Beauty of Bamboo

Very Late

2012-01-22T02:15:00.002-05:00

Made the mistake of turning my laptop on at 11 p.m. and here it is 2:15 a.m. after spending time checking emails, facebook, the Centurion Forum and a couple of favorite blogs.

My Christmas decorations are still up - mainly because I haven't gone to my storage place to get the needed empty containers to put everything in. Tomorrow - I promise tomorrow after church I'll go and get them and start! Really!

This morning I went to a training session for Freedom Readers - a reading/mentoring program in my area for school children and I love it!!! Every week the child gets to pick and take home a book of their own. Once a week for an 1 1/2 hours - how simple can that be? Everyone that has been doing this was so enthusiastic - had so many creative ideas for engaging the children. I love reading to children and getting them "hooked" on a story!

Okay - stopping now - have to be at church at 9:30 a.m. for the first service and then the second service I am a volunteer with the 3-5 yr. olds - everytime my turn rolls around I whine and grumble to myself and then when I acutally get there I love it - and I know the young moms need a break - they do not need to be working in the nursery - they need to be in the "big church" getting fed. I really do believe that things are really skewed wrong - the older women should be helping with the children so the moms are getting fed and strengthened. Climbing down off my soapbox and going to bed. Thanks for listening.

P.S I am sick of all the political phone calls here in SC!!!!!

Thoughts About the New Year

2012-01-18T22:31:00.003-05:00

Today is January 18th and I am really just starting the new year now. All my daughters came for Christmas with their families and dogs and we all had a good time. Then the week after we received word that a dear friend, Arlene Schroer, died. There is no easy way to write that - my daughter Lauren, her husband, Jonathan, the five yr. old and the two yr old twins and the yellow Lab and myself all drove down to Melbourne, Fla. for the funeral and just to be with the family. I know being there helped me more than I am sure we helped the family.

Then this last week another friend, Mark McDandle, died of a heart attack. He was an award winning surfer. He was very special person and this was a real shock to our church and community. Saturday there was a "paddle-out" with about 100 surfers participating. This past weekend was the Your Next Step Retreat with wonderful speakers that encouraged and I would say inspired but really the word "challenge" would be a lot better.

So - my Christmas decorations are still up - I have to go to the storage place and get all the containers to put all the stuff back in. I have been putting the stuff on the dining room table.

I just finished a really good book, Surprised By Oxford by Carolyn Weber. Loved the book.

Quiet Sunday

2011-09-18T17:23:00.002-04:00

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,

for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Hebrews 13:2

Trying to catch up...

2011-09-17T00:04:00.003-04:00

It is late and in the background an Alice Cooper documentary has been playing on my TV. The remote is on the coffee table and I hope my neighbors don't mind. Tried not to listen to the description of the chicken incident. This followed a great program on U2 and yes I am watching VH1 Classic. Hmmmm what a difference I just got up and switched the channel to HGTV.

I'm still unemployed but provided for by Social Security, a small pension and unemployment. I stay very busy it seems. Right now I'm reading Radical by David Platt and The Minister's Wooing by Harriet Beecher Stowe that I read about on someone's blog. I finished reading The Help and saw the movie which was really good.

In August my sister, 91 yr. old Mom, and myself drove to upstate NY for a family wedding and then drove over to Kennebunkport, Maine which was wonderful. Artists always talk about the light in different areas and I have to say that the light in Maine was so crisp and clean - clarity - I guess because we were without the humidity of the South? We visited family who live out in the country and have a horse, goats, chickens, rabbits, 3 rescued greyhounds and 2 chocolate labs. It was so much fun and had a wonderful lasagna dinner sitting around the dining room table talking and laughing and getting to know each other. I hadn't been to Maine in about 35 years. The ocean - rocky coast - fabulous homes - lobster meals (one dinner & 2 lobster roll lunches with clam chowder with one of the lunches) Thank you Mom!

We travelled back to Myrtle Beach as the hurricane was heading to the Carolinas amidst a lot of rain but arrived home safely in time for a lot of wind and rain here and missed the brunt of the hurricane in New England. I was able to see my grandchildren in PA and DC on our way home and that was great!

"Have peace now until the morning!
Heed no nightly noises!
For nothing passes door and window here
save moonlight and starlight
and the wind off the hill-top.
Good night!"
Goldberry - The Fellowship of the Ring

Out of Commission!!

2011-03-11T17:26:00.002-05:00

Feb. 2nd after being sick for a few days - I eneded up in the hospital with emergency appendix surgery. Apparently it had been leaking for awhile and had migrated on top of my liver so I ended up with the full surgery and then was in the hospital for 12 days - some kidney failure and "illiesis" (sp?). My daughters came and stayed with me when I first came home for two weeks which was a big help. My sister,daughter, family and friends really helped me a lot in the hospital. A friend, who is a nurse in the hospital came one day and bathed me, another day she and another friend came and washed my hair and then my friend came back and shaved my legs!!!! What an angel!!!

Thank you all for your prayers - I'm still trying to build my strength back up - I am out and about - though my laptop motherboard died and I'm over at my sister's using her computer today.

Words for the New Year

2010-12-29T23:16:00.003-05:00

I cut an ad for Outward Bound out of a magazine and put it on my refrigerator. I just might laminate it or put it in a plastic magnetic sleeve so it can spend the year on my refrigerator. Here are the words:

A Farewell to CAN'T
This goodbye does not make me sad. I will not miss you. I have discovered what it feels like to do the unthinkable. The hard. The long. The challenging. You have no business here anymore. From now on, difficult will seem doable. I will see the impossible as simply not-yet-conquered.
Farewell, Can't. You will haunt me never again.
Hello, Can. Welcome to my world.

Think maybe I'll write this verse out and put it underneath:
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Merry Christmas from a Distance!!

2010-12-24T23:01:00.003-05:00

Drove up to Washington-Crossing, PA with my Mom and sister to be with my daughter, her husband and three kids for Christmas. It is beautiful here and tomorrow on Christmas Day we'll go and watch the reenactment of Washington crossing the Delaware. It is crazy here so I hope to post photos later. Merry Christmas to everyone!!! Missing the rest of my family that isn't here!

Beach in the Winter

2010-12-17T18:13:00.003-05:00

Took my 90 yr. old Mom with me on some errands yesterday and we stopped to watch the ocean from the car and opened the car windows to hear the ocean and to smell the salt air.

On Wednesday a friend had some of us over for lunch at the condo she was staying in - on the 14th floor. It was really beautiful but I think I still prefer my beach at ground level!

The Manger Scene

2010-12-06T18:31:00.004-05:00

The Dorman family very kindly lent me their manger scene to put up in front of my townhome and today I got it out of the back seat of my car and tried to set it up. It is 37 degrees outside right now at 7:20 pm so I was really cold setting it up and having a lot of trouble figuring it all out. I like to do jigsaw puzzles so how hard could this be?

I found the top photo after I came inside and searched "manger scene" and then took a photo of what I actually did. I'll change it in the morning - just wanted to give my blogger friends a good laugh!

Master Gardener???

2010-12-04T22:04:00.003-05:00

Quite awhile ago my daughter's boyfriend gave me this Christmas cactus. The plant would grow flower buds and then they would all drop off. This happened over and over again. At the beginning of the summer I put the plant outdoors and told it that it was on its own - live or die - go or stay - whatever!!! I did water it - and - here it is!!! The miracle Christmas cactus because you know I had nothing to do with this!

Lauren's Birthday

2010-11-18T21:04:00.007-05:00

Today's my third daughter's birthday! She's all grown up now with four year old Caedmon, and twins, Aldan and Theron, 18 mons. old. But today I remember her as my new baby girl.

When she was born my husband and I couldn't agree on a name - it was so embarrassing to me! Every name I suggested he said no to and every name he suggested I would say no to - they were coming around with the birth certificate and I called him at work and asked him what he thought about Lauren Merrill Adare and he immediately said, "Yes!" We both knew it was right. Merrill had been my maiden name and Lauren just seemed right.

My #2 daughter had been a C-section so Lauren was going to be a C-section and I was having her in a small hospital in Carlisle, Pa. and back in those days they didn't allow the husband in the delivery room with C-sections. The Dr. was a friend of ours and when he came out of the delivery room he told Alex that he was sorry that it was another girl. Well - Alex grabbed him by the front of his scrubs and got in his face and told him not to ever say that he was sorry it was a girl again! The nurses all told me this story - they were so proud of Alex! Lauren was the smallest baby I had at 8 lbs. 4 ozs. - her sister before her had been 11 lbs. 14 ozs. so we treated Lauren as though she was a preemie - I still laugh to myself about that!

Lauren was my first baby that I was able to have an actual decorated baby's room. It was a small room in an old house - maybe it had been a "sewing room" - but I loved it and it was perfect for her. We painted it "Winnie-the-Pooh" yellow with white trim - Sears had a crib, curtains, bumpers, sheets, lamp, hamper, and blankets all in "Winnie-the-Pooh" theme and we had it all for her. The room had two windows that looked out the front of the house and one on the other wall so it was always light and airy and mostly sunny.

When I took her to the doctor for her check up when she was almost one year old I told the doctor how she wasn't even trying to walk and I was concerned (my first daughter had walked when she was almost 10 mons. old - not that I wanted that again!) The doctor examined her and told me to go home and tell everyone they weren't allowed to pick her up - her two older sisters, Kristen and Heather. I soon realized that the reason she wasn't walking was because her sisters were carrying her everywhere and once we put a stop to that she was walking within a week.

I am blessed to have four wonderful daughters and each one is different and each one has so many special qualities. I admire Lauren because she lived through some really hard times that we had as a family financially and was able to accomplish graduating from Liberty University working very early in the morning at a bakery. Her sisters supported her in many ways, especially one time when Alex and I wouldn't give her permission to live off campus, they wrote or called the school supporting her desire to rent a house with other girls and got permission from the school.

Lauren is now a work in progress becoming a "Proverbs 31" woman - as a woman who loves the Lord and looks for ways to put her faith into action, wife, mother, keeper of the home, and marathon runner. I love you precious Lauren!

Sunrise at the Beach

2010-10-28T12:41:00.004-04:00

Went to the beach the other morning to watch the sunrise. There were only one or two people there and they were far down the beach so it felt like a private showing.

Couldn't aim the camera right at the sunrise so I took this "reflected sunrise" photo.

When I headed back to my car I turned around one more time and saw this view:

Memories

2010-10-22T00:06:00.004-04:00

This photo was taken on a camping trip we went on with friends in upstate NY.

Alex loved his four daughters - he was always singing "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" from the movie GiGi in a fake French accent:
I guess this was a serious moment for me!:

We knew each other in high school and we both went to the same church. He was friends with my older brother and would come over to our home all the time and hang out there. He dated all my friends and I took his photo with me away to college. Yes, I had a "crush" on him - I smile as I write the old-fashioned word.

When he came back from Viet Nam I was working for Eastman Kodak in New York City - I was a blond by then and when he came over to our house he finally noticed me - smile. We starting dating in October and he asked me to marry him in January and we were married in May.

We had a lot of really good times and good experiences and a lot of really really hard times but through it all I always knew that Alex loved me and only me and I will always treasure that knowledge.

In memory of Alex Adare who died six years ago today.

In Case of Accident Please Go to My Home and Turn Off the Oven

2010-10-20T00:31:00.003-04:00

Today is my sister's birthday and she likes Pineapple Upside Down Cake. I decided to make her her favortie cake. Sounds simple doesn't it?

I needed to go to the grocery store to get some of the ingredients - I was using a recipe from a Duncan Hines Cookbook that required DH Pineapple Supreme Cake Mix, a 20 ounce can of pineapple rings, a bottle of maraschino cherries and I needed more eggs and some other things. Drove to the store which is really five minutes away and came back home to start the cake.

