Navel Chakras

So the suggestion (so far) to help my tummy at the herbal medicine tribe was to cleanse my navel chakras. Ok, how do I do that and I hope it doesn't involve needles. So I found this website. It looks interesting as it relates to yoga. Anything to feel better. I was doing some deep breathing today too. Sometimes you just have to sit back and say 'whoa nelly'-you gotta take a break! Even though I relax through stitching, sometimes that makes me a bit hyper, like the Independence Hall square. An end is in sight, but it was bugging me because I. H. is not brown-it's made from 'simple red bricks'. I decided to backstitch reddish color floss over the brown instead of ripping it all out. It works! Thank goodness.

Waiting on the window guy

I have someone coming from Window Wizards to give me an estimate on a garden style window for the kitchen today. I took down the curtains and it's a nice big window. I hope it will be cheaper than what the Home Depot quoted us. I may have him give me an estimate on the front window too. There are 3 casements right now which I never open. We should try to snaz up the place as much as we can.
The kid from Home Depot called yesterday and said the floor I wanted was out of stock. They would have to have a special just when I wanted a new floor! I had to go on the internet with him on the phone and look at different ones. He finally found one that matched the one I like-a Pergo. I get 10% off for installation. I am waiting to hear what the price will be for that. Maybe we'll wait and I can call another place. That's what I should do.
Did I tell you that it was the multivitamins that made my stomach spaz (move) by itself? I stopped taking them and it stopped. My guts are still not right, I think it's all the stuff that's happening around here. I've always been a hyper person (more internal). I just need to calm down or find something to calm my tummy. I have a question in at the herbal medicine group I read. I also found that my tummy is so touchy, I can't even chew gum that has sorbitol in it. What I need is to take a slow, relaxing boat to China.

Watch for Charlie

Charlie McDermott, a West Chester, PA native is playing Kris Kristofferson's son (Kris will be 70 this year-so grandpa would fit better) in a new movie called Disappearances. Charlie was also in The Village filmed in Chadds Ford, near where he lives. I'll have to find more info on Charlie, but I thought I'd share info about another up and coming actor from Chester County.

American Inventor

We've been watching this show every week. It's produced by none other than American Idol's Simon Cowell. I think inventing is cool. How many times do you personally think, 'if only they would have something for that' or 'I should invent that!' Well basically, that's the concept of the show. There have been some really doozies like tonight the man who showed them a peanut butter and jelly dispenser made from the sawed off foot of a doll that he had poked holes in. The retired gentlemen had named his invention 'Toe Jam'-ugh. So we all know that you store these two sandwich ingredients in separate areas of the kitchen-pb in a cabinet and jelly in the frig. It was just a gross concept.
There are definitely two judges who are 'softer'-Mary Lou and Ed. Peter and Doug are harder to please. Doug is an inventor and know-it-all (they sang a little song about that tonight). Each inventor must get 3 out of 4 judges to say 'yes' and move them on to the next round.
What I wonder about if the big companies have their people watching to steal any of the ideas? It's possible. Hey they are looking for ideas to make a ton of money too!

Mary Lou Quinlan-the only female judge, hails from Philly!

The judges said 'yes' to the edible snowglobes!

Wyeth part 2

The local news had a special on Andrew Wyeth in correlation to the Phila Art museum show. I learned a few things that I didn't know about the Wyeths.
NC Wyeth was hit by a train while in his car with his nephew (or grandson) and they both were killed back in about 1945. He had stopped on the back roads of Chester County to view landscape that was misty (this is what artists do). If he hadn't done this, he would have missed the train. Andrew took this hard and they say that is why his paintings became gloomy and deep.
Andrew at age 88, eats at local places around here like Hank's diner (where the cast of 'The Village' frequented a few years back) and a place called Jimmy Johns (they are famous for hotdogs).
It's not uncommon to see Andrew (they all call him Andy, even his granddaughter) and son Jamie walking the halls of the Brandywine River Museum. Speaking of his only granddaughter Victoria, she is a tour guide at the museum.

