Category Archives: Brian

May29

Unexpected renovation delay

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 by Dianne

So we were moving (actually Brian) right along and the toilet got installed on Thursday. Friday morning dawned and Bri said he was going to install the vanity and sink. The thing with him, it’s 2-3 in the afternoon before he gets started. I know, it’s being unemployed and he’s on a schedule like Sean and me-stay up late, get up late. Glad we have light until 8 pm. : )

So he turns off the water, unscrews the pipes and takes the vanity out-it’s much worse than we think-it was just crumbling from water damage-just not usable anymore. So then we see the floor next to the wall. It’s in bad shape-there’s rotted wood there. Bri starts digging at it-ends up with about a 2 foot by 6″ hole. He spent many hours finding wood, making sure it fit well and was level. This will be covered up-we have to find similar linoleum tiles though-guess we’ll look for those tomorrow or the next day.

He did saw off the foam overflow. We have tiles to put up along the edge there-the dark brown ones. You can see the 52 yr old original floor and the newer one we put in which is like parquet.

This will be covered by the vanity and I think I’m going to redo the floor down the road too.

A few rows below the toothbrush and soap holders were 4 tiles with holes from the original pedestal sink. Brian carefully took them out. I ordered 3 sample tile sheets from Susan Jabalon tiles, the place I used when I did the kitchen. I figured one color or design will be the right one and I’ll save the rest for art projects. 3/4″ mosaics will fit perfectly without me cutting them- 5 x 5 = 25 a square. I just have to grout them in place and fix a few that came loose. I saw some river pebbles that they use for floors. I ‘may’ order a sample just to see how it feels. We have less than a 5′ x 5′ space to worry about-yes, our ‘main’ bathroom is small.

I was going to get a new medicine cabinet. Now I think I’ll tidy up the old one, maybe paint it. That should brighten it up.

I also planted more annuals and am weeding the pond garden. It’s been very hot and humid these last few days. Can’t stand that! I lasted an hour on Sunday and did indoor stuff.

Wish us well with getting that floor fixed and the vanity and sink in! Hope to show pretty photos next!

Apr22

My first geocache find!

Posted on Sunday, April 22, 2012 by Dianne

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One out of six ‘ain’t’ bad! I think a few I jumped the gun on before we knew all the ins and outs about the hobby. And why were we looking for a micro the first time around? And who knew there are evil ones that mimic pine cones and magnets on dumpers?

This was behind a Baptist Church about 15 miles from here. I was so happy to see the container! I stood away from the actual find site so you could see it’s kind of in the sticks of Nottingham, PA.

It had cute little things in it plus the log which I signed. I forgot to take something, but I put $1 in it I was so happy to locate one. This was spur of the moment after we had browsed around a flea market place in an old barn. We’ve been there a few times. Bri got a used chain saw (please don’t break it) so we can trim some old bushes that just aren’t doing anything this year.

Then since we were in God’s country, we went to a nearby park. We were right where the cache was when my phone died. We saw landscaping fabric ‘in the middle of the woods’ and didn’t pull at it to see what’s underneath. We know where it is and will go back with a hand shovel and gloves if we are out in that area again.

We did have a nice walk in this very rural area.

Brian is enjoying taking photos too. Gets his mind off of worrying about things.

We are pretty sure it was right near here-that brown patch on the left.

It was around 6 pm-I was wondering if the critters were coming out for dinner. Had on the wrong shoes too. The paths were stony.

Apr19

Amazing Arboretum

Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2012 by Dianne

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Brian, mom and me went a few town over from her house to the Scott Arboretum which in on the campus of Swarthmore College. We’ve never been! The photos on the arboretum’s facebook wall enticed us to go and ‘free’ is good too. Well worth the little trip for us. There were dozens of lilacs, cherry trees and peonies blooming ‘three weeks early’ (as the lady in the main office told us). I will add more tomorrow as my tummy is a bit off tonight. I did a lot of walking a few days ago and I believe I’ve had a bug or something and shouldn’t ignore it and now my system is off. Ginger ale and gum sure helped.

Mom and me among the wood hyacinths

Mom took this one

Some of the most gorgeous peonies I’ve ever seen!

Apr15

Yes, it’s been 28 years

Posted on Sunday, April 15, 2012 by Dianne

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Brian and I met almost 30 yrs ago. I can attest to time flying by, so make the best of the days as they whiz by.