Melted the butter in the bottom of the 9 x 13 pan, sprinkled the brown sugar over the melted butter and then began to put the drained pineapple rings on the cake in an orderly fashion. I needed 12 rings and there were only 10 in the can - the recipe promised me that there would be 12 rings in a 20 ounce can so I had only purchased one can. The cake batter was all mixed - the pan was already but lacking 2 rings - and the oven was all ready to go at 350 degrees. So back in the car I went tearing over to the grocery store - running in (the checker sees me and smiles and calls out to me asking if I forgot something) - I get the second can of pineapple rings and get in line to pay.

This whole time I am worrying about leaving the oven going and what if I am in a car accident and no one knows about the oven being left on and I'm wondering if in situations like this if I should pin a note to myself saying, "In case of accident please go to my house and turn off the oven" - sorry but this is the way my brain works.

Got back home and successfully got the cake in the oven with all the required pineapple rings and maraschino cherries and it came out just fine!!!

Oh - I like to collect pigs so I threw in a photo of some of my pigs!

"i Pacifiers????"

2010-10-07T14:19:00.003-04:00

"People are reading less. They may buy Kindles or iPads, but I venture that they're just showcasing their ability to buy the latest gadgets rather than reading much on them.

I encourage you to attend a class in which I attempt to teach college students raised on texting, the internet, video games (which their ignorant parents tell them are educational or intelligence boosters), and various other iPacifiers. My students are thoroughly distracted. They tell me that it is physically painful for them to sit and read for more than ten minutes. They are always looking for the next text, the next google search, the next hit. They're like addicts who can't control themselves. Their brains are not like the brains of students I had only five years ago.

They also think that they don't need to know anything, because they can just use google--something they treat as a collective brain. God help them when they're told that being an educated person means going a lot deeper than the dubious entries in wikipedia.

The drop in the literacy levels of my middle-class, largely white, suburban students in the last 2 years alone is staggering. Don't tell me that people are switching to e-reading. They're not. People are reading less and if my students are any indication, many of them are not reading books at all."

This was written by an anonymous college professor in reply to an article in the NY Times about why people aren't buying books. I thought the comment was pretty relevant to what is really happening - especially with students.

Heather's Birth Day - Oct. 6th

2010-10-07T00:04:00.001-04:00

Today is your birthday and on each one of my daughter’s birthdays I am always remembering – remembering that very special day in our lives.

I had a lot of fun being pregnant with you – in August I was swimming in the ocean off LI (Robert Moses/Fire Island) and I remember one day the lifeguard asked me to please not go in the water – what? He didn’t want to rescue and eight months pregnant woman??? I promised him I wouldn’t body surf . . .

Dad and I were so excited to be having another baby and were looking forward to your birth towards the end of September. Your older sister started nursery school and still no baby! Day after day was going by and nothing was happening so I finally called the doctor because I was now like two weeks overdue – I mentioned this to him and he acts surprised and schedules me to be induced on Oct. 6th – 16 days past your due date!

We got everything scheduled and Dad took me to North Shore University Hospital where everything got started – the mechanics – but not the delivery! Hour after hour went by with nothing really happening and finally the doctor came to talk with us about 2 p.m. and told us he felt he should deliver you by C-Section and then things really started to happen. They asked if they could give me an epidural and I agreed (I later learned when I had April that it must have still been in the experimental stage). One of things I remembered was they asked me to bring my knees up under my chin and I replied that I hadn’t seen my feet in three months let alone my knees (my friends said I looked as though I had the largest beach ball in the world under my shirt – nice).

After they administered the epidural I went into shock – shaking or I should say violently vibrating all over and getting cold and clammy. The nurse came in to wrap me in warm blankets and elevate my feet and I asked her if I was in shock and she wanted to know why I was asking and I told her I had read enough Reader’s Digest articles to know what the symptoms of shock were. She laughed nervously.

They were rolling me down the corridor to the operation room (still vibrating) and I realized that with everything happening I had never even prayed – and I was really concerned how they were going to start the surgery with me shaking all over. I closed my eyes and said, “Jesus,” and whoosh this amazing feeling of peace, calmness and joy just washed over me and the shaking disappeared. I have never forgotten that moment.

The operating room was freezing cold and everyone was ready to start once the guest of honor arrived – they started my pricking my legs asking me if I felt that and I kept saying yes – yes – yes – and my doctor says that he’ll start – and I say something about the fact that I felt all of those and that I was six feet tall and shouldn’t we wait until that numbing stuff takes affect? They started and I mentioned to them that I could feel the surgical knife!!!! I could see their eyes and the doctor said they would wait a moment (I’m sure they put something in the IV to keep me quiet!).

The best part was that I got to see you right after the delivery and all I could say was how beautiful you were – over and over again. You weighed 11 lbs. 14 oz. and you were 23 inches long!!!!! And the doctor had said he wanted to do the C-Section before you got too big!!! HAH!

Everyone loved you in the hospital. The nursery nurses asked Dad to bring in one of his T-shirts as they didn’t have anything big enough for you and anytime I went down to the nursery to see you one of the nurses would be carrying you around. I was breast feeding you and had absolutely no problems though I would let you fall asleep nestled on my shoulder (no I didn’t do rooming in – that would happen soon enough when I got home).

When it was time to go home the doctor gave me instructions not to lift anything over 10 lbs. and I looked at him and said that that would leave Heather out!!! Really!!! Arriving home we began the tradition of the last sibling holding the newest for the first time and how special that was to let Kristen hold her brand new sister - sitting down with lots of pillows around!!!

And now we celebrate Heather – who is so much to so many people -wife, mother, daughter, sister, granddaughter, daughter-in-law, cousin, aunt – involved in church, school, soccer, tennis, bike riding, scrapbooking (that are truly works of art), decorating, mural painting, warm welcoming parties, camping and the list goes on. Heather has the wonderful character quality of friendship and hospitality – she truly knows how to be a really good friend by encouraging, speaking truth in love and always being there for you and combines that with a home that always welcomes you. I have to mention her sense of humor because she was the daughter who called me after having her first baby and said, “Mom, this is the worst baby sitting job I have ever had! The parent’s still haven’t come back!!! What am I going to do?” – I still laugh over that one! And Heather the artist – her imagination, talent and design ability have been proven and when she finds the right direction to go with it all – watch out!

What a blessing to have Heather in our lives – what a blessing to have a daughter whose faith is a real daily walk and who can call me and ask me if she can pray for me. What a precious gift – a daughter, a friend and a kindred spirit.

Out of Commission

2010-10-02T12:43:00.002-04:00

Last Sunday night I started feeling really sick during the night and ended up calling my sister who lives nearby to come over and help me - I was really sick to my stomach and at first I thought it was food poisoning but now I think it was some kind of "bug." It felt as though a hurricane hit me.

My daughter, who also lives nearby, came over to help and even my 90 yr old Mom came over and sat with me so I wasn't alone. Today is Saturday and I'm still taking it easy - I might go to the beach later and just sit and soak up some vitamin D - the sound and sight of the ocean is always good medicine for me.

Sunday Grace

2010-09-26T16:58:00.002-04:00

Hope, then though woes be doubled,

Hope, and be undismayed;

Let not thy heart be troubled,

Nor let it be afraid.

Paul Gerhardt (1606-1676)

The Lord will lighten my darkness.
II Samuel 22:29

Taken through the windshield (I wasn't driving) on our way to a restaurant on a Friday night.

The Crawl of Shame!!!

2010-09-20T22:29:00.004-04:00

Last Friday I went to the beach alone - it was a beautiful day - clear blue skies or as my Mom would say "Carolina blue skies" - sun shining - beautiful waves - perfect. Almost every week you go to the ocean the beach has a different shape to it - sometimes just completely flat - other times a steep incline - sometimes instead of being it's usual sandy self if can be filled with tons of broken shells. Friday the beach had developed a mini- cliff at the water's edge. After setting up my chair and my basic "camp site" I settled in to read for awhile.

There were a lot of college students there as a university is nearby. After awhile I couldn't resist the waves any longer and I went in - I belong to the walk right in and dive under and really commit school - none of that standing on the shore advancing step by step for me! It was very rough with a strong undertow and I decided to go back to my chair. Well I couldn't make it up the "mini-cliff" (about 1 1/2 ft. to 2 ft. high) and had to resort to crawling the few steps to get up and over and get to my chair - all sandy... aughhhh. I sat there dying - feeling like I looked like a giant crab coming up out of the ocean!!!! I waited for the sand to dry and began brushing it off every so often - no I was not going back in the ocean!

The saving grace was that I noticed, after watching for awhile, that even the nimble college students had some trouble getting "up and over" and I began to feel better.

Bottle Tree???

2010-09-10T13:27:00.003-04:00

I drove up to North Myrtle Beach to pick my sister's cocker spaniel up from the dog groomer the other day. Whenever I go with my sister if I go by myself I always see this - I finally had my camera with me this last time! I've heard some stories about why they do this but nothing definitive - anybody have any ideas? Sorry the photos aren't better - I was in the road when I thought to do this and then cars were coming so I had to move quickly!

No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!!!!

2010-09-06T22:51:00.002-04:00

It was late. I had been falling asleep on the couch watching TV. I made myself get up - check the locks on the doors - go in the kitchen and make sure everything is taken care of - oh look - I forgot to take care of the coffee pot --- went to empty the grounds in the kitchen garbage and I missed. Yep - all over the floor - lost count of how many paper towels it took to clean up. Went to bed.

Surfing in Myrtle Beach!

2010-09-02T21:48:00.003-04:00

The hurricane is passing us by here in Myrtle Beach but is sending us some waves. I had to run a bunch of errands but couldn't resist stopping by the beach to check out the surfing. Great day at the beach - wish I could have stayed for a few hours!

Who Does He Think He Is??????

2010-08-25T12:48:00.004-04:00

This morning, while upstairs making my bed, I heard my doorbell ring so I went downstairs to answer it and no one was there. I stood there at the open door and looked but no one appeared and I shut the door and walked towards my kitchen. This was all happening at about 9 a.m. and as I headed into the kitchen my back door started to open and a man was cautiously coming in saying hello - I got to the door and realized it was the AC repairman and I asked him if the door had been unlocked. He told me that it wasn't and that my landlord, Tom, had used his key to unlock the door. He then told me that Tom had knocked and rung the doorbell - but - I was upstairs so I didn't hear the knock.

This is not the first time Tom has done something like this - he has actually gone into other tenants places while they were upstairs sleeping and fixed whatever and then left and the tenant hasn't realized he's been there until after they come down later in the morning. I've had it. I'm going to call him and talk to him about how unappropriate it is for him to do this - my car was in its parking place and he could have called me on his cell to alert me. I am also going to buy two strong chains for my front and back door so this won't happen again.

I know I have a strong sense of privacy and boundaries but he just stepped way over them!!!!

He's having a new stove delivered for me this afternoon so I will wait until it is installed before I confront him! Thanks for listening.

A Visit to DC

2010-08-21T23:08:00.005-04:00

I went to DC last January where two of my daughters live and one day my youngest daughter, April, took me to see the National Botanical Gardens and the National Gallery. I had never been to the Botanical Garden and just fell in love with it. The next time you're in DC make sure you go!

The shot of the Lilies of the Valley isn't that great - but they are my favorite flower and they don't grow here in S.C.

These orchids made me laugh - I can remember when women wore huge corsages of these on mother's day - my Mom never has liked corsages and would have killed us all if we ever gave her one of those back in the day! If I'm wearing a corsage it will always be gardenias.

Have to include one of these - thought the cloud looked really fake!

My dear daughter - I'm trying to resist saying "my baby" - and see I couldn't!

Being in this place in the middle of January in DC was magical.