Wyeth connection

Andrew Wyeth, son of N.C. Wyeth and dad of Jamie has a special display of his art work opening down at the Philadelphia art museum. I find this fairly interesting as his work is usually displayed year round at the Brandywine River museum in Chadds Ford, a stone's throw from Philadelphia. I'd hate to be a visitor and already have been out to the BRM and then go to see this other exhibit and see all of the same AW works.
Andrew isn't my favorite Wyeth painter. I like Jamie's art, esp his portrait of JFK and his pig (and he just recently did the Christmas card for the Bush family).

NC illustrated Treasure Island, etc with vibrant movement and color. Andrew's works are very brown and earth-toned.
Andrew's sister Ann Wyeth McCoy, recently passed away and left a massive doll collection. I read where many of them will be put in a special museum but many will be auctioned evenutally. I'd love to attend the auction 'just to see'. One of the Wyeths (a sister) lived on the same road I do. I always wonder when I travel the long length of our road which house she lived in.

Attention stitchers! Here's something up for sale at the above mentioned auction

Lot 300: 1798 needlework sampler by Rachel Byes, alphanumeric with verse, bottom row with 2 birds holding a basket of fruit flanked by strawberries, 10.75" x 10", a few small stains, otherwise excellent Estimate: 300-500.

Could ya consider linking me?

I just got back from technorati tags as I haven't been there for a while. I am in the top 100,000 for linking (I'm around 95,000). Thanks to all of you who do link to my blog. If you don't and keep reading my blog, could you link or put me in your blog roll? I'd love to be in the top 10,000 someday. I'll be glad to link to you.
I also saw that I was quoted again in a blog about Reese Witherspoon getting paid so much and winning the Oscar. That is very flattering.

Ever read your old blog entries and they are all lined up on one side? I must have used photos that were too large. And my really old, old entries have different colored lettering because I use to have a pale pink background. I would change all of them, but that would take forever. I just highlight the text to read it.

~Update-I added the technorati 'who links here' tag again plus a search engine in my side bar. So if you want to see my cross stitching or flowers, type something in and the exact posts I wrote about the subject will come up.

Some color arrives!

The above lovelies are in my front 'woodland' bed under my big evergreen. People give me jonquils, etc. for Easter and I plant them here. These purple petites are under one of the nasty chestnut trees. Years ago I tried planting croci in a scatter form in the side yard here and they never really did anything. I think the grass was too thick for them there. Where they came from here is a question to me.

I started to clean up outside a little bit with a hand rake (yep, not good for my back). I pulled the screening fabric off the pond and started around there. Then I went around the front and did some of the the woodland bed so the jonquils and tulips can grow more. I see that the daffodils I planted in the fall came up nicely through the leaves in the fairy garden. The giant tulips (also new) and way out in the side yard, are up but just green. Something ate some of them. And the new lilies are coming up in another bed, but a few didn't make it. The ones I planted at my mom's look really great. They are next to the house, so they are sheltered and it's quite sunny there. They are under a new layer of dirt and mulch. I hope they will be gorgeous for mom.

Just ordered!

For obvious reasons, I watch Kitchen Accomplished (it's a kitchen makeover show) every Monday morning on HGtv. Today, Kat the chef, bought the homeowner a panini/grill. Now I have a device similar to the panini and I have a tabletop grill, but this looks so much nicer.


Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler - - contact grill and panini sandwich press makes perfect panini... plus! With 4 separate cooking options, it can handle everything from pancakes to sausages to grilled cheese to steaks, hamburgers, and panini.
Simply change the cooking plates and adjust the floating hinge to use the Griddler as a contact grill, a panini press, or your choice of an extra-large double open grill or griddle. Panini-style handles with floating hinge to adjust to thickness of food.

Removable, dishwasher-safe, non-stick grill and griddle plates. Brushed stainless steel housing. Weighs about 15 pounds. 3-year mfg. warranty. Cuisinart model GR4.



I went and looked on the web an found it here. I get $10 off because it's over $100 and I get a shipping credit of almost $7. So not bad! I am thinking about a new crockpot too (mine is ancient). And of course I am saving up Macy gift cards (Brian's dad gets them from Caesars in Atlantic City) I need a few more for my blue Cuisinart stand mixer.

Get outside!

The temps seems to be on the uprise around here. I need some fresh air! And I need to start cleaning up wintertime debris.
Here is a lovely photo I found on Carly Simon's site to inspire us all to get outside.
(This is the house that her former husband James Taylor built).

