town today, she swerved and hit a 'security pole' (like they have outside of fast food places) and her right back tire took it hard and she practically had a blow out. She said her neck hurt a bit, but she is okay, thank God. Luckily there was a gas station a mile or so away and they put on her spare-the 'donut tire'. I am really worried about her driving now. She had someone hit her in a drugstore parking lot a few months ago and that destroyed her back bumper. Today she was blaming the weather which was of course a big factor, but where she had the problem isn't that curvy of a road, the road goes in a half curve. She should have come back here and stayed over again.
I am really tired. I slept about 3 hours last night. I was having tennis elbow like pain in my right arm everytime I tried to lay on it. Brian snored all night. It was a nightmare. I had so much to do today. I needed to wrap Kenny and Brian's gifts and do wash, which I did. Thank goodness Brian volunteered to get hoagies for dinner.
Sean is making a big deal out of where I want to have brunch on Easter. It's a place we've never tried and it's been around for years. I don't get him.

I just wanted to put in my two cents about Terri Schiavo-I look at the way she was 15 yrs ago and look at her now with her hands all curled up, laying in bed and the only thing she can do for herself is to breath. What is the quality of this poor soul's life? In her old photos, she looks like the kind of person to say, don't let me be a burden on you, let me go. I think her parents just can't realize that she will never be her former self. This is so sad all the way around. I think about them all and prayers go out to each family member and Terri.

Springtime Bliss

Spring has sprung! It's been chilly here. I was surveying my flowerbeds and they need tidying up badly. I see lots of daffodils under the evergreen in my front yard.
I will probably get out there in the next week or so. Sean is home for spring break and we want to take a drive up to Lancaster. My mom may come too. They have some nice outlet stores there. We don't go to the actual city of Lancaster. There's a hugh mall nearby which I've been to one or two times. With the two malls in Delaware we go to (tax free shopping) we stick closer to home. I haven't seen any robins yet, but we've seen 11 deer the other evening in my neighbor's yard. Ahh, you may think, but I think Lyme Disease too and I've had it already.
~~~~~~~
So the city of Philly is being a royal pain in the tuckus. Last month they sent Brian a 6 yr old ticket for a vehicle that we once owned that was left at a meter. He sent the PPA a copy of the transaction that showed we traded in the LTD the month before the violaton occurred. He didn't send it by registered mail and it went in the bin with 100s of other incoming envelopes. They opened it, saw it didn't have a check and tossed it in the non-payers bin. We got another notice on Saturday to pay $53 or legal action will be taken. Tonight Brian called a state rep and his assistant said to come down with the papers. He made copies and said he'll see what they can do and who they can contact. I loved the assistant's name-Sterling. : ) Crossing fingers.
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Sean rented 'The Incredibles' and 'Grudge' and another movie. We watched the first two. The animation was cool in 'The Incredibles'. I can't say it was a really fun movie. I liked 'Toy Story' and even 'The Brave Little Toaster' much more. 'Grudge' was just stupid. Nothing flowed well and the two dead people (and dead cat) with the black around their eyes was just weird. Sarah Michelle Gellar said how much 'she loved the movie' as it wasn't predictable. Sean was stopping the film asking me questions like I knew what was going on. If I want to see Tokyo, I'll rent Bill Murray's movie again.
~~~
My little pal Kassandra (see below) was on the 'Ellen' show today. Here she's only a few days older than my nephew Kenny. She didn't seem up to par today and Ellen even wrapped her jacket around Kass as she was cold. Ellen presented Kass with a kitten as that's what she really wanted for her birthday. The kitty was really scared but Kass said 'I can calm her down'. Ellen was afraid the cat was going to claw Kass, but she seemed blissful holding the kitty.

City of Brotherly Love?

Philly made the national news because of all the recent murders here. There's been about 84 since the beginning of the new year. One of the latest was a little boy named Wander. He was sitting in a van waiting for his dad and a bullet hit him in the back. It was the day before his birthday.
From NBC10.com:DeJesus was shot Saturday night...According to authorities, Maurice Stevens, 18, shot a gun from the top floor of an apartment building. The bullet ended up in the back of DeJesus, killing him.