The Lighthouse

2010-08-12T21:28:00.003-04:00

This is the photo taken by my daughter Lauren of the Horton Lighthouse that is on Long Island. It is never in any calendars of lighthouses or even books for that matter (I think I did find it in an obscure book one time) but our family loves this lighthouse and if and when we are out on the North Fork we always go to visit it.

My grandmother was a Horton and this place is part of our legacy. In the town of Southold nearby there is a very old cemetery where Barnabas Horton was buried in 1680 and had a carved cover on his grave. This is what it says:

Here sleeps my body tombed in its dust til Christ
shall come and raise it with the just.
My soul's ascended to the throne of God
where with sweet Jesus now I make my aboad
then hasten after me my dearest wife
to be pertaker of this blessed life
and you dear children all follow the Lord.
Hear and obey His public sacred Word
and in your houses call upon His name
for oft I have advised you to do the same.
Then God will bless you with your children all
and to His blessed place He will you call.
Hebrews 11:4 He being dead yet speaketh

Here lyeth buried the body of Mr. Barnabas Horton bord at Mousley in Lester-Shire in Old England and dyed at Southold the 13 day of July 1680 Aged 80 years

I consider this a prayer said over all the generations and hold it close in my heart and memory.

Hello ...again

2010-08-07T23:34:00.003-04:00

Thought I'd post some photos of my contented home:

Can't figure out how to turn the sideways one right side up and am now giving up!

So...I was doing really well with my plan and went to visit my daughter and proceeded to get sick while there and that just set me back. This last week I started writing my "intake" down and I exercised three times. We had some relatives visiting here in Myrtle Beach so there was a lot of eating out though one day I made a Lime Chiffon Pie - that was low calorie. Planning on getting and staying on track and not beating myself up over anything.

Saturday Night

2010-06-12T23:09:00.002-04:00

Well here it is Saturday night and I haven't been doing any postings on my sidebar. BUT - I have been writing everything down that I'm eating and I have exercised everyday except Wed. so that means I have to exercise tomorrow (I like to take Sunday off). I'm feeling really great just because I haven't stopped exercising. That is a real accomplishment for me and knowing that I'm going to report here does help. Monday I'm going to weigh myself but I don't care what it says I'm still going to continue on.

I decided I wasn't ready for the Bootcamp DVD so I was able to find the DVD at "Tarjay" of the 1, 2, 3 and 4 mile walks - I'm still doing the 30 min. 2 mi. walk and hope to do the 3 mi. tomorrow in the morning. The 3 mi. is 53 mins. long.

I went out to dinner three times this week because friends were here from NY and I think I did well - made healthy choices.

Tuesday morning I fly up to PA - hopefully the pilot's strike will be over with and I will be with one of my daughters and grandchildren!!!!

Hope Springs Eternal

2010-06-04T12:23:00.002-04:00

I bought a new workout video last night at Walmart. Leslie Sansone's Walk Weight Loss Bootcamp - 3 miles of walk & tone intervals that you do in your own home and is 45 mins long - as opposed to the 30 minute one I have been doing. All of this is to work up to the Hip Hop Abs DVD that my daughter lent to me and really intimidates me but I really really want to do.

Later this month I'm flying up to my Pennsylvania daughter's to stay for a couple of weeks and I want to keep going with my exercise program so I thought this new DVD would be a good one to "bump" up to. I know we're planning on trying bike riding and we'll do a lot of walking (she has a German Shepherd) but - I really want to stay on the program and see how it works for me.

Friends came for a brief visit as they were driving down from Long Island on their way to Florida and called and asked if we could see each other. It was great seeing them - they came to my house so we could sit and visit and then went to TGIF's where I had a turkey burger. All of this to say that they gave me a box of candy of jellied fruit slices - that I happen to like - I don't know why I just do - and of course I keep eating them. Why can't I eat just one or two a day? - I have this thing about "finishing" - do I think there are less calories if I eat it quickly and throw away the box???? I am going to get up right now and go and throw the box away - there done - just wish there were more to throw away...

I haven't exercised yet today - usually that is the kiss of death and means I won't get to it - but - I'm going to a friend's home for dinner tonight and thought I would exercise then shower and go to the party later this afternoon. The battle continues.

Being Taught By My Daughter

2010-06-01T16:03:00.002-04:00

My oldest daughter suggested that I learn how to do a "sidebar" to keep track of my diet and exercise so everyone wouldn't have to read all the boring reporting and I agreed with her but needed to be taught how to do it (though she told me she taught herself how to do it!!!) My youngest daughter, who was here visiting for the weekend from D.C. took it upon herself to teach me and so I will attempt it!!! Why am I intimidated by some of this stuff???? Especially when I think about what I did at work!

I didn't exercise Sunday or Monday - never had time on Sunday and then wasn't feeling so great on Monday - and then I realized I wasn't feeling well today and I recognized the trend so I forced myself to do the workout video. I also had problems with some food issues - I bought a box of Entenmann's Chocolate Chip Cookies to have to serve to my daughter and her boyfriend and in just trying to be honest - the cookies are all gone and they were all eaten by me - yep - and I bought chips and salsa and we never ate them so after they left to go back I fixed a plate of chips, grated cheese and salsa for myself - yep - ate it - could this be the reason I didn't feel so well???? You think??? So - today I started again. Thanks for listening. Now I'm going to try the sidebar thingy.

Pressing On

2010-05-28T12:03:00.002-04:00

30 min. workout video - 5 days in a row

Yesterday:
Vitamins all day

Ate correctly all day - writing everything down

Except for dinner - ate late - fixed Kraft Mac n Cheese spiral with 2 turkey hotdogs after I had had crackers and swiss cheese - didn't have ice cream and got to bed early - the night before I made a Smart Ones Ziti dinner but made extra ziti and added it to it because I was soooooo hungry - what was I thinking of???? I'm not planning my evening meals and I'm not eating enough fruit. I need to write it down here - it seems to keep me more honest. I ate a whole grapefruit yesterday and need to buy more. My youngest daughter and her boyfriend are arriving tonight from DC at about 1 a.m. so I am busy getting ready for them. She is working out and is trying to eat correctly so I am planning healthy meals - and snacks.

Today:

30 min workout video and Quiet Time

Brkft:
2 scrambled eggs w/cheese
2 slices of bacon
Vitamins
I'm on my third bottle of water and it is just lunch time.

I Hate Exercising!

2010-05-26T12:41:00.002-04:00

When my children were at home they were never allowed to say the word "hate." Intensely dislike was the phrase we used - but I'm just saying that I really hate exercising. Yesterday I put it off all day and then had a long phone call from a dear friend and when we got off the phone - after midnight - I knew I still had to do my exercises and I did them - unwillingly. This morning I got up - dragging - but determined to do them and get them over with and I have.

Food Intake for May 25th:
Brkft:
Peanut butter sandwich on diet rounds
whole grapefruit
Coffee
Vitamins

Lunch:
Cheddar Cheese
7 Crackers
Apple
Diet Green Tea
Vitamins

Dinner:
Spaghetti at my sister & mom's - no second helpings-miracle!
1/2 glass wine
lowfat ice cream
THEN: 8 Manzanilla Olives, crackers, cheese - I know the salt is bad too
Vitamins

5 bottles of water!!!

TODAY - MAY 26TH:

Exercise - CHECK!!!

Brkft:
2 scrambled eggs w/ grated cheese
2 bacon strips
coffee
Vitamins
1 bottle of water

Quiet Time - check

Forward and onward!

Day 5

2010-05-24T23:40:00.003-04:00

Yesterday:

Did not exercise - got in my clothes to do the video at night - never did.
Party at Liberty for my daughter:
Ate 1/2 giant soft pretzel - they were right in front of me - I stopped at half
Unsweet ice tea
Ordered grilled chicken salad
Ate avocado when I got home and no exercise

Today - New Week!!!

Brkft:
PB on diet bread
coffee
2% milk

Lunch:
Sandwich on diet rounds - sliced turkey - diet mayo - lettuce - 1 T Lingonberry jam
1/2 grapefruit
green tea

Dinner (had Bible study to go to)
2 Scrambled eggs, grated cheese, crumbled slice of bacon
2 diet green teas
Ate this after I came home from class:
1 cup lowfat vanilla ice cream
5 Kalmata olives
10 crackers
4 slices of muenster cheese

Ate 3 cookies at Bible study (forgot I was not suppose to!!!!!)

What I'm most proud of today: Exercised to video tape!!!!!! Hated it but I did it

4 bottles of water today
Vitamins at every meal
Going to bed - 11:50 pm

What I learned today:
Get up early so you can get your exercise over with and your Quiet Time done with before your day starts - plan to succeed

Day 4

2010-05-23T16:53:00.002-04:00

Weight loss: 2 lbs.!!!!! I'm happy

Breakfast: 2 Tbsp peanut butter on multi grain diet rounds
1 Grapefruit
Coffee
1 1/2 bottles of water

Lunch: Sliced egg, bacon, Muenster cheese on multi grain
5 Olives
Diet Green Tea
1 Apple
1 Bottle of water

Haven't exercised yet - didn't have time to do it this morning with getting ready for church. I'll do it tonight before going to bed.

Writing this down seems to make me really want to do the right thing. Yesterday I did NOT want to exercise but I wanted to be able to write it down so I really forced myself to do it. When I exercise tomorrow it will be 5 days in a row (I started to write "If" and changed it to "when") and I don't think I've ever exercised 5 days in a row.

Day 3 Contd.

2010-05-22T23:32:00.002-04:00

Exercise - check

Vitamins - only once

Food - 5 crackers & cheddar cheese - diet green tea
2 scrambled eggs, 2 slices of bacon, one cup of tea.

11:35 pm - going to bed

The exercise was a killer but I did it.

Only 2 bottles of water today but 3 diet green tea.

New day tomorrow.

Day 3

2010-05-22T16:26:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I did really well - until - I went to my daughter's for dinner. I did take two turkey hotdogs with me and ate them and I made a large salad over there - but - I ate about a cup of her wonderful cheesy ziti - didn't eat any salad - didn't drink the wine - but did have two squares of the homemade peach cobbler I made and brought over for dessert. The good thing is is that I left the 9 x 13 cobbler at their house. When I came home (midnight) I realized I hadn't had the last of my vitamins so I fixed a cup of decaf tea and ate half of a banana and had my gigantic vitamin pills.

This morning I didn't wake up until 8 am and I had a friend coming at 9 am to help with carpentry work - she was on time - I had one cup of coffee and then we got to work - no exercise - no quiet time - no breakfast - no vitamins - how quickly it can all fall apart!!!

She left about 1 pm and I made a sliced egg with two slices of Monterey Jack cheese on diet bread - diet green tea - and my vitamins. I was so hungry!!! My daughter called and wanted me to meet her at the beach with her friend and the friend's two daughters who are visiting her. Got in my bathing suit went to the beach with iced coffee in a thermo mug (along with my Splenda I added a leeeetle bit of Hershey's chocolate syrup). I actually went in swimminng - the water was beautiful!!!

My daughter's friend challenged me last night to exercise 40 days in a row - and I laughed - but - you know I know she's right - it could be a real turning point for me. So here I am at day 3 - 4:30 pm in the afternoon - sitting here at my laptop in a wet bathing suit on saying that I am going to go throw on a t-shirt and shorts on my salty sandyish body and do my exercise tape and then take a shower and finish the day correctly!!! I asked her at the beach if all the work I did this morning counted as exercise and she said "No" not it you were going to do it anyway - I needed to put this in writing. The last thing I want to do right now is 30 minutes of exercise.

Beginning Day Two

2010-05-21T10:25:00.002-04:00

Exercised - check

Ate breakfast: 1 hardboiled egg, 1 leftover slice of bacon, 2 slcs. of multi grain
diet bread, little bit of butter on bread and coffee

Vitamins - check

1 bottle of water finished

2 cups of coffee

Forward and onward! The thrill of just minor successes is great!!!