Stitching Blog hoppin'

I spent a lot of my down time looking at fellow stitcher's blogs today after trying to get the rest of the kitchen cleaned out (still not finished as I keep running out of boxes-booze boxes are too small). My blog isn't all about stitching (my turn out seems to be in the low numbers compared to others' nimble stitching fingers), I really want to thank all you stitchers that take the time to display your talents and talk about stitching in general. If you look at my side bar, you will see a lot of stitcher's blogs. I add to my blogroll all the time.
Although I have been stitching for going on 30 yrs, I have had many dry, non-productive years. I would buy a chart here and there. I'd start something and then just lay it aside. I was getting like my mom! (Well it's true and she is still this way). Just meeting you all and doing stitching for the sick kids and others really got my stitching juices flowing again. And because of the internet, would I ever have pals in The Netherlands or even across the country who share this same passion? I think not. You get it! The hoarding of books, buying a variety of stitching fabrics, getting the latest floss-you just get it!
I think we have a special community here. I am proud to be a member.
Keep up the good work. You are the heirloom makers.

Receiving lots of media attention

Paul waving hello to his mom and dad

Click here to play the above video that I mentioned

I told you a few days ago about the Extreme Makeover Home Edition team redoing a house in northeast Philly. Thank goodness the news is covering it as I probably won't get to go. They mentioned where road it was on and we googled it. It's about 56 miles away-one way. I,of course would bring Paul DiMeo's old high school yearbook. I happened to buy the one from his class and my class because I knew a lot of people from his class.
On a live portion of the news this morning, a reporter mentioned to Paul (in his sheepherder's cap!) that he was a local guy and he mentioned Media and Penncrest and waved to his mom and dad. I guess they still live in my hometown.
I thought I may get my 15 minutes of fame by showing up with the yearbook (which is marked on every page that Paul is on-that's about 8 or so-he was in a lot of activities). People signed my book too. Some were nice comments, others dug at the fact that I missed tons of school that year. I was depressed and wouldn't eat and lost about 16 pounds in one month. I got over it okay. I could still go tomorrow or Tuesday at the reveal of the new house (which is towering over the 1960s Colonials in the neighborhood). Who knows-maybe.

Paul-Penncrest Class of 1976 Vice President

New look in my house by the end of April

Quick update! Workers will be here on April 20th to take a sledge hammer to our kitchen (I hope they do). Then we have to pull off the 'backsplash'-the ugly thing the previous owners put up. I should have gotten Brian a crowbar for his birthday! The appliances are coming in the next day. That means we need to get the frig cleaned out on the 19th and resituated in the living room for a few days.
So in the next few weeks, we have to empty out the rest of the kitchen, make room in the living room for the cabinets which means taking almost everything out of that space. This isn't a huge house. Whew, I'm tired just thinking about it.
I am feeling more like myself today. I took an OTC medicine I haven't taken for ages-Equalactin. One chewable a day (not today-yet), seems to have calmed the raging storms. No belly movement in the last couple of days either.

Happy Birthday Mister Grumpy

Ok, he's only grumpy some of the time, but this is a grumpy looking face, don't you think?

It was taken at the H&R Block when they kept us waiting and I was playing with my phone (camera) like the kids next to Brian were).

I've spent 23 birthdays with Bri now. On the first one, I gave him a Walkman as he was a runner back then. Now he usually gets a silk-screened tee shirt, beef jerky, underwear and other exciting little things. Mom gave him an awesome drawing (print) of John Lennon. Gee, wonder where he will hang that?

I wish my guy many, many more birthdays. He's getting a special deal next year for the 'Big One'.

Lots of hugs and love to my Bri.

Finished up a UFO

I mentioned this a few posts back. I persevered (that ribbon and bow were tricky). I'll add the baby's name when I know what it is. I hope to make this a photo album cover. I may add a few 'sparkles' to the stars and moon. The only thing I changed was making the running stitch from button to button pink. BTW, ran out of the dark blue and matched it with my own DMC.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition hits Philly

Was that Rocky? Or was it TyPennington from the above mentioned show? Most likely it was Ty pretending to be Rocky running up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Heard they did 20-22 takes of that. Here's a screenshot from the local ABC-tv affiliate.
Dewey is the builder- web addy. They are located near where Brian grew up and build most of their houses in good ol' Chester Co.