Even my hometown of Media had a strange murder, a few streets away from where my brother and his family live. A 20 yr old guy killed his mom (by stabbing her) and burned her remains and left them in a garbage can outside the house.
What's this world coming too? Killing your mom for what? I worry about the future. I always wanted to be a mom, but having a child grow up in this mad society was scary. I guess we can't live in a glass bubble.

Penn State here he comes....

Happy St. Patrick's Day. The corned beef and cabbage head for the stove in a few hours. : )
So we went down to Penn State Delaware County 'offer reception' last night. We were presented with a nice power point presentation by a young woman from admissions who went to the college. There are 400,000 graduates from PSU, the most in the world! 1-in-10 graduates in the world graduated from PSU. We went on a tour and it's a nice compact campus. I think it backs up to Ridley Creek State Park, so it's a nice setting. A bonus is that it's not too far from my mom or brother in case Sean had car problems or came out of class in a blizzard. Sean was most impressed by the huge gym and workout room. He said he will probably go here for two years and head up to the main campus at University Park. He'll be older and wiser then. : )
It's a good thing that we are going to Orlando in May as Sean's senior trip was cancelled yesterday due to lack of interest. Too bad we paid for the entire trip and we'll be losing some of the deposit money. That doesn't seem fair to me. We made the effort to get the money in when other people didn't. Maybe Sean can suggest to a few pals about renting a place in Ocean City or something. That would make up for their lost time in Williamsburg. It's an idea.
So August 30th is coming up fast and off to college my baby goes. Time really does fly!

Blind Justice

Blind Justice is a new show on ABC with 'ER' alumni Ron Eldard who use to or is still dating or living with Julianna Margulies. So this is an interesting concept and Ron handles it really well as being a blind detective in NYC. Now Ron's best features are his baby blues and he has to squint and look dazed as he is sightless. He still looks cute. He has a funky new spikey highlighted do and I love his gray suits with the dark blue shirts. I kinda stopped watching 'CSI' and all the annex shows because I wasn't getting anything out of seeing corpses except for being grossed out. They've had a few stiffs on these first two shows (he is a homicide detective) but not too graphic. Not sure if I like the way that they have to have the supporting players be in shock that he is a blind guy. It probably would happen in real life. Last week 'Jim' was being taunted by a guy behind bars because of his blindness. The guy wanted to know if he peed on his shoes all the time. Nice. I can't forget 'Hank' the seeing eye dog who's a big German Shepherd. Cool doggie dude.
The twist in the plot last night had Jim's wife Christy (I think) leaving him after an incidence at a dinner party where her boss was sweet on Christy. (I'd love to go to Spain with you Christy, says the boss). Well Jim knocked his wine on Christy's lap and the boss tried to dab it for her and Jim said to 'get your hand out of my wife's crotch' or something like that.
The closing scene had Jim sitting in the middle of the night-he doesn't really know or care (still dressed immaculately) with the rain pouring down on his face with his faithful Hank beside him. Who comes and joins him on the bench, the scorned wife! Now I like character development and the unexpected. Christy had been through so much with him already (he was blinded in a shooting) and had stuck with him so far. He had the courage to fight for his job.
This looks like a show worth tuning in to. And by the way, Happy 40th Birthday Ron (this year). Ron facts:It's rare that you find an actor as independent and stubborn as Eldard. But, then, he grew up tough. One of seven kids, his mother died when he was 3. The siblings were scattered among relatives.
He lived both in Utah and on the mean streets of New York City. He worked from the time he was 12.
Can't wait for 'Eyes' with Timmy D. : )

Butterflies are free...

Kassandra

I <3 Kassandra!

Thank you Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for gracing your show with eight yr old Kassandra who has the soul of a wise, old lady. I guess living through two bone marrows transplants will make you older and wiser and appreciate little things, even butterflies.
I do the charity quilt squares in cross stitch for the sick kids quilts. It's my little contribution to make a sick child smile and feel good when they wrap themselves in the quilt. I don't assembly the quilts or get to meet the kids who receive them (not yet anyway). The volunteers who do the above are so humbled and share such special stories with us.
Everything that little girl received from this show she deserved. She wrote the show to ask for a makeover for the kids cancer ward where she spent 7 months of her young life. The walls were white and boring. The play room was small and not organized. Now because of Kassandra, the Disney people came and painted murals with Cinderella and It's a Small World. Now Kassandra has a beautiful home to share with her parents and 5 brothers and sister. Ride your carousel and remember always that 'love comes first', sweet K. (You can preorder a bracelet or necklace to help Kassandra raise money for cancer charity).