End of First Day - almost

2010-05-20T21:24:00.002-04:00

Lunch went well - fixed the tuna sandwich - did put chopped red onion on top of it and had 4 Kalamata olives. Dinner I had chicken, green beans, beets - I did put butter on the veggies and ate my apple but haven't had my ice cream yet. Doing that next and hope to be in bed by 10:30 p.m. - another improvement I want to make.
Just remembered that I ate 8 green olives while fixing dinner - need to write that down.

One breakthrough - I did take all my vitamins today - took the fish oil and the glucosamine chondroitin 3X plus a B-12 once. Drank 3 bottles of water and 2 bottles of diet green tea.

Tomorrow's Menu:
Breakfast:
1 hardboiled egg
1/2 banana
2 sl of diet bread rounds

Lunch:
1 Cup cottage cheese
5 Saltine crackers

Dinner:
2 turkey hotdogs
1 cup broccoli
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 banana
1/2 cup lowfat vanilla icecream

Day One

2010-05-20T11:36:00.002-04:00

Weighed myself this morning and I have only gained two lbs. since the last time I weighed myself a month ago. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

I am following my favorite 3 Day Diet and the plan for today is:

Breakfast:
1/2 Grapefruit (had the best grapefruit today!!!)
2 slices of diet bread (multi grain rounds)
2 Tbsp of peanut butter
coffee

Lunch:
1/2 cup of tuna (Today I'm using Starkist Albacore Creations - Tomato Pesto - I do mix a little bit of Miracle Whip in with it otherwise I gag)
2 slices of diet bread (see above)
bottle of diet green tea

Dinner:
Chicken
1 cup string beans
1 cup of sliced beets
1 small apple
1 cup of lowfat vanilla ice cream (my favorite part of this diet)

It is 11:45 a.m. and I did Leslie Sansone's 30 min. 2 mile Walk Away the Pounds Express video with the stretchie band for the arms. Right now it is all I can manage.

To be totally honest about this - I believe that this is not just a physical battle but also a spiritual battle for me and so I am spending time in prayer for myself and others that I know are battling this same problem.

I think I will report at the end of the day - before I go to bed how I did today.

Verse for the next few days:

Hebrews 12:11 "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."

How to Change My Life

2010-05-19T21:06:00.000-04:00

I'm going to use the blog to make some changes in my life the following way:

1. Weigh myself once a week in the morning and record the loss.
2. Write down what I eat every day - that should slow me down.
3. Exercise 5 days a week and record every time I do.
4. Keep a record of taking my vitamins every day.

This should get me started. Might as well make the blog work for me. I have 70 lbs. to lose and I am sick and tired of the constant failure to do this. Going to start tomorrow - with the real official weigh-in starting on Monday.

May 8th - Alex's Birthday

2010-05-08T16:28:00.000-04:00

From "A City of Bells" by Elizabeth Goudge

"The human race is divided into the proppers and the propped. The propped have an easier time, of course, but they do not live so deeply or so excitingly and they get very bored."

Felicity drew gratefully closer to him in the dark street. If their two lives ran together, as she wanted them to, and this man beside her became her husband she knew just how the propping would be divided. On the surface it would be all hers, he would rely on her to charm away his depression, to light his imagination, to reassure his self-distrust and to lighten his fears and she would sometimes perhaps, as life went on get rather weary of doing it, yet deep down he had something that she had not got, some sober quality of level headness and caution, together with and unchangeable endurance in love and work upon which in her bad times she would be able to rest her whole weight.

I love the above quote and could see some of the relationship Alex and I had in the quote and how it all worked out. Sometimes I was the propper and he the proppee and vice versa - but then isn't that what makes a sustaining marriage?

Life Does Go On

2010-04-25T15:19:00.000-04:00

Last Tuesday I went and picked up my laptop from the "hospital" - and I am really blessed to have it back! Hopefully I have learned to moderate my time spent on it and some of the staying up late and spending too much time in cyberspace will be better moderated. I'll still probably stay up late - as hard as I try to change into an "early to bed - early to rise" person it never seems to happen!

I had my first unemployment review this week. When I first walked into the large room that had chairs placed in a large semi circle and busy people sitting at desks and phones ringing I looked all around and didn't see any signs or directions of how to proceed. One young woman pointed to a table with a clipboard on it and told me I had to sign in. While I was signing in I noticed a lot of people seemed very nervous and agitated - okay - I know it's the unemployment office but it was still weird. Then I notice a big burly guy facing me and while I glanced at him two men with badges around their necks come walking quickly up to him - grab both of his arms and pull them in back of the man and handcuff him!!! I didn't think this was a good sign --- and immediately became concerned about the veracity of my information on my forms!

They took him outside and when he tried to pull away from them they were quick to inform him that he would be face down on the concrete sidewalk real fast if he continued - then he started yelling someone's name at the top of his lungs and a girlfriend came running, screaming and waving her two arms in the air. The police/marshalls warned her to back off and they took their prisoner away.

When it got to be my turn with the "examiner" I asked her if this went on all the time - she told me that this was only the second time she's seen this happen in all her years with the department. It turned out that there was a warrant out for his arrest and they knew he was due to come into unemployment so they were just waiting for him. I'm still being verrrrry careful with filling everything out!

P.S. The young woman that gave me directions on what to do was from the same newspaper I was laid off from - and we were both wearing brown tops and light khaki pants - silly looking sitting next to each other!

Soon and Very Soon

2010-03-11T12:56:00.000-05:00

Found out this last weekend that I did not lose my hard drive!!! Now moving forward to get a new screen - don't know whether to send it back to Gateway for $200 or just try to get a new one here locally???

What Am I Going To Do????

2010-02-26T15:57:00.000-05:00

The other night I fixed some bacon - breakfast for dinner meal - and was sitting down in the living room with my laptop plugged in and sitting on my coffee table when all of a sudden my smoke alarm went off in my kitchen ( I mean, I had finished cooking!) - well I jumped up and went running out to the kitchen to stop it and caught the cord on my foot and pulled the laptop off onto the floor.

I finally got up the courage and opened it up and it looks as though someone had taken a hammer to the screen and broke it up internally. I have to take it to my son-in-law and have him plug it in and see if I've lost my hard drive. Still haven't done it because I'm chicken. the mfg. says they'll fix it for $200. No - I didn't back it up - though I've been talking about doing it - nice!

I've had time for reading and read a wonderful book by Elizabeth Goudge. The Scent of Water. another blogger told me about her. She is an English writer and I have more of her's to read thanks to the public library.

Hope to be up and "running" soon!

A Special Lunch

2010-01-22T20:51:00.000-05:00

I have been visiting my daughter, Lauren, and her family in Washington, DC this week and I'll be staying through until Monday (the joy of not having to be at work on Monday morning!). This has been so much fun spending time with my three grandsons, talking and hanging out with Lauren and April (my fourth daughter that lives in DC also) - Monday, April and I went to the Botanical Gardens and the National Gallery of Art!

Anyway - today when I took my three yr. old grandson upstairs to read stories to and to settle him down for a nap (yes, I dozed off too) - when I came back downstairs my daughter, Lauren, had fixed this salad plate for me - it was so beautiful I just had to share it - plus she has just given me a tutorial on how to download the photos off my camera - save them on my laptop - and how to post them to Facebook and my blog!!!

This Christmas I was given an ipod and a webcam - so watch out all you "techies" (?) because I am marching into the next century!!!

The Last Day

2010-01-04T21:47:00.000-05:00

Today was my final day!!! I am fighting a really bad cold but went in to work anyway for my last day and my exit interview - any other day I would have called in sick - and I don't do that to often. Ended up staying until 4 p.m. trying to leave everything in good shape for my team. Can't wait for tomorrow morning knowing that it is finally over and I am free from all the stress and worry!

Free - Free At Last!!!

2009-12-15T21:34:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was informed that I was being laid off at work and that my actual last day at the newspaper will be on January 4th - my 11th year anniversary of working at the newspaper.

I know God has answered my prayer and I am so peaceful about this next chapter in my life - I cannot wait to see what is going to happen next! The way it has worked out is that Friday will actually be my last day of work because I had scheduled two weeks of vacation and that has to be honored because I scheduled it before the termination notice was given to me!

The next few days I am trying to get "my ducks in a row" as my mother-in-law would have said so I will be prepared for everything that I have to take care of - unemployment, Social Security (I am eligible), finding out about medical coverage and I am sure the list will get longer! It is an adventure and I am ready for it to begin!

Additional Thanks

2009-11-24T22:04:00.000-05:00

Two major problems were solved at work - found an email list that I was missing and the designer from the newsroom volunteered to put the wedding announcements "on the page" each week. That last one is a major help!!!! I haven't had a good day like this in a long time!

Thankfulness

2009-11-22T18:17:00.000-05:00

I've been getting buried under stress, frustration, failure, grief and anger lately and I need to turn it around.

Here is the beginning of my Thankful Monday list:
1. My "Quiet Time" early in the morning with my Bible, Steams In the Desert and the Power of a Praying Parent books.

2. Daughters - four of them - and they love and care for each other and bless me with wonderful sons-in-law and more family.

3. My Mom - 89 yrs old - and still imparting wisdom - and telling me to drive safely everytime I leave her home and sings "Day is Done" for us at dusk.

4. My car - it is old and the hood needs to be repainted - but it runs faithfully and it is all paid for!

5. The home I live in that is just right for me and is affordable.

6. Losing 10 lbs recently.

7. Christmas as coming and so are some of my grandchildren!

8. My laptop

9. Cell phones

10. The people that I work with everyday that are helpful, considerate, and always ready to laugh.

Sisterhood of Sisters!!!

2009-11-07T21:10:00.000-05:00

About Sisters... "She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink..." ~Barbara Alpert

I have a sister like this - and I hope my daughters are sisters to each other like this.

I found the quote on Kari & Katja's blog - two really good sisters

"Weirdness Follows Wherever I Go"

2009-11-04T23:50:00.000-05:00

Tonight I worked until 6:30 p.m. I stopped to pick up some groceries on my way home and when I got home I had to make two trips to get everything in. The first time I went up to my front door I thought I heard some loud voices and thought someone was having a party nearby - though I thought that was strange on a Wednesday night. When I came back out to get the rest I again thought I heard someone yelling but then it stopped and I finished and came inside.

I realized my garbage needed to be taken out - I had cleaned the refrigeratior out of some unusable food articles - so I got that together and came out my front door again - and again I heard loud voices - but they stopped and I finished my chores. When I was coming back along my walkway I heard the voice again and stopped to wait and listen - and then I really heard someone banging on the walls of a garage across the alley from where we park our cars and now yelling very clearly, "Help! Help!" I hurried over to the garage and yelled that I was getting help. I had a real strong sense of caution about this so I ran inside got my phone and called 911 - gave them my address and then they asked if I stilled lived in Unit E - they have me on record!!!!! - anyway they said they would send the police. While I was waiting it sounded as though the person was getting really agitated - I could hear glass breaking inside like he was thrashing about! One of my neighbors is a young man who works as a bouncer at a club - so I went to see if he was home and he was - he came out and went walking over but didn't feel led to get closer - the police were around but not finding their way to where we are so I went to try and intercept them - waving my arms - and all I got for that was to have him shine the big light in my face! The guy was still yelling and the policeman got the door open and released the man after asking several questions before opening the door.

The bouncer and I didn't wait around to talk to him - I think he had been drinking. While the bouncer and I walked back to our own places he commented saying, "That was really weird." I replied that yes it was but if you hang around with me long enough you'll find out that weird follows me wherever I go!!