Will Dianne go see one of her favorite show being taped? Dianne does not know where they are in NE Philly. Bummer. At least Paul DiMeo from my old high school is in the area. Wonder if they will go to Media too? This is reminding me of the fictional story I wrote a few months ago. In the photo (old) he is even wearing the hat I described in my story. BTW, the house down there looks like the RR house I stitched!

Brian works for a local paper and brought home the press release kit for this event. It even had a cool photo of Ty in it!

Happy 10th Birthday Kenny

My musical and artistic genius of a nephew turns 10 today. How many 10 yr olds do you know who can have guitar riffs with their dads? Kenny also saved up money for a gorgeous jet black electric guitar (I think Les Paul) with mother of pearl insets which is his pride and joy. And did I tell you he draws like a 11th grader and he's in 4th grade? I'm a proud auntie!

Who is Phil Marjera?

Brian came home early yesterday because he was achy and his sinuses were bothering him. He seems to have to 'recharge' every few months. He drives so much for his job, it is very wearing on him. His birthday (the big one is next year) is Friday. I accused him of feeling bad because he was getting a year older. He was not amused.
I took my van back to the shop because of the loose ignition and the mechanic replaced the entire thing! Now I have a key to get in the van and one to turn it on. Ken, my brother said he could fix that somehow.
Sean came from school and picked me up at the station. We headed for Wendy's for lunch. Sean sat down and started smiling about something. Here some guy who is on a show with his son on MTV was in there eating (they are from nearby West Chester, PA). The guy was Phil Marjera and his son is Bam (Bam created, produced, directed and stared in the hit MTV show "Viva La Bam”, which ran for five seasons. The VLB DVD’s are the fastest selling DVD‘s in MTV history. Keep tuned, as Bam is creating a new animated series for MTV to debut in the summer of 2006.) Do you know these guys?




I got Rachael from Germany's stitching round robin from the post office too. Her house is very sweet-she designed it herself. I'll be adding a lighthouse, plus some goodies and send it on it's way in June.
The Stitching blogger question was about participating in stitching 'mysteries'. I have yet to do that, but I love seeing the ones that have come to life. Carol has stitched up some beauties!

Backsplash...what do you like?

I was just looking at gorgeous glass tiles for the kitchen backsplash. Though a bit pricey, I think they will add that special sparkle I love. My countertops will be a dark blue to offset the creamy yellow cabinets. The tiles don't really come in any yellow, but the blues-so gorgeous. And I do not need a great deal of them. They come on sheets (I saw them on Trading Spaces and they look pretty easy to install). They have to be better than what was there. The previous owners used leftover flooring (which we have to remove-the installers won't). I added the contact paper (remember my previous photos).So here are some of the ones I really like:
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Message boards for everything

Brian and I google everything. With me it's usually cross stitch, recipes, gardening, celebrities, etc. Brian looks up Ford Mustangs, stocks, Beatles, digital cameras (still waiting for him to pick one out) and American Flyer trains. With me being at the age called perimenopause, weird things start to happen, so I typed in 'the problem'. I happened upon a message board and you know what, what I had was nothing compared to what these poor women were experiencing. This one lady stopped posting last May and I hope she is okay. I feel like I am definitely having problems due to hormones and fibroids. I just ordered two books from Amazon about fibroids. The one book (only 75¢) is by a lady who had a great website called 'Sex, lies and fibroids'. I can't get on the site anymore. I could so relate to her! It's so much fun being in my late 40s.
I also ordered two more cross stitch books- The Cross Stitcher's Bible and also the CSB Project Book by Jane Greenoff. I've been eyeing these two up, so the prices were good, so I ordered them.
Stitchingwise-THE SB question was about 'one over one'-I've done it a few times and it's hard. I have a few designs that I want to do where you do the lady's face 'one over one'.
I was going through my sewing cabinet and ran across a sweet baby design I had half completed about 7 yrs ago. I decided it needed to be finished and I would give it to someone who is expecting. The question was 'who'? So I remembered a woman in my stitching group just announced her 3rd baby is going to be a girl. She has 10 yr old twin boys! So to me, she is the perfect recipient for the baby gift which will be made into a photo album cover. It's almost finished and I can see why I put it down-it has some tricky spots in it. I'll share a photo soon.