I am not a shopaholic...my mom is!

My good deed of the week was to help my mom go through a mountain of clothes in one of her bedrooms. I had no idea she had so many clothes! They are all different sizes from 6-14 as that's what she's been wearing over the last 5 yrs. When she got sick at the end of 2003, she deflated everywhere. The biggest part of her was her tummy. I have a different body type then mom, I'm more 'solid'.
Anyway, after 2 hours my aches told me that was enough for one day. We had put unwanted clothes in about 6-7 black plastic bags for charity! We separated the winter from the summer clothes. We took the sheets and towels out of there and she needs to pick out 4-6 sheet sets and get rid of the rest of them. I put loose hangers in a bag. There's a ton more to do, but our bods said 'no way'.
I feel so bad for mom. She is 74 and has all these nice clothes but doesn't go to church and she isn't joined to any senior groups. Shopping is definitely her hobby. The hobby started to overpower her and she is feeling helpless. I had to wear a dust mask (my allergies) or I wouldn't have been able to help. I see a light at the end of the tunnel. The fun part is to have a 'fashion show' and try on what she wants to keep. She may not like the fit or what she sees and she'll get rid of more things. I did the same thing with my clothes last year.

Happy Birthday JT...a few hours late

I actually did remember that James Taylor turned 57 on March 12th. Man, I can't believe all my favorite guy singers are all the same age-Kenny Loggins and Dan Fogelberg too. I hope Dan is doing better-he has prostate cancer.
Talking about my guys up there being in their late 50s is like my mom talking about how much she liked Perry Como when she was my age. Different music of course, but reflecting on the aging process going on. I am just happy these guys are still making music and performing and that I've seen all of them in person (James-3xs). Thanks for the 30+ years of music guys...so far!
(trivia:Kenny Loggins and his second wife Julia got married in the buff!)

The mysterious Clinton Blog

See the link in my sidebar over there---->
Fact or fiction?

"As a marketing tool — to say nothing of a glimpse into the often very guarded life of an ex-president — it would have been a stroke of genius, a running epilogue with, by all counts, far more immediacy and life that critics slammed My Life for lacking. But somewhere between the chronicles of dancing in gay bars with Kevin Spacey and the accounts of Roger Clinton's crying jags, one problem emerged: None of this shit on www.billclintondailydiary. blogspot.com was true."
All this said, you can't help but check in to see what's happening with Bill and the gang. He's just that kind of person.