In Memory of Alex

2009-10-22T20:17:00.001-04:00

This is from a greeting card that I bought for my husband -

Yours is the smile
I look forward to each morning,
and yours is the voice
I love to hear throughout the day.
Yours is the touch
that can reach my heart and soul,
and it is your understanding
that so often calms
my doubts and fears. . .
Yours are the plans
and dreams
that blend with mine,
becoming ours,
and yours is the love
that means the world to me.
My life would be so different
if you weren't a part of it,
and that is why no one
has more to celebrate today
than I do. . .
my husband, my soul mate,
my very best friend.

In memory of Alex
May 8, 1942 - October 22, 2004

The Girl in the Photo

2009-09-30T21:05:00.000-04:00

I sit at my daughter’s dining room table, on the far side, against the wall with the sunlight coming through the window. Everyone has left the table and as I sit there I am looking at the different framed photos that she has sitting on the pine sideboard and I realize that I am looking at a black and white photo of myself staring back at me.

I know exactly when the photo was taken and I feel as though I can remember exactly what I was thinking. It is a photo of me taken in our backyard before we left for my graduation ceremony from 8th grade. I am wearing a white dress with cap sleeves and a wide skirt with crinolines (I think two) underneath and my mother had taken me to get my hair done at Robert Manning’s Hair Salon (where she always went). I remember I didn’t like the way the woman did my hair but couldn’t speak up to tell her to stop. I am a tall skinny girl and not feeling very pretty because I didn’t like my hair.

The girl in the photo looks back at me and I sit there, frozen for a moment in time, wishing this could be a movie with some kind of time travel and I could fly into the photo and whisper words of wisdom in her ear.

And so I sit there a few more moments knowing the decisions I made and thankful for the blessings that came from the good ones and thankful for God’s protection through all the wrong ones. And there were a lot of wrong ones.

“This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope
The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:21-23

Five Things That Will Never Get Better On Their Own

2009-08-11T20:41:00.000-04:00

Over the years and from many hard earned lessons I have learned that there are some things that will never get better on their own:

1. Plumbing
2. Teeth
3. Cars
4. Problems with the IRS
5. Unruly Children

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

A Summer Evening

2009-07-27T22:18:00.001-04:00

Today was Monday - at work - all day. They announced furloughs for all of us of five days - to be taken anyway we choose or can arrange with our manager. We knew it was coming. Two more people were offered "packages" so they will be leaving. Three left last week.

So what did I do tonight? I had a coupon for a book I wanted to buy, "The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society," at Barnes and Noble. I drove to the area where the store is - it is called Market Common - a really pretty "Truman Show" type place - with fountains and rocking chairs and places for kids to play and really good stores like William Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Banana Republic and more. I walked around at Barnes and then went and got a personal pizza and a soda and went back to to Barnes and sat at one of the tables they have in front of the store and ate and listened to the sounds of a summer evening - feeling the wonderful balmy breezes - and just really enjoying myself. I thought I would read while I ate but instead I just ended up "people watching." The sky was beginning to turn into a sunset and the clouds were beautiful in the distance and I was happy.

I love this quote by Henry James, "Summer afternoon - summer afternoon...the two most beautiful words in the English language." I could add "a summer evening- a summer evening" to the quote.

What Have I Been Doing?

2009-07-23T22:53:00.000-04:00

This has been a kind of crazy summer so far - thought I would try and list it:

1. Family came to visit - not enough time because I had to leave and go to DC
2. Went to DC for Centurion weekend - great time of learning and getting to know other participants
3. Went back to DC daughter's home for a week of being with 3 yr. old grandson and 3 month old twin grandsons and youngest daughter (who also lives in DC) - loved being with them and cried like a baby when I had to drive away
4. Drove home by myself - took 4 hrs to go from DC to Richmond - bumper to bumper traffic and then when that cleared there was a tractor trailer/passenger/van/plus two cars accident
5. Started back to work on Monday - 3 more people are no longer working at the newspaper.
6. Major project due on Friday has been postponed until next Friday - God is in control!!!

Bathing Suit Debacle

2009-06-01T21:12:00.000-04:00

I'm overweight - I know it - today June 1st I have started again - seriously - no - don't roll your eyes - I AM SERIOUS!!!!

anyway. . .

I went to the store on Saturday and while my sister was buying sheets I decided to try on bathing suits. The one I have been wearing is seven years old - I know this because I bought it to go to my oldest daughter's bridal shower in Houston. It is awful - but I really know what it is like to shop for a bathing suit when you look the way I do - but - I thought - foolishly - how bad could it really be????

A friend told me to try a tankini - I even went up a size just to make sure it would fit - and perhaps have the small pleasure of having to go to a smaller size - (cue hysterical laughter) so I picked out a nice chocoate brown outfit - and went in to try it on. Am I the only one that worries about hidden cameras ? I put the suit on - looked in the mirror and what do I see??? A stack of donuts stacked on top of each other with a head and arms --- aughhhhhhh!!!! I got out of the thing and got dressed - my sister called me and asked me where I was - I told her I was in the "fitting" room and I had just finished trying on a bathing suit and was trying to commit suicide with my nail clipper.

I decided to go to the jewelry department immediately - I needed something gold and something that would be my size!!! I told the saleslady I was depressed because I had just been trying on bathing suits and needed something to cheer me up. I talked myself down from buying the $150 gold earrings and then my phone rang - it was my sister looking for me again.

Today I planned out what I would eat - and wrote everything down - the journey begins again...

Strange Verses

2009-05-17T23:24:00.000-04:00

I try to read through the Bible every other year - on the other year I read through the New Testament. The only way I can do it is by using a program called Daily Walk (for the whole Bible) and Closer Walk (for the New Testament) - helps me get through books like Numbers!

Anyway - in my journey I have come across some "funny" verses - and I started writing them down in the back of my Bible - like verses about whistling:

Isaiah 5:26 He will lift up a standard to the distant nation, and will whistle for it from the ends of the earth; and behold, it will come with speed swiftly.

Isaiah 7:18 In that day the Lord will whistle for the fly that is in the remotest part of the rivers of Egypt and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.

Zechariah 10:8 I will whistle for them to gather them together, for I have redeemed them; and they will be as numerous as they were before.

and then there are verses about clapping:

Lamentations 2:15 All who pass along the way clap their hands in derision at you;...

Ezekiel 6:11 Thus says the Lord God, "Clap your hand, stamp your foot...

Ezekiel 25:6 For thus says the Lord God, "Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet...

Ezekiel 21:17 I will also clap My hands together ...

And then I always get a picture of a pitcher on a baseball field with this one:

Isaia 22:17 Behold, the Lord is about to hurl you headlong, O man. And He is about to grasp you firmly and roll you tightly like a ball, to be cast into a vast country...

Just thought I would share some stuff that I find unusual.

A Reason to Quit

2009-05-14T20:58:00.000-04:00

These are my two newest twin grandsons, Aldan and Theron, "visiting" their "Pop-Pop" at Arlington. Why am I posting this? Because it really hurts to look at this and to know that they will never know Alex. Alex was a smoker - Pall Mall unfiltered - he tried to stop many times but always went back to smoking. He had a quad bypass and carotid artery surgery - but he had emphysema and only quit smoking because they wouldn't operate unless he did.

He has missed or will miss seeing his daughter's new homes, meeting some of his grandchildren, knowing the sucesses of a daughter sawing a piece of wood for her home, a wonderful meal prepared by a daughter, a graduation, walking his daughter down the aisle for her wedding, the births, the phone calls, the recitals, the soccer games - I can't list it all.

If you smoke - please stop - please.

More of the twins

2009-04-16T22:30:00.000-04:00

Grandchildren!!!

2009-04-03T01:35:00.000-04:00

The twins arrived and we are all excited!!! Having trouble getting the photos on here - hope it works!

The Twins Are Here!!!

2009-03-31T23:21:00.000-04:00

Lauren gave birth naturally to two twin boys tonight!!! Aldan Douglas 8 lbs. 7 oz. 20 1/2" and Theron David 7 lbs. 9 oz. 21"!!!! We are all so happy - Mom and babies are doing great - thank you all for your prayers! God is good and greatly to be praised!!!

Anticipation!!!!

2009-03-30T23:24:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow my third daughter enters the hospital to deliver their twins!!! And I am here in Myrtle Beach - I am so excited for them - and I wish now I had made arrangements to be there for their arrival - but - common sense prevailed - and I am flying up on Friday morning to stay with them after the babies and Lauren come home for the following week.

Trying to get everything done at work so I can leave with a clear conscience and be able to focus on the family!!!

Please be praying for a safe and happy delivery!

What Am I Doing?

2009-03-10T00:46:00.000-04:00

This week I am getting ready for my weekend in D.C. I'll be driving up on Thursday morning and staying overnight with my pregnant with twins daughter, her husband and my grandson. Then Friday I pick up two other people and we drive to McLean for our Centurion Residency Weekend. There are 98 of us - I'm not sure how many will all be there - but we are there for the weekend to study, hear lectures and discuss all that we've been studying the last three months.

Every month, along with assigned books to read we also have to watch movies and the first group was, Amazing Grace, The Matrix and Inherit the Wind. Very interesting grouping. This month we are to watch Babette's Feast - which is one of my favorite movies. The whole program is unbelieveable and my brain feels as though it were a gigantic rubber band being stretched way - way out- I'm just hoping it doesn't snap back! I could do a whole blog on this program.

Anyway - I am desperately trying to get as much done as I can before the weekend because I am behind and at this point I am just trying to do my best. I've learned a lot these past few months about not wasting time - setting up better study habits - getting my work organized and now I am really looking forward to the next few months.

I'll be driving back on Monday - if my daughter doesn't go into labor and I end up staying on through the week to help!!!

Just a curious bit of information about my work situation - we have six couples that work at the newspaper and they laid off four wives and one husband of five of the couples - one couple gets to stay on. Interesting.

We Thought It Was Over...

2009-03-03T13:52:00.000-05:00

They announced two more people today - on my team! They were offered part-time positions or severance and it was a real shocker who they gave this notice too - the two people that run our front counter - and then they announced they are only going to have the front counter/lobby open from 9 to 3!!! Just when we thought we could breathe!!!

Monday

2009-03-02T23:06:00.000-05:00

Today they made the announcements - 20 people laid off - good people - some are friends - some have been there over 15 years. My sister, who works in the finance department, and myself escaped one more time. Truly a bittersweet time. My immediate boss was laid off and the head of our advertising department. I'm going to bed now. My friend who writes the obituaries has come down with pneumonia so I will be writing the obituaries Tuesday and Wednesday - this is the perfect week to be doing this.

Will this be the Friday they tell us???

2009-02-26T21:53:00.000-05:00

We are all still waiting to hear what is going to happen. They announced a few weeks ago the layoff of 58 people - all of our production people - that they were going to have the newspaper printed at another newspaper (Charleston???) and they would make the final announcement about that - we still haven't heard. Apparently it would be cheaper to have the newspaper printed somewhere else than to have the capital outlay for a new press and machinery as ours is getting to the point it needs to be replaced. -

Then they were suppose to announce the layoffs of an additional 20+ people - we have gone past being scared and worried and now we're just flat out angry and want to get it over with! the whole scene is mentally and physically exhausting.

I have to go to D.C. on March 12th for my Centurion seminar weekend and am trying to get all of my course work up to date - and my daughter, Lauren, is expecting The Twins on April 4th - and another big project, the church Easter pages, are looming on my horizon - and I just know it is all going to converge on one date and I will end up just going in circles!!!!

Nothing!!!!

2009-02-18T18:29:00.000-05:00

There was no announcement made today - I wish they would just get it over with - sorry for the "drama."

Space Invaders

2009-02-17T19:49:00.000-05:00

I didn't know how to write the Space Invaders noise that they would make as they approached the target - "Dun Dun Dun Dun" - getting faster as they got closer - I know my daughters are rolling their eyes at the mention of Space Invaders - one of my favorite video games - anyway - I digress.