Missed a day

Did you miss me? We signed away a great sum of money for the kitchen yesterday, so that is paid for now. The man who has been working with us had trouble with the order form. He double checked to make sure my glaze was on it and it wasn't (that's one reason why I orderd from this cabinet company because I loved this color). He got that on and the computer was taxing us for everything. We bought the cabinets, etc in Delaware (tax free). Even though we live in Penna. it won't be taxed because we are getting them installed by The Home Depot. He needed help to get that off. We wasted a great deal of time waiting. We did get all 31 knob and pulls for free (a special). They are pretty-they have a leaf design (brass) that looks like it is a patina with a white wash.


We went to pay and our card associated with our home equity loan got declined (it's new!) I ended up writing a check and that went through. I need to talk to the bank about the plastic.
We rushed to church and then the three of us went to a Chinese restaurant. My IBS has been really bad and I ordered the wrong thing-shrimp and asparagus. I should know better. I have not been eating right at all. Greasy pizza and corned beef this past week-I am indeed nuts. My tummy is still spazzing once in a while.
Now the waiting game. The cabinets may not be in for 4-6 weeks, hopefully sooner. And may all this be completed by May 1st as stated on the form. My poor guts can't take too much more.

Hmmm....better than half

Your Luck Quotient: 62%

You have a high luck quotient. More often than not, you've felt very lucky in your life. You may be randomly lucky, but it's probably more than that. Optimistic and open minded, you take advantage of all the luck that comes your way.

How Lucky Are You?

A kitchen sink is in the living room!

Yes!!! Fed Express delivered it tonight at 7. I made the lady come in while we opened it for inspection (it was her last stop anyway). The online store suggested I do that. It is gorgeous! So smooth. And this it the kicker-it's the same size as the double sink I have now. All that talk about not wanting a big sink-but it's ok because it isn't divided.
Tomorrow we order the cabinets (pay for them) and maybe some other things (window, water heater, water pump-I don't even know if the Home Depot sells the last things).

By the way, Happy St. Patty's Day

Having a good Irish name and a Brian and a Sean, we are indeed having corned beef and cabbage for dinner tonight. It's in the crockpot cooking as I type. I'm a little Irish, not much, but just enough. My great grandmom's people were from County Cork-the Deere relatives.
My brother just emailed me the family crest yesterday. To explain why my brother is sending this, I am married to my sister-in-law's first cousin, so they have the same last names. There is also a famous meteorologist from the 1800s with the same name (thanks to my brother for that info too)! Maybe there will be a famous forecaster in this day and age with the same name, my Sean!

I treated myself to some green and white flowers for today.

That's my great grandmom's yo yo quilt on the sofa.

Flash from the past

I think that is my brother Dave's expression. : )
What I am referring to is finding the homepage of an wonderful family that I ran across last night. I am a friend of one of the daughters (I hope I still am). We went to community college together, she was a bridesmaid in my wedding and we pretty much kept in touch until about 2001. Then she stopped sending her Christmas newsletters. From googling her name I found out she started a tutoring business (like a Sylvan Learning Center) and has three children that keep her busy. I'd love to know how she is doing. I know she located in the midwest and all, but I do miss hearing from her. I even ran across a photo of her oldest daughter on her high school website. I can't believe that is the little baby I held so long ago on my friend's visit with her mom. I wonder if she still has the pillow I cross stitched for her? (Mrs. P. the matriarch-looks great!)
Anyway, I got to catch up with this family of 11 children (that is amazing in itself) and saw photos and remembered names. Read with tears in my eyes that they lost one of the sisters. Smiled at the baby photos. The youngest sister really contributes to this site and she is an amazing lady. If anyone wants to say 'hi' (they have my blog address), please do.

Killing birds for sport

I watch the rebroadcasts of The Daily Show and The Stephen Colbert Show in the morning. Both are satirical views of politics and current events. The Daily Show had a story today about bird hunting. Though nothing new (according to Brian), I found it quite appalling as an animal lover. People go and order say 4 pheasants at $20 each. They can get a bird dog too. They take the birds out of a shed (where they are raised or kept) and the worker 'plants' them in the brush. The dog then sniffs them out (this was the only funny part) and the bird gets scared and starts to fly away and then the hunter takes aim and most of the time kills it. The thrill to them is killing a frightened planted bird? I hate hunting of all kinds. I have to put up with a trigger happy neighbor who killed a groundhog in my yard one time without me knowing he was in the yard or that he was going to fire his weapon. That scared the beejeebers out of me.