Unusual Goodwill shoppers

We were watching American Idol and then the show 'The Simple Life-interns' came on with Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie. They were headed to Delaware and we wanted to see where in Delaware they were going since we live so close to the state line. They were right over the state line in Hockessin! That's about 5 miles from here. They stayed with this family named the McGinveys and we found their name in the phonebook, so have an idea where they live.
Their internship was working at a daycare called 'Small Wonder'. That's right outside of Wilmington. They had to change diapers and feed the kids. They were grossed out by all that, but were given $100 each at the end of the day.
Paris and Nicole felt sorry for the youngest member of the McGinveys who slept on the floor in his sister's room as he didn't want to sleep in a bunkbed with his brother. The girls sent the family to the store to get them food saying they didn't feel well and headed to the Goodwill on Kirkwood Highway, the one we go to once in a while! It was so funny to see them walking around that cheesy store. Of the Goodwills I've been in that is the worst one. They bought a mattress and boxspring for Liam, the little boy and some pictures for the wall (a cross stitched one too!) When that scene came on with them in the Goodwill, the three of us had a good laugh.
Here's an article about them doing the show in Delaware:
When Paris and Nickie visit the day care, it's, like, surreal
By Lindsay Grace
November 11, 2004 WILMINGTON, Del. - The hottest lunch hour Wednesday was at a Small Wonder Daycare in Wilmington.
None of the 30 or so people at the day care center was eating, though.
With craned necks, they peered into the parking lot of Greenhill Avenue in hopes of catching a glimpse of visiting reality television stars Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie, who were in town filming Fox's The Simple Life 3.
Inside, the ditzy duo and their crew were eating lunch catered by Sugarfoot, including cobb salad and turkey, cucumber and brie sandwiches. They had been babysitting and changing diapers all day.
Outside, the crowd of super-fans, college students and curious passers-by lingered with cameras and binoculars on hand.
"It's worth taking a day just to get a glimpse," said Louie Wright, 23 of Wilmington.
At first, he sad he was going to call everyone he knew to tell them the Simple stars were in town, but then he thought twice.
"I realized the more people I called, the less of a chance I had," he said just as the newspaper photographer walked in front of him.
"Hey, I may need that camera if I'm the lucky one," he joked, referring to Hilton's infamous sex tape.
Lisa Fletcher, a segmant producer of the show, said all of the employees of the day care center signed a confidentiality agreement and could not talk about the show.
Fletcher would not say how long the crew was in town or where else they might be filming.
"To keep the season under wraps, we don't want to say what they're doing," she said.
Hilton and Ritchie were rumored to be staying with a family in Hockessin, Del., during their trip and were even spotted Tuesday at Taco Bell on Kirkwood Highway. A manager let it slip that the two had visited the fast-food restaurant, saying employees had signed a confidentiality agreement, so he could not talk about it.
Early Wednesday, they arrived at the day care center and helped load some children on a bus and pushed others in strollers down Greenhill Avenue.At one point, Hilton showed off her dance moves.
"The kids were singing and Paris was doing a little dance," said Candi Creese, a 21-year-old nurse who works across the street from the day care.
Doug Diver, manager of neighboring Diver Chevrolet, went outside when he saw the two out in the street.
"Nicole was flagging people down trying to get rides, just having fun," he said.
One fan who would not give a name had a Sharpie maker in one hand and a binder of Hilton's photos and magazine covers in the other. He stood at the edge of the day care property, even writing down the license plate of the sports utility they were driving.
Peter Martz, a 23-year-old senior at University of Delaware, blew off classes for the day to see Hilton.
"I wish I was a kid," he said, thinking the only way to get behind the guarded entrance of the day care center. "This never happens in Wilmington. One glimpse is worth standing for hours," he said, letting his mind wander to what he and his friends were going to do if Hilton came out to see them. "Me and my boys are going to scream, ‘Paris, I love you!'"
For him, the draw is simple, just like the show: "They're sexy chicks. They party hard and don't care about much."
Anthony Cutrona, 70, stopped by after seeing the commotion. After a group of high school students explained to him who Hilton and Ritchie were, he asked, "are they married?" before shuffling off to his doctor's appointment.
Soon after, Ritchie fan Leah Cavazzini and Hilton fan Kristina Ruggerio, both 16, arrived straight from Ursuline Academy after classes let out.
Ruggerio arrived to calls of "Paris!" from those waiting for the reality TV star. Tall, thin and blond, Ruggerio said she regularly gets mistaken for Hilton.
"I always get asked for autographs," she said. Ruggerio's mother, Renee, said she wanted to ask Hilton if her daughter could do her double work.
For parents of children at Small Wonder Daycare, it was less The Simple Life and more the Surreal Life.
When Kendra Worthy went to pick up her 5-year-old daughter Shalome, she was told the crew was filming in the infant room and would be an hour.
After making it clear she needed her child, someone passed word inside.
Soon after, Hilton came out holding her daughter and diaper bag. (Did the reporter make a mistake up there saying the mom came to pick up her 5-yr old?)
"She told me I had the most beautiful baby she had ever seen," said Worthy, 30, of Wilmington.
"I'm sure she's been saying that to every parent."
After giving her Shalome, Hilton forgot she had the diaper bag on her shoulder, forcing Worthy to ask for the bag.
"I was like, uh, can I have the diapers?"

Should I make one?

This was in my email earlier. A fellow inmate made this for Martha as a 'hey you got sprung' gift. Martha worn it home. Lion Brand yarn came up with a 'Martha poncho'. She's holding it like it has cooties, isn't she?

My birthdate chart 

Astrological reading...