"They" say tomorrow is the day for the announcement and "they" said 23 managers were going to be laid off - which is pretty funny because I think there are only about 14 managers. I can hear the Space Invader music getting louder. I brazenly took yesterday off - stayed home and worked on my Centurion class work. I have six weeks vacation due and will lose it all if I get laid off - so I thought I might as well take one day off!

Tune in tomorrow for the next installment - what drama!!!

Valentine's Day!!!

2009-02-14T11:50:00.001-05:00

My youngest daughter, April, just called and sang one of my old nursery school songs to me and I loved it - I had really forgotten it until she sang it today. This is the song sung to the tune of "It's a Small Small World":

"There's a big red heart down inside of me

There's a big red heart no one else can see

and it's filled to the brim

with the love from within

and I give it now to you"

Don't know how to do a video but even if I did I wouldn't do one of me singing - trust me on that one - Happy Valentine's Day to everyone - go sing the song to someone you love and figure out the hand motions too!!!! Thank you April!!!

What???

2009-02-13T10:22:00.000-05:00

The word is out - there is not going to be an announcement of layoffs today - "they" say it will be next week and "they" say it is going to be 23 or 28 people laid off depending on who you are listening too.

Good news - I brought the brownies in and another co-worker brought in homemade Red Velvet Cake - and Bojangles just came by and dropped off boxes and boxes of heart shaped biscuits (they are right down the road from our office) - so we are eating our way into oblivion!

More good news - suppose to be 70 tomorrow and Sunday and I am taking my books and going to the beach!!! I'll go for a really good walk and then sit in my beach chair and do some reading!!! Time to regroup!!!

Tick Tock

2009-02-11T23:51:00.000-05:00

So the word is out that there are going to be more layoffs announced on Friday.

I remember the days when I looked forward to going to work on Monday morning - it could have been because I had been a stay at home Mom and then worked as a nursery school teacher for eight years and was finally working in a place with adult toilets and not having to wipe 18 noses or put on 36 snow boots - perhaps - but I liked being a part of the newspaper - loved the adrenalin of deadlines - seeing a "new" product produced every morning - walking back through the press area and wondering if the "smell of the ink" was getting in my blood - smile - and now there is tomorrow and Friday to get through - the sadness of seeing something that I have been proud of slowly disintegrating before my eyes.

Perhaps I need to bake something chocolate for Friday - brownies with chocolate icing - we need some good things happening on Friday!!! No matter what!

The Economy and My Life

2009-02-07T11:24:00.001-05:00

This week they announced that they are outsourcing the printing of the newspaper and laying off 58 people in the press and production department of our newspaper where I work. They have stopped the matching 401k and all pensions are frozen with more layoffs coming up - but - because of a nifty thing called the *WARN* Act they now have to give us 60 days notice instead of two weeks before laying anyone else off. All of our artists have been laid off except for two full time and two part time artists and the artwork and design of the our newspaper ads is all outsourced to the Phillipines.

This is a quote that I keep on my refrigerator from my Streams in the Desert book - November 27th reading:

"Face it out to the end,
Cast away every shadow of hope on the human side
as an absolute hindrance to the Divine,
heap up all the difficulties together recklessly,
and pile as many more on as you can find;
you cannot get beyond the blessed climax of impossibility.
Let faith swing out to Him.
He is the God of the impossible."

I refuse to lose my sense of adventure in the twists and turns that my life takes - and what the next chapter is going to bring - God really is in control. I have been reading a really great book called, "In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day - How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars" by Mark Batterson. It is the perfect book for me for this time!

Walking the Talk

2009-01-30T21:23:00.001-05:00

Today I had a half day at work because I worked the Bridal Show last Sunday. Left work and when I got home I changed and decided to go for a walk on the beach.

It was 3 p.m. by the time I got there (I only live a block and a half from the beach so it wasn't the driving!) - it was great - blue skies - clouds going across the sky - the sun was shining off and on through the clouds - it was chilly but I was layered up - you could see forever in either direction and the ocean was producing a fair amount of waves. I walked 20 mins. in one direction very briskly and then turned and headed back the other way - I always have such a sense of peacefulness when I can watch and listen to the waves.

I am hoping to get up and go for another walk tomorrow morning - my trainer is sick so she might not be able to come.

I don't want to talk about what I did for dinner - went to Steak & Shake with my Mom and sister - I really have to walk alot tomorrow! You don't want to know.

Exercise and other things

2009-01-28T22:40:00.000-05:00

Monday night Karen came for my workout - killer - as always. I am so thankful she makes me work so hard. Tonight I promised myself that as soon as I got home - 7:30 pm - that I would change into work out clothes and do one of my exercise tapes - went upstairs to change and turned the TV on to watch while I changed - and started watching the crazy U-Haul chase in LA - finally turned it off at 8 pm - went downstairs and did the 30 min. tape - Success!!! Accomplishment!!! Now if I can just do it the next three days Karen will be so proud of me and so will I!!! I'm putting it out here so that I can report whether I do it or not.

Procrastination - it is what seeps into your life and takes over and stops accomplishment from being part of your life. It steals so much from you - especially self-respect - why can't you stop making those wrong choices - okay maybe they're not wrong - but they're not helping you accomplish your goals - and I am all about goals this year. I make lists only to have them mock me - I set alarm clocks - timers - I am an intelligent human being who wants to change and tonight was a baby step for me - and now here is the next one - I'm going to shut this down and go to bed at 11 p.m. - no matter about the list - I've done two things on it - exercised - oh three - ate dinner - and now go to bed at 11!!! If I could open up my front door and throw Procrastination out into the street I would!!!

Full Weekend!

2009-01-26T23:55:00.000-05:00

Friday night I went out to dinner with my Mom and my sister - and when we got to the restuarant my brother and his wife were there and they seated us next to each other! I had really good salad and fish and chips - in fact we all did except for my sister-in-law.

Saturday my niece came over - she is my personal trainer - and we worked out for an hour. I have to say that this is one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I have not been exercising and it appeared that I was only going to do it sporadically at best - and then Karen came to mind and I called her - she comes to my house twice a week - the holidays messed the schedule up a bit but we are back on track now - there is no escaping her - she is knocking at my door - the decision has been made and I am going to exercise. She has me working out with 5 lb. weights - for now - crunches - standing push ups - stair climbs - she really explains things to me and makes sure that I am doing them right - every time. My goal this week is to exercise for 20 mins a day between now and her next visit on Saturday! and write down what I am eating.

Saturday night I went out to dinner with Kik, Ken and his family - Olive Garden - ohh the breadsticks! I did eat a salad.

Sunday I went to church - came home at 10:45 - changed - got back in my car and drove to the Mariott Grande Dunes to work a Bridal Show handing out my brochures and brides's magazine for my newspaper to all the brides and their moms - because I write the weddings and engagements. Had to work that show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. - left there - went home - changed my shoes and drove to my Mom's house so we could all go to the Long Bay Symphony at 4 p.m. because we have season tickets - just writing this is exhausting! The program was excellent and the last thing they played was Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky - and the music was so powerful and wonderful - the whole orchestra seemed to enjoy it - you could just sense that wonderful magic when everything comes together and the performance really becomes perfection! Everyone gave them a standing ovation and cheered and clapped.

I am reading a wonderful book, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. The story and people are really great - it is about the British island, Guernsey, and how it was occupied by the Nazis. You want to laugh and cry when you read it - though I did lend it to my next door neighbor and she returned it after awhile and said she didn't care for it because it was written in the form of letters - which I find really great - maybe because I'm being allowed to read other people's very interesting mail! I can't wait to see how it ends - but then I don't want it to end. Two other books have been recommended to me, The Space Between Us by Thrity Unger and Snowflower and the Secret Fan. Has anyone read them?

Catching Up

2009-01-21T22:26:00.000-05:00

I haven't been "sharing" a lot lately because I didn't know where to start. So I will just try to start where I am.

Thanksgiving weekend I was really spending time putting together an application for the Centurion Program that is part of Prison Fellowship Ministries - you can read about it here: http://www.breakpoint.org/generic.asp?ID=2748

I had to wait until December 19th to hear whether I was accepted and I was - I am very excited about it - and overwhelmed by putting myself in a "learning environment." But I have just begun and am really enthusiastic about it. There is a lot of reading, writing, analyzing - even watching and writing about movies - check out the book list and movie list! Babette's Feast - one of my favorite movies is on the list!

Christmas was great - though very disorganized for me - and I am really planning on changing all that - this is the year to clean out - organize - and especially the "chaos room" that is suppose to be the guest room.

Last Thursday I drove up to DC - where Lauren, Caed and I then drove on up to PA - stayed overnight - and then next morning Heather, Lauren and I left for Bird-in-Hand, Pa. to stay at the Amish View Hotel for a scrapbooking weekend! Before we left Heather had to go to the ER to get three stitches in her hand because when she was packing up her scrapbooking supplies she sliced her hand open on an x-Acto knife - the drama and excitement never ends in our family - Lauren - who is pregnant with twins had breathing problems and we had to get a humidifier for the room. The three of us had such a good time - this was my first time scrapbooking and I actually did six pages of a memory book about my husband. We really had fun and it was just relaxing not to have any real responsibilities for a few days.

When we left the hotel on Sunday it was really snowing and that was fun to experience - and leave behind! - Sunday night Jonathan, Lauren, Caed and myself drove back to DC and then Monday I drove back to Myrtle Beach - going in the opposite direction of all the inauguration traffic - the drive was peaceful and a time for quiet reflection as I headed back home.

Aunt Alice's Quilt

2008-12-09T23:05:00.000-05:00

Our high school library was on the third floor of the building with large windows that the sunlight would come through - I loved the place - I found a book of short stories there by Dorothy Canfield Fisher and there was one story, The Bed Quilt, that I never forgot. It is the story of triumph - an elderly unmarried family member, Aunt Mehetabel, and the quilt she creates. I love this story and it really began my love of quilts - and the stories they could tell if they could talk.

In Texas I was even in a quilt group - but only made squares - not a whole quilt - but when I would sit in the living room working on one there would be such a sense of peacefulness in doing the handstitching - my husband even commented about how he loved to watch me working on a square. I even went to the huge quilt show in Houston - and got a migraine afterwards from staring at everything!

We moved back to Long Island and once again I was near family. My Aunt Alice, who could sew so fantastically that she used Vogue patterns and I believe made a sports jacket for her husband - was talking about making a quilt - and I remember telling her that she would be the last person to need a lesson - all she had to do was start! She did start - and then one day she and Uncle Artie showed up at my home in Northport with a large shopping bag and gave it to me and I reached in and began to bring out the most beautiful hand stitched quilt. I was so overwhelmed I don't even remember what I said or did - it was so emotional for me. The patterns she used for the squares are Log Cabin, Schoolhouse and Hearts - perfect - and they are all in wonderful warm pastels with such great color combinations - I really didn't want to write about it without a photo - but I didn't want to wait. She made handstitched quilts (Queen size) for all her nieces and daughters-in-law. What a blessing. If you hold my quilt up to the window it looks like a stain glass window!

It is hard for me to write about The Quilt - because the tears come to my eyes when I think of the love that you feel when you pull the quilt around you and you just feel the love and care that went into its creation. During one particular rough time in our lives I gave the quilt to Kik so she could take it to where she was staying and it would be safe - I remember the look in her eyes as she carried it - she knew how precious it was. Whenever someone wasn't feeling well they would want the quilt. The quilt is truly imbued with a love that is so tangible all you have to do is wrap yourself up in it. The Louvre has the Mona Lisa - we have The Quilt - our treasure.