Conan's forte

I meant to write about the Cone-man's trip to Finland days ago! This was his best show in ages. The last good ones were when he was in Canada a few years ago. So Conan, your forte is going out amongst 'your' people and doing things. We need to see your long legs-lol. I am sure this will be in reruns a few times. The whole Finland thing happened when Conan thought he resembled the lady president Targa (close I think)-he does in a way with his pale skin and red hair. He got to meet her too.
Seeing him knocking on doors of apartments to meet fans and no one answering was pretty funny. Seeing him on a dog sled-ha!
I'd love to invite him to 'Mushroomland' here in Penna. I can see him harvesting the mushrooms in his white hair net! We could race him in our Tauruses! (He says he still has a '92 Taurus-we have a '98 and '00). I'd love it.
Carl Reiner in on Leno right now. He is one of my favorite guys in his age group (he's about to turn 84). He's always been funny, even when he had hair back on the Dick Van Dyke Show.

Contract signed!

The contractor came this afternoon. I just signed away a great deal of moola-but it will be so worth it! I have a lot of emotions flowing through me-excitement, apprehension, anxiousness, etc.! Saturday we will go back to the Home Depot and order and pay for the cabinets. All in all, 2 months isn't that long to wait (we started this in the middle of January). A lot of things have to be in sync-like having the appliances delivered at the right time so the workers can have the old ones disconnected so the delivery guys can haul away the old stuff. And Bill (the guy) said if we ever resell the house we will get something like 104% back in our investment. He said to try and sell a house with outdated electrical work in the kitchen is a no-no. We've had the electric reworked a few times-in the family room and for the central air.
Guess what caught my eye on the tv-an inflatable hot tub! This commercial had a guy sitting in one and the secretary came along and handed him papers to go over. Sean looked up inflatable ones on the web and they are like $800-1k! Ouch! But if I had one last night, I bet that knot or whatever in my back would have worked itself out in no time.
My back was so much better today (not my stomach though). I sat again with the heating pad on it when I got up this morning. It didn't keep me awake last night, thank goodness. I think I pulled something by unscrewing and emptying about 15 bottles of old beverages-really! Think about how you are positioned over the sink when you would do this.
My van is back from inspection and my purse is over $200 lighter. It needed a new turn signal switch. My brother works at the sister station and the guy said he was giving me a 10% discount-yeah on the part-I got $7 off. Big deal.
Stitchingwise-I had to put Independence Hall down for a few days. It's more than half finished. I picked up Cape May. That blue is hard to work on too. Since I am starting at the top of a rectangle, I flipped the piece and am stitching upsidedown. Us lefties can do that. : )

A heating pad can be your friend

I am always getting various aches and pains. I know in part this is from having Lyme Disease as it never fully goes away. I know I'm not a kid anymore. I don't know what I did (well I do know-bending, moving furniture, pulling a too heavy trash out of the can, sitting in the adirondack chair, tensing while getting my teeth cleaned by Carla the carver-you get the picture). After the dentist, I went to the food store. I had lifted heavy drinks and had to pick up a display of cough drop packets I knocked down). So I'm standing there and holy you know what-feels like a drill is hitting my left shoulder blade. I think I was making a few faces as the lady behind me was looking at me oddly. I got all the groceries in the van (it was an ebbing pain) and got home and promptly had Sean unload all the bags. He also had to rub the Icy hot on me. I got a Tylenol and a water and sat down and it felt better. When I had to get dinner set up (I had precooked fried chicken on sale) I had one more episode of stabbing pain when I turned a certain way. I did eat, but Sean suggested the heating pad. I utilized that all evening and I do feel better.
Tv was good-I watched the first hour of American Idol with Sean, then a new show called Sons and Daughters (from the producer of Saturday Night Live and some of it is improvised) and The Amazing Race. I am working diligently on a charity square-Independence Hall. Something didn't look quite right. The bricks are brown in the chart! So I am backstitching the brown with some rust to make it look like the real building which I've been in a few times. It's doing the trick, but it's time consuming.
Tomorrow the contractor guy wants to look at the kitchen again. It looks like crap right now. I didn't feel like doing anything tonight. Brian got me a few more crates, but at 8 pm, I was done for the evening. The guys dropped off the van for me at the station for inspection. No way could I drive again.
Well, I hope I have a good night. Please, oh please. ; )

Far-out signs

Zoey suggested we make our own.