Click here for a free reading. This is a bit long, but it's interesting and I do see myself in this!
Name: Dianne November 19 1959 3:00 AM Time Zone is EST West Chester, PA Rising Sign is in 09 Degrees Libra Very attractive and popular, your charm helps you to get your own way and prevents others from getting angry with you. "Peace and harmony at all costs" is your battle cry. (I agree)
You always try to ameliorate or to cosmetically hide any physical ugliness or any angry feelings between people. Flashy, but not gaudy, you prefer to dress elegantly.(I was taught to always look presentable-I even put makeup on to go to the post office) You generally have good taste in music, art and literature. Beware of the tendency to compromise yourself in your attempt to be agreeable at all times. A bit of a social butterfly, at times you can be vain and lazy. (I never saw myself as a social butterfly, though I've never really been in the position to be one) For the most part, however, you are gracious and affectionate, and your refined and aristocratic demeanor serves as a role model to others. Sun is in 26 Degrees Scorpio. Intense and complex by nature, you have extremely strong emotional reactions to most situations. Feelings are often very difficult for you to verbalize. Therefore you have a tendency to be very quiet - - to brood and think a lot.(This is me to a 'T') You seldom get overtly angry, but, when you do, you are furious and unforgiving. When you make an emotional commitment, it is total -- you are not attracted to superficial or casual relationships.(We've been married almost 21 yrs, so this is accurate) If you are challenged, you take it as a personal affront and tend to lash out and fight back in a vengeful manner. You love mysteries and the supernatural.(I use to read every mystery I could get my hands on until I figured out the ending by the middle of the book!) A good detective, you love getting to the roots of problems and you enjoy finding out what makes other people tick. You are known to be very willful, very powerful and quite tenacious! Moon is in 08 Degrees Cancer. For the most part, you are very strong and secure emotionally. You intuitively know what to do to make others feel comfortable, loved, accepted and needed. (Yes, I've always been the 'little mom') You naturally enjoy feeding and taking care of others. Be careful that your mothering does not turn into smothering. At times, you tend to feel that those to whom you are attached can never do anything without your assistance and support.(I think Sean would agree with this) Extremely sensitive by nature, it hurts you deeply whenever anyone criticizes you. You have an almost desperate need to be loved and wanted and needed by everyone with whom you come into contact, and you go out of your way to be accommodating to them.(I agree, and never had a strong male figure to love me until I got married) Mercury is in 07 Degrees Sagittarius. Your mind is very curious and inquisitive, always seeking information on a wide variety of topics.(Just ask my email friends if this is true!) The broader the subject matter (philosophy, science, religion, metaphysics), the more it will appeal to you. You prefer to deal with abstractions -- the small but important details associated with any subject tend to slip your grasp. You are known for being blunt, honest and truthful. Venus is in 09 Degrees Libra. A very friendly and outgoing person, you hate to be alone.(though I am alone a lot) Beware of a continuing tendency to compromise yourself in order to avoid being lonely. Try to be yourself, not what others would like you to be. You have an innate desire to be in refined and elegant surroundings and will go out of your way to create a plush and comfortable atmosphere around you.(I would if I could!) You have heightened aesthetic sensibilities and are attracted to music and the arts. Try to avoid using your well-known seductive charm in order to get out of doing what you consider to be dirty work!(shouldn't everyone take a turn?) Mars is in 19 Degrees Scorpio. Your likes and dislikes are strong and intense, never casual or superficial. You are known for your persistence and willful obsession. Once you have decided on a course of action, you are unstoppable. Your emotional actions tend to be extreme, although you try to keep them muted. You are not quick to anger, you do slow burns. And you tend to release your anger as sarcasm or irony.(This is me) Beware of your tendency to hold grudges and to be vengeful. When you do fight, or release your internal tensions, you do so body and soul -- you become totally passionate and your outbursts are awesome to behold. (OH YEAH!) Jupiter is in 09 Degrees Sagittarius. You have a very strong sense of ethics and morality. You are widely read(I have about 500 books!) and may also be widely traveled(not really but one of the best trips we took was driving up to New England and sleeping in a different place every night) because you are sincerely interested in expanding your knowledge of the world about you. At times, you have an annoying tendency to be self-righteous and preachy about your belief system. You are usually quite idealistic and you demand the right to be able to explore the entire world of experiences yourself. Remember to grant others the similar right -- be tolerant, not dogmatic. Saturn is in 04 Degrees Capricorn. Very serious-minded and mature, you have the ability to take on responsibilities and to carry out important duties. You can also be trusted to be extremely practical and thrifty.(I like a good sale) A good organizer, you are the ideal one to be counted on to take a clearly defined project through to its logical conclusion. (me again!)An achiever, you pride yourself on your ability to focus your attention totally on some worthy goal and then attain it. Uranus is in 21 Degrees Leo. You, and your peers as well, demand complete and total freedom of self- expression. You want to make your mark in the world according to your own lights and will brook no interference from traditional authority figures, especially if they attempt to mold or shape you in any way. You are honest and forthright, but a bit offbeat and eccentric. (maybe a little)The lack of self-discipline may hinder you from reaching your goals as quickly as you would like. Neptune is in 07 Degrees Scorpio. You, and your entire generation, are extremely interested in anything deep and mysterious. You will explore and idealize the benefits that can accrue from the study of the occult, healing(I love the herbal medicine tribe) and psychology. You are willing to experiment with substances like drugs in order to push your understanding of your inner being to the extreme. Pluto is in 06 Degrees Virgo. For your entire generation, this will be a time when profound changes in society's attitude toward work, duty and responsibility will be initiated. Radical changes in attitudes toward personal health and general nutrition will be promulgated and gain wide acceptance and practice. N. Node is in 02 Degrees Libra. You find it very difficult to be comfortable being alone -- you would much prefer to be in an environment where many people are working together toward common goals. Your charming and sincere approach to others assures your popularity -- you have the gift of being able to ease tensions just by your mere presence. You're the perfect "team player" willing to sacrifice your own importance so that the group goal can be accomplished. (I was on the PTO board and volunteered throughout Sean's grade school years)Be careful, however, not to become overly dependent on your interactions with others -- you have personal private needs that should not be neglected. (I don't have a problem with this at all)