Not Waiting for the New Year

2008-12-04T00:13:00.000-05:00

I have several things going on besides all the Christmas Worship Pages for the newspaper and writing up all the debutantes and cotillions - here are some new things that are happening:

1. I have booked my niece to be my personal trainer - she comes to my house twice a week and gets me to exercise - I am now up to 150 crunches!!! I don't believe it myself - and I have hope that I will not be in this same body for my birthday in March - and I will buy a new bathing suit for the new body this summer. She has given me the precious gift of hope.

2. I have hired someone to come and clean my town home once every two weeks (she is scheduled for next Tues. AND the 23rd - just before family arrives!!) I made this decision because I have just been getting bogged down with house work when I want to be working on major projects here - and I want to wake up on Saturday morning knowing I don't have to clean the bathrooms. When I came home my first Tuesday after she had been here - really questioning whether I should spend the money - and I opened up the door and saw my place - clean - shining - and smelling wonderful - I told myself that she was worth every single penny!!!

These are just some of the things that are happening in my life - this is a really busy time for me because I handle all the church advertisements for Christmas and we do this whole special section for all their ads - every Christmas and every Easter - and I haven't even started decorating or shopping for Christmas - hopefully this weekend!

New Laptop

2008-12-01T21:32:00.000-05:00

I am actually sitting in my living room writing on my blog - not having to stay late after work to read blogs and write on my own!!! This is a real blessing - right up there with finding my townhome, my used car and now being able to use my laptop at home.

We did have a computer in my old home - it was a used one that they had a lottery for at work and I won!!! We had it set up in April's room - but then after my husband's death I had to move out of the house and into my Mom's home until I found my own place - and finally into my own place two years ago - I never set it up here - and now with a lot of things happening in my life I knew I really needed to make this next investment. Kik's husband helped me so much and actually got the laptop for me so I could buy it and gave me all the good advice about "hooking it up" - stuff that can slow me down if I have to figure it out for myself! Thank you Ken!

My third daughter, her husband and son and their yellow Lab came from DC this Thanksgiving and stayed with me - what a blessing it was to have them here with me! I got to take my grandson to the Children's Museum here in town and my son in law really helped me a lot with my laptop - setting it up - getting a wireless mouse - showing me how to do things - it was wonderful having my own IT person in house!!! My daughter worked in a bakery all through college and makes the best piecrusts (Martha's recipe) and pies - it was great having my own in house baker here!!!

It is really the small things that really matter - tucking my grandson into bed - reading him stories - singing lullabies to him that my grandmother and my mother sang - sitting in the living room next to my daughter - having a cup of coffee with her in the morning - watching my son in law hold his son - having my son in law pray with me over a very important decision that I need to make - it is all pure gold and I treasure the memories.

Our last night together we all gathered at my Mom's home and we had Parmesean Wings and Pizza - and if you wanted it there were brownies, ice cream and pie after the Pizza/Wing Fest!!! What a finish to the Thanksgiving weekend!!!

Good News

2008-11-21T16:34:00.000-05:00

I have a new laptop that I am getting connected to the internet on Sunday - do you believe Time/Warner is doing this on Sunday!!! - and I can't wait!!! I will finally have a computer working at home - and Kik is going to give me a tutorial on doing links and all kinds of good stuff!!!! I feel like I have been a little kid with their face pressed against the gate watching everyone have a good time at the party and I am finally coming to the party - for real!!!! Kik and Ken are coming over for pot roast tonight that has been in the crockpot all day - she is bringing the already done baked potatoes and I made homemade lemon cookies for dessert. It is a perfect night for a cozy supper - chilly and windy!!!

Cooking with Claire

2008-11-14T17:01:00.000-05:00

I love recipes - cook books - and I have to say that after cooking for a family of six for many years and all their friends that seemed to arrive at dinnertime I can still say I enjoy cooking! But - now I live alone and work full time - so a lot of short cuts have become my way of life - though I am trying to lose weight so there has to be a balance.

Wednesday night I invited my Mom and sister over for a quick dinner - and I mean quick - as my sister had to go shopping at WalMart and my Mom and I were going to hang out together while she went shopping. So - I had two packages of Smart Ones Three Cheese Ziti dinners and a package of hamburger meat - I crumbled up the hamburger meart and browned it with my Aunt Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt and my favorite basic seasoning, Spice Islands Beau Monde. When the two dinners were done for the first go round in the microwave I scooped them out into a cassarole - mixed the hamburger meat in with it - sprinkled grated sharp cheddar cheese and parmesean on top - popped it back in the microwave - opened a can of green beans - nuked them - set the table and we sat down and enjoyed our meal! - less than 30 mins. with the table set and the candles lit! Bring it on Rachel Ray!

I'll try and share a more serious recipe another time - love all the recipes I am collecting from the rest of you!

Movie Night

2008-11-10T17:23:00.000-05:00

Saturday night my friend, Kelly, and I went to see The Secret Lives of Bees and then out to dinner. We were celebrating her birthday which was in July so that shows you how bad we are about getting our time organized!!

Anyway - what an excellent movie - the book was really good - and I really enjoyed the movie - Queen Latifah is really perfect - the whole cast was - and we got popcorn with "butter" (we don't really want to know what it is) all the way through it - Kelly asked the girl to stop and put butter on it as she was filling the bag. We both got Diet Cokes - trying to be good. You know how sometimes Diet Coke just tastes like medicine? Well this was the best Diet Coke - started thinking that maybe they gave us real Coke! We went out to dinner afterwards and just enjoyed catching up on all of our news - she used to work at the newspaper with me.

Sunday my Mom, sister and myself went to hear the Long Bay Symphony - it was really great - the performers were excellent - violinist, Asmira Woodward-Page - the whole event. We all had a good time!

Friends

2008-11-04T15:32:00.000-05:00

Monday morning I was leaving my home early and got in my car only to have it do that ominous "click click" as I turned the key in the ignition. I immediately tried to call my sister who lives nearby to catch a ride with her but she had already left for work. I then called Kik at work and explained what had happened and she said she would call her husband right away. I hung up and then thought to call my friend, Kelly, who also lives nearby and when I got a hold of her she immediately told me she would be right over. I called Kik back and told her Kelly was coming - and Ken who was going to come to help me didn't need to.

Kelly arrived in her brand new Hyundai Sonata - drove back to her house with me - handed me the keys and told me to keep the car for the day - she didn't need it - and that her husband, Dana, would be over to look at my car later (she took my car keys). I drove her great car with fabulous pick up!!! and when I got home that night they came over - he had a charger to charge my battery - then went back to his office and got a battery tester so he could test my battery and make sure that it wasnn't something more serious - he said I apparently had left the dome light on inside the car - and did I mention that a light rain was falling this whole time?

One of my daughters said that Kelly never stops at square one when she is helping a someone - she always goes right to the limit - without any hesitation. Dana was once driving past our house when he saw that April had a flat and immediately stopped and changed the tire for her - then went and got her new tires on her car!!! They come running everytime someone needs help - no matter who you are - she once noticed an elderly woman in the supermarket and she began helping her and visiting her at her home nearby - there are just countless stories of their willingness to help you when you're in trouble.

Friends like Kelly and Dana are pure gold.

2008-10-22T20:44:00.000-04:00

The visit to Mount Vernon with all of our family was my first. The home sits on top of a high bluff overlooking the Potomac River. This is the front of the house - and across the back - which overlooks the river - is a long porch with rocking chairs that anyone can sit in and watch the river.

We were in a line that slowly went through the home and if you look at the main door above you will see a door to the left - that is the doorway we entered to view the first room which was a wonderful formal dining room with some original furniture from George Washington's home. The woman that greeted us told us some really interesting things about the room and as we were ready to leave the room to go to the next she said, "Let me stand back so you may look into the same mirror that George Washington looked into." With those words I looked across from where I was standing directly into a very large gilt framed mirror at myself and had such a sense of history - being able to view a part of his life and time - and tears came to my eyes as it just seemed that I was able to look into who he was - to feel history just wrap itself around me and then I moved on to the next room.

A River Runs Through It

2008-10-14T22:13:00.000-04:00

First time posting photos and Heather and I are having problems - but forging ahead anyway - this is the river that is one block from her home - the Delaware. We are having beautiful fall weather!

This is a building in the National Park near their home - rest rooms - the stone work was great.

I loved the light in this photo - Heather took the top one and I took these two - I hope to post more tomorrow!

Road Trip!!!

2008-10-09T11:57:00.000-04:00

My Mom, sister, Kik, Ken and myself are all leaving tomorrow for D.C. for a mini-family reunion to visit my daughter, April, and my other daughter, Lauren, and her husband and son in D.C. My younger brother, his wife and their four daughters and their new granddaughter will be meeting us there!!! We are all so excited - and then after the weekend I get to go home with my daughter, Heather, and her family and I get to spend the week in Pennsylvania in the Fall!!! I fly home on the 19th!!! So this is really going to be fun!!! I love taking a road trip with family - good conversation - lots of laughs - and always good snacks!!

Heather's Birthday!!!

2008-10-06T17:50:00.000-04:00

Her older sister, Kik, started this with all the memories and today is a good day for us to remember all the fun and joy she has brought to the family.

Heather was my first C-section - after being induced for many hours they decided to do a C-section so she wouldn' get over 10 lbs. - her older sister, Kik, had been 9 lbs. 6 oz. - so they delivered her and she was 11 lbs. 14 ozs. and 23 in. long!!! and the fun began. The nurses asked me to have my husband bring in one of his T-shirts so they would have something to dress her in - they all fought over her and she was carried all over the place.

Everyone in our family has a great sense of humor (it is required) but Heather is the one who could really do stand-up comedy - one of my favorite phone calls from her after she had her son - came to me at work and she was whispering on the phone saying, "Mom, this is the worst baby-sitting job I have ever had - the baby won't stop crying and the parents are late coming home - will you come pick me up as soon as the Mom gets home????" I knew we were in for a wild ride after that! She is unbelievable with the faces she can make and the voices she can use - we still laugh when she does the voice of an old employer she can imitate when she was waitressing in NYC.

Heather can laugh with you and she can cry with you - her heart is so tender - I remember when a boy was making her life miserable in elementary school and she began to pray for him - and I was able to see the whole situation change. I also remember hearing about how the sisters went to their younger sister's school one day and threatened someone who was bullying their sister - Kik and Heather were always protective of their younger sisters. I just remembered the time I caught Heather and a friend playing with a can of hairspray!!!! - Heather and her escapades with her best friend, Trisha!!!

We have a tradition in our family that when we bring the new baby home the child before gets to be the first one to hold the new baby when we get in the door - I have so many great photos of that moment - and I love the one where Kik is holding Heather.

Heather has grown as a woman, wife, mother, sister, daughter and most important of all it has been a blessing to me as a mother to see her grow as a woman of faith - one who can counsel - one who is ready to drop everything and babysit for your kids - give you a ride - cook a dinner - and is always ready to pray with or for you. God bless you dear Heather - we all love you!

Thank you!

2008-10-02T17:53:00.000-04:00

I just want to say thank you to the wonderful world of blogging - it is so great to learn about each other - find out great titles of books - recipes - craft ideas - and really just be able to share some part of our lives with each other. There are really so many intelligent, caring, creative women out there and I am really impressed and sometimes wish I could start all over again with motherhood and being able to blog - so much help is available and I really love to see the caring that is expressed.

I know I am not including Rock Chef in this - but I really appreciate being able to see into his world too and get his view on his life and our lives.

The writing is so well done everywhere I go - the photos - videos - artwork - layout is just great - thank you all!

Healing for Today

2008-09-30T09:03:00.000-04:00

If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

This is the beginning to the answer for what we are facing today.

Exciting News!!!

2008-09-26T10:47:00.000-04:00

I am so happy!!! My daughter and her husband, Lauren and Jonathan, have announced that they are expecting TWINS!!!! Wow!!! We are all excited for them and so happy that everything is going well!!! I'm addicted to exclamation points with this news!!!