Balmy weather

It was in the 70s today! I did get to take the cat out on his harness, but alas I am still moving stuff around in the kitchen as I need more boxes. I am throwing more things away too. I moved a tall shelved unit into the dining room area that held cat food, first aid, beverages, booze, etc. I threw away about 15 drinks that were expired. This was my main complaint about the storage in the kitchen-things got buried on shelves and we just forgot about them. Brian needs to look at the booze tomorrow. I set him up with a lot of recycling tonight!

My mom went to the eye doctor for the first time today since last June. The pressure was up in both eyes and the doctor recommended cataract surgery for both eyes. She'll have that in June and be in and out of the hospital in 6 hours. Mom has trouble driving at night.
My grandmom seemed to follow the same course when I was a teenager. She even had the lens removed in one eye but she'd lose the contact all the time. I am sure all that is vastly improved.

And in closing-thanks for all your comments. I appreciate them all and keep them coming!

A study in color

Yellows

For Zoey!

Winter landscape

Part of a fairy garden

Kitchen update

Actually we couldn't order the cabinets until we sign the agreement with the contractor. I'll give him a call tomorrow to set that up. I did order all my 'bisque' colored appliances-I want them to 'sort of' blend in with the cabinets. They are all Maytag except for the microwave which is a GE. I didn't get the 2k frig (it was really much bigger than we needed), but we got a side by side with the ice and water dispenser on the door for half the price. I got the freestanding double oven with the smooth cooking surface. We are also getting the floor measured for Dupont laminate that looks like really hardwood and guaranteed for 30 yrs! We bought lighting too (got to bring that home). We got a fairly modern looking overhead fixture that can be adjusted to your liking that has 5 lights on it. This will replace a lighted ceiling fan. I got some round under the counter task lighting for two areas and a light for over the sink with a cobalt blue glass shade.


It will be a tan granite. We purchased the faucet too. The prettiest thing we are getting is the granite counter top-blue with some black and mica like speckles. It's darker than what I thought I'd originally get, but I saw this and it's gorgeous. We are taking advantage of the credit there and won't have to pay for the appliances for a year. Hopefully all this will be in place by the end of April.

No more double sinks that eat up counter space!!!

I just ordered this on the internet and saved almost $50! (shipping was $50) Features
Swanstone authentic solid surface. Color and texture run all the way through and cannot wear away.
Drop-in or Undermount installation.
Hot pots & boiling water cause no harm.
Large single bowl easily accomodates your largest cooking pots and baking sheets.
1-Hole faucet drilling.
Highest resistance of impact from heavy objects.

Back to cleaning and sorting. I ran out of boxes for my everyday dishes and food from the cabinets.
This is a terribly busy week ahead. I have to get my van inspected and go to the dentist.

Happy Birthday JT!

My favorite singer (since I've been 13!) and songwriter turns 58 today-have a great birthday James Taylor.

Daytrippin' to the Philadelphia Flower Show!

Yeah! Brian and I went today. We didn't get there until 4 (missed the 2:30 train), but it was open until 9:30 tonight. We ventured around the Convention Center for almost 2 hours and then headed across the street to the Reading Terminal to get a bite to eat for dinner. I have never seen so many cellphones and digital cameras in one place! It was crowded, but I got to take about 40 photos. The ride home was a little noisy (kids on the train). I'm so glad Brian and I got to do something together. Tomorrow we order the kitchen cabinets and appliances! Woo hoo!

A house for fish

Me at the Reading Terminal at the same place where Rachael Ray ate (Homestyle Diner, I think) when she taped her show $40 a Day here. See the poster behind me. I had an opened face hot turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes.

A dragon in the garden!

Me in at the fairy garden display

A swirly glazing ball

We got to see a wonderful display of paintings by Timothy Martin. His paintings are part fantasy and mostly nature. Like the tiger lily settee with the tiger lounging on it. Check out his site. He was actually there painting in the middle of the flower show.

Sheep's gate-is this not gorgeous? It's definitely prettier in person.