Best quote of the week...

...and it came for our priest in an article about our church in The Catholic Standard and Times.
Question: What amusing incidents comprise the parish's history?
Answer: Newcomers to the parish area at times ask about the pungent aroma of mushroom compost. The answer I was initially given was : "Father, you're smelling money!"
Now this is funny for two reasons, one being it does smell really bad at times, especially when the mushroom farms are cleaning out their 'spent' soil. And of course a priest mentioning 'smelling money' is right on target. The question in general was rather odd. Like what does the person want our priest to say? Maybe, "some of the parishoners were buck naked for the potato sack race at the annual picnic"? (just kidding). Brian and I had a good laugh over that one.

Give Martha a cappuccino please....

Martha missed her cappuccino while at Camp Cupcake. And also lemons. How mean can they be to not allow a lousy lemon in prison? I guess the chow really is pretty bad, probably all spam and boxed potato flakes. I heard that Martha lost weight too. It's all behind her now and her 'behind' is even smaller! And she's still a very rich lady, like a billionaire. That can't tarnish her reputation too much right? I heard she has two tv deals in the works, one being an apprentice like show. I think I'd watch that one. The contestants would definitely have to do Martha type skills. Can't you see them all trying to make a souffle? Oh that would be hysterical if they all fell and Martha could make snide remarks. There's another show on now called 'Wickedly Perfect' that I have been trying to watch. They switched nights and sometimes I miss it on Saturday. My favorite contestant got voted off last week-Darlene the former HSN cable host. The tears were streaming down her face because she knew she was doomed. They had to do individual projects and it was trimming a topiary. Now Darlene obviously had no idea what to make and called what she made a 'mushroom'. The two with the lowest votes from the judges for their work were up to get voted off. I don't care much for the remainder of the contestants. This one guy stands out, but he's a backstabber. Martha should be the host of this show instead of boring Joan Lunden. She would make the show. But obviously she was 'pre-occupied' when they were filming this one.

Explaining 'the boys'

Ok, I'm not an oversexed, crazy middle-aged lady. It's okay to 'look and admire', correct? Like I hear guys say when they stop looking they die. So I happened to see Shemar on 'Oprah' today and he is fine! I don't know that much about him only that he's been in a soap and he's in a new movie called 'Diary of a Mad Black Woman' or something like that.
And I've loved Tim babes since he was in a show where he flashbacked to his teens (like that Kathleen Turner movie) in the late '80s. And 'Wings' was one on my favorite shows. And his remake of 'Fugitive' was good. I think he's an underrated actor and I miss seeing him!
Glad to see that 'Eyes' is coming along. Hope it's not on the same time as my regular shows.