Words That Bring Comfort

2008-09-22T18:05:00.000-04:00

I had this hanging on my wall wherever we lived - and I still do - it always brought comfort to me because my husband travelled at times and this is the way I felt when he came home:

"I hear your footsteps down the hall,

You are home again, and safe.

All the burdens of the day are

lightened -

and all the night noises

are music to my ears."

D. Morgan

Personality Test

2008-09-22T10:56:00.000-04:00

I did the personality test on Kik's site - I promise I will learn how to do links and other stuff on this site - never seem to have the time to sit down and figure it out! This really made me laugh - some of it hits pretty close to home.

Personality Type:

Creative, resourceful and intellectually quick. Good at a broad range of things. Enjoy debating issues and may be into 'one-up-manship'. They get very excited about new ideas and projects, but may neglect the more routine aspects of life. Generally outspoken and assertive. They enjoy people and are stimulating company. Excellent ability to understand concepts and apply logic to find solutions.

Careers that could fit includes:

Entrepreneurs, lawyers, psychologists, photographers, consultants, sales represenatives, actors, engineers, scientists, inventors, marketers, computer programmers, comedians, computer analysts, credit investigators, journalists, psychiatrists, public relations, designers, writers, artists, musicians, politicians.

Tough Day

2008-09-17T14:31:00.000-04:00

Today the newspaper announced 11 layoffs of friends and coworkers. We knew it was coming as rumors were flying a couple of weeks ago - but it was postponed because of the possibility of the hurricane coming through. This is the third wave of layoffs. The people were notified today and I survived it - but then you know that others are leaving in your stead.

One woman was hoping she would be one of the ones chosen and she was (she has been here over 20 yrs.) and brought in bagels for a party - others are in shock and there were some tears.

A really good friend of mine planned a trip here from L.I. for her birthday and is arriving tomorrow afternoon - I am taking a half day and all day Friday off. We have a tradition (she tries to come every year) of each buying a bottle of our favorite wine (she likes Merlot and I like a Zinfandel) - we get an order of Parmesean Hot Wings from this great place and a loaf of Italian bread - rent a good movie - and just enjoy a night of good food - good conversation - and hopefully a good movie - any suggestions for a good movie??? I am so ready for this weekend - we both love to read and will spend some time walking on the beach - reading - and catching up. I was hoping we could go down to Charleston for the day - but may opt just to relax and take it easy.

The first time she came her husband asked her what she wanted for her birthday and she said she wanted to come to MB to visit me - and he said, "Do you want me to come too?" She said, "No" - I always laugh about that.

Today - September 11

2008-09-11T08:57:00.001-04:00

I think of all the wives, husbands, children, family members, friends who are getting up this morning with all their memories flooding in of what this day brought them - the horror and the loss that all of us feel on this day every year is greatly multiplied in their lives - and my heart goes out to them. We will never forget.

Praying Woman

2008-09-09T19:16:00.000-04:00

I am a praying woman – 63 yrs. old – and my answer to everything I’ve faced is to start with prayer – and to use prayer to bring peace in the midst of terrible storms.

In my life I have faced three C-sections – Kik was my one normal delivery – our last baby was in ICU for the first three days of her life – my daughters have had broken bones – sat on broken Coke bottles – had enlarged livers with all the tests involved in that – gotten severely stung by a Portuguese Man O’ War jellyfish – we have moved 18 times – lost everything and started over several times – I have had emergency gall bladder surgery and was in the hospital for 10 days – had my shin bone biopsied for bone cancer and that was six weeks of living with the fact that I might have bone cancer and I didn’t – four daughters sick with the chicken pox without a lot of money to buy medicine – going through the teenage years with four daughters – husband sometimes unemployed – husband who smoked Pall Malls and had emphysema and had to have carotid artery surgery and quad bypass and I was with him for 12 days in the hospital in Charleston and brought him home safely from there – came home at lunch time on the 22nd day and found him – he had died during the morning after we had talked on the phone and fortunately ended the conversation laughing and saying I love you to each other.

There is more, of course – but I sit here in what I consider my perfect for me townhouse and I look back at everything and know that there is no way I could have survived without God in my life and I don’t mean the God that some people think of as the go to church on Sunday, white gloves, carrying your Bible, smile plastered on your face phoniness – but – the God who says to me –

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Several times in my life I have gone for counseling and one time the counselor said to me that God wasn’t someone with a big yellow legal pad checking things off for and against Claire – but – God was someone who was holding out His hand to me wanting a relationship with me – and when I read my Bible – especially the New Testament – and pray – I can feel His arms opening wide to me as I run to Him and His peace in the midst of terrible storms of loneliness, death, anger, terror, illness and frustration begins to come over me and permeate me and I would make it through another day.

So I encourage you – as you face the “dailyness” of your life with all the problems and decisions you will be going through to pick up a Bible (like The Living Bible version) – turn to the New Testament and just try reading Matthew, Mark, Luke or John – and pray and ask God to show you what He has for you – I can’t explain maybe logically or theologically how it works – but I can stand and look you in the eye and tell you that He is there and He is ready to meet you.

Reply to One Fabulous Mom

2008-09-08T13:33:00.000-04:00

"One Fabulous Mom" blogger posted a list of questions presented at the end of the Actors Studio program by James Lipton - and asked us to join in! Here are my replies:

1. What is your favorite word?

Mercy

2. What is your least favorite word?

Shut Up

3. What effects you creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Creatively - Art that speaks to my mind and heart
Spiritually - Walking on the beach watching the ocean waves and being reminded
of God's unceasing love for me.
Emotionally - Someone reaching for my hand

4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Graffitti
False Preachers
Unkind words

5. What sound or noise do you love?

Hearing one of my daughters call my name

6. What sound or noise do you hate?

Booing - unless I am at a baseball game and we are all booing the umpire.

7. What is your favorite curse word?

Oh My Dear!

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Artist/Writer of children's books

9. What profession would you not like to do?

Porta-Potty transporter

10. What would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Welcome home!

Stormy Weather

2008-08-26T19:13:00.000-04:00

We have been having really strong rainstorms here - with lots of thundering going on - one of the ad reps came back to our office today and had a photo of a tornado that she saw nearby.

Sunday I went to the beach and met Kiki there - the waves, for this area, were really good and the surfers were all out in full force. I had packed two diet sandwiches, some cherries and Lipton Diet Green Tea - which I drink all the time - it's good when you want something more than water but you don't want a soda. Kik had to leave after awhile and I stayed on - I had brought part of my Sunday NY Times with me and spent time reading that and also had a mystery book, Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson - a cooking mystery book if you can believe that - you get very hungry reading her books! The day was right up there with all perfect Sunday afternoons.

Last week was really fun because I got to meet Kukie, Kenady and Kik for lunch - it was really great meeting "the bloggers" and knowing that I "know" them - but not really having voices and faces to go with it all and kind of getting more of the puzzle of friendships and caring about each other to come together in a whole picture. I was happy they included me and sorry I had to go back to work and leave the party - and they were having a party!!! I am fortunate that Kik has introduced me to so many valuable and truly kind people through her blogging.

Flower Girls & Ring Bearers

2008-08-20T19:55:00.000-04:00

This is a favorite topic of mine - ask my daughters and they will tell you.

I happen to be one of perhaps a few people that do not think children under six should be participating in a wedding ceremony and I am curious about what others think. Am I wrong or am I right???

The first and foremost reason why I feel a little one shouldn't be in the ceremony is because I believe it is way too much pressure for a 2 - 3 yr old to face as they stand at the head of the aisle and everyone turns and is smiling waiting to see what she/he will do. It is a recipe for disaster - and I have personally seen it happen too many times. In fact I have never been to a wedding with a child in the wedding party where something doesn't go wrong. I was the head teacher for a two year old nusery school program for eight years and I feel I can speak with some authority on at least 2-3 yr olds. I have actually called it child abuse at times - why inflict that on a little child when they don't have the maturity or the grace to handle all that attention?

I don't understand when a couple have spent so much time and money to create a wonderful and special ceremony that they are willing to let it be destroyed in the blink of an eye by this little person. This is the bride's day - a really special day - why does she want to share it with a little munchkin? A very cute but possibly out of control child. I have been to weddings where the flower girl walked around the altar while the minister talked and almost set the bride's veil on fire by tipping over a candle holder - I (who never make a scene) yelled out, "Watch out!!!" - that one was really freightening.

One wedding we went to the flower girl walked around - climbed up on the platform - called to the people in the bridal party - we couldn't even hear the couple reciting their vows because of her behavior. I really believe weddings are a momentous time in your life - sacred and meaningful - a time of happiness - why should the guests be sitting there worrying about what some little one is going to do next instead of paying attention to the ceremony?

When I was married I had the church nursery set up with babysitters so the parents could enjoy the ceremony and the kids could play - and there weren't any crying babies or children talking out loud during the ceremony.

I love children and babies - but - I also believe in letting them be children in the right circumstances and not putting undo pressure on them.

Thank you for listening -

Children's Books

2008-08-01T19:41:00.000-04:00

For eight years I was the head teacher for the two-year old program at a private nursery school on Long Island and I really loved it. Talk about getting lots of unconditional love - that is what those little munchkins handed out all day.

One of my favorite things to do was to read stories to them and from all my experience I can spot a good story book in seconds. Last night I went to Barnes with my Mom and sister - loved it - bought a new Home Companion magazine - new book for myself and then I was looking at the children's books - Splat the Cat - is a great book that I saw last night. I love doing voices and facial expressions and watching a child be drawn into a good story.

One of the all time favorites is Dinnertime by Jan Pienkowski - a scary book but so much fun - it is a pop-up book so it is one that I guard but still have fun with. All my grandchildren love it - I have a whole bunch of books that I bring with me to read to them when I visit and they can count on me reading to them when they are here. One of my least favorite books is any Richard Scary book. I always look for a book with really good art work - whether it is creative - detailed - graphic - and a really good story - or fun to read.

When my children were young I always had a bookshelf in the living room devoted to just children's books that I would read to them - it was important to me that they learn to handle books carefully as "books are our friends." I still buy at least one really good children's book for myself at Christmas. I could really spend a fortune on those books!

Sick and Alone

2008-07-31T18:03:00.000-04:00

Saturday morning I woke up feeling really crummy - sinuses killing me - I had been sneezing for the last couple of days and my nose had been running - so it was either a cold, sinus infection or allergies - I've never really had a problem with allerigies. I stayed in bed for awhile and then figured I had better move downstairs and get something to eat and a nice cup of hot tea - I was walking past my bathroom - heading for the stairs when all of a sudden I realized I was going to be sick to my stomach - bolted for the bathroom and made it in time.

Finally made it downstairs and got on the couch and decided to call my Mom and sister to let them know I wasn't feeling well and as I laid on the couch talking with her I was looking at my living room window and realized that a lizard was crawling up my sheers!!!!! I told my sister to come over right away and help me with the lizard because I didn't want to take my eyes off of it and lose it in my house and always be worrying about when it would come out again. So there I sat frozen on the couch - feeling even worse - waiting for her - she arrived and "frick and frack of the animal world" captured it - actually she did and then she took it outside and was going to let it go at my front door and I said, "Nooooooooooooooo!!! Take it far away!" - so she let it go on the other side of my driveway. And the drama was over.

After she left I really thought about what would I do if she hadn't come over - and what about other single people living alone - I felt really vulnerable and thought about my next door neighbor - Sister Barbara - a retired Catholic nun - and of my single friends - I have one single friend that lives in fear of falling while taking a shower and having to be rescued in that state!!! So I am calling my single friends and talking with my neighbor and letting them know that as best as I can I am there for them - even if they just need to be rescued from a lizard or a fall in the shower.