...and a little eye candy for us older ladies...Tim Daly-where have you been? Just found this-Midseason replacement-- 'EYES' = Tim Daly, AJ Langer,Laura Leighton, Garcella Beauvais-Drama revolves around a high-powered risk management corporation that operates along the fringes of the law in order to affect the outcome of a host of civil and criminal matters.

Young 'eye candy' Shemar Moore.... 

The happy chef

Being stuck inside prompted me to get out my muffin and loaf pans to get in a little baking. I've been on strike in the baking department (never Christmas cookies strike though) because I want my kitchen redone so badly and we seem stuck in slow motion getting to it. Now I've drawn a floor plan, picked out colors, but Brian is thinking about the money part. It's a small kitchen, about 10' x 11', so it wouldn't cost an arm and a leg to remodel, right? So anyway, I was bored, had a bunch of brown bananas and saw a recipe in my Everyday Food Magazine for bread, and the rest is baking history! I went on to apple streusel muffins (from a mix) and today I popped in some cranberry orange muffins (also a mix, give me a break). Sean is thrilled with fresh baked goods and eats most of what I make. He's not fat either. I also made 12 bean soup (yes, 12 bean) today. It was really good. I followed the recipe on the package and added some breakfast ham (the bigger ham pieces were expensive). Brian ate 3 bowls of it. A few hours later he disappeared you-know-where! My grandmom would call it a 'physic' or an enema in a pot. : ) Beans are really the 'joyful fruit'. No need to go on.

Leno just had on a lady who had geese wearing skirts with diapers underneath- her babies. I think they sleep with her and her husband. Not like a warm kitty for sure.

My mom is getting excited about the Philadelphia Flower Show. She didn't get to go last year as she wasn't in good shape. I am worried about her this year. I think we should rent a wheel chair. That way, we could push in line. No, mostly to help her enjoy the show more. I said I would go. We would take the train, but the walk from the train to the show isn't exactly around the corner. I am getting really nervous about it. I may bail at the last minute, but that's all she talks about. Gee, I hope she doesn't read this!

Am I Jane Fonda?

You Belong in 1972

1972 If you scored... 1950 - 1959: You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in! 1960 - 1969: You are a free spirit with a huge heart. Love, peace, and happiness rule - oh, and drugs too. 1970 - 1979: Bold and brash, you take life by the horns. Whether you're partying or protesting, you give it your all! 1980 - 1989: Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day. 1990 - 1999: With you anything goes! You're grunge one day, ghetto fabulous the next. It's all good!

What Year Do You Belong In?

Proofreader skills helped!

The commonly confused words quiz

(thanks Abby for this)
English Genius

You scored 93% Beginner, 80% Intermediate, 87% Advanced, and 77% Expert!
You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly! Way to go!

Celebrity Blogs...the Amazing Race

I'm on a mission to look at celebrity blogs. I already have Zach Braff's listed in the side bar. He's pretty funny. I hope he keeps up his entries. I also have the Celebrity Baby Blog because of the famous and their offspring. I was looking for a photo of Conan O'Brien's daughter Neve and they had one of the two of them together. She's a little Conan! Some of these photos look like an invasion of privacy, but the celebs are in public places, people interested in them so it's publicity for them in the long run. I checked out Jeff Bridges blog (more of a website) and he was asking someone to stop pretending they were him on his message board. Get a blog Jeff! There is a 'pretend' blog I have listed for Bill Clinton. They say it's fake, but it's a good fake. Check it out.

Amazing Race 7 began tonight with Rob and 'Ambuh' from 'Survivor' as contestants. They are in third place. They had help when they got in Peru as someone recognized them from Survivor. That sucked as the guy helped them on a large leg of the race. You'll love the gay guys, they are hysterical!

On a personal note, Brian was home feeling blah today. He rarely misses work. I am wondering if he's just exhausted by the daily grind. The snow events have really worn him out, somewhat from the tension. I didn't do as much as I wanted to do today because he kept laying down, so I had to be quiet. I was picking out things off my eBay table which is piled high. I swear I have listed most of the stuff on it once or twice. I should list it all at low prices to get rid of it. If if doesn't sell, it's going to Goodwill. I already have 3 bags to go. eBay is fun, but it's getting harder to try to figure out what people will buy. I know, they will buy almost anything, but I have way too many books. Time to downsize.