At about 4 pm, I had remembered that Brian received about 6 gift cards from a birthday pack-they were all free. The coupon was for $25 off if you spent $60, so we actually needed another person to spend that much. This is a place in Wilmington, DE, right on the river front. It was a nice evening, but we ate inside. Sean had been away at the college working on homework and we waited on him to come home and join us. It was after 7 and we had to wait 30 minutes or so before we sat down. I ordered their ribs, and guess what, they were out of them. It was crowded. I ordered the salmon with avocado sauce special. The manager heard it was our anniversary and I didn’t get what I wanted, so she gave us all free desserts! So beverages, nice big salads, entrees and desserts were under $40 for 3 people. I like when that happens. The salmon could have been cooked a bit more for me-I like it flaky. I brought it home and ate it along with the rest of the yummy au gratin potatoes and green beans for lunch. Sean also ate the rest of his pizza for lunch. So we actually got 5 meals for that price.

We are enjoying the 80 degree weather. I started cleaning some spots, but Brian do more work today. He had mowed the lawn yesterday. I sat under the Japanese maple that is in full leaf!

I’m about to make some turkey burgers for the grill. I may mix up some sweet BBQ sauce like I made for my sausage balls (an appetizer) for Tori’s party on Friday. They were good, but not many people ate them. They loved the pizza dip! I’ll have to share that one with you. Great to bring to a party with some Frito scoops.

Apr9

Some more paper goodness

Posted on Monday, April 9, 2012 by Dianne

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I really do try and tidy up my collage stuff, and then creativity gets in the way. I start seeing paper connections and before you know it, I have the scissors and glue out again! It really is good therapy for me lately anyway.

The background for this card was made from snippets of scraps as I was sorting. I love that little girl and in my mind’s eye, I can see her skipping around in her butterfly wings.

Another little flower girl for the series.

Sadly, this is the last challenge I made for a Flickr group called ‘Art n’ Soul’. We were to take a torso and decorate it. I made like a fairy dress influenced by the unusual photos of ferns I have. I used a real fern frond too! By the way, that’s light switch is my souvenir from the Van Gogh exhibit, now in the dining room.

We had a bit of a scare this morning. We live in a ranch house and don’t have phones in the bedrooms (we do again now-we put it in the kitchen 6 yrs ago and never had a problem). Didn’t Brian’s dad get a bad nosebleed at 2 am this morning and tried to call us for several hours from 3:30 am on! We didn’t hear it ringing. After the second call, his dad should have called 911. I had several very bad nosebleeds when I was little and was told to sit quietly. He kept leaning forward as he didn’t like the blood doing down his throat. Anyway, the woman police officer finally woke us up out of our slumber at 6:30! Brian got his act together and headed to the hospital as his dad finally wised up and called 911 around 4:30 or so. The doctor may have chemically treated it (like they did me-not sure, but one of the worst pains I’ve ever had) and Brian took him home. Bri had to clean a few areas that got a little messy. I suggested he stay over a few nights a week, but he isn’t going for that, but should consider it until he gets a job. Since Sean is living here and is an adult, it may not be a bad idea. Old people living alone is not good.

Apr8

Happy Easter 2012

Posted on Sunday, April 8, 2012 by Dianne

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We’re about to go out to dinner, but I have Brian take my photo in my outfit and since my hair looked good! That’s a Viburnum bush in full bloom.

Sean got a few goodies from Trader Joe’s which he liked.

I hope you are having a lovely spring day!

Candid shots at dinner

(Buttonwood Grill, Lahaska, PA)

Mom and Sean at the restaurant

I forgot my Canon, so I had to use the phone camera. Mom and I had practically the same things to eat-Asparagus soup with feta cheese, a slice of ham and prime rib, mashed potatoes, grilled cold asparagus, fruit, a taste of a few more sides, cheesecake and mini chocolate covered cream puffs. Very good for under $30 each. This was a buffet, so we could east as much as we wanted.

I am like a food ‘coach’. First I say not to order a beverage, just go for water! Sean wanted soda and mom wanted ice tea have you noticed that beverages are $2-3 a glass now-wow, they are making a lot of money on them!) I tell the guys that most salad and pasta dishes are the cheapest things that you can order. While I was getting the Asparagus soup for mom and me, didn’t they both load up on a big wedge of iceberg lettuce (it had some fancy drizzle on it) and pasta! They did have salmon and pork tenderloin, that I didn’t sample. Brian said the salmon was yummy.

It was a little hike, about 63 miles one way, but we enjoyed the scenery up in Bucks County. Next month they are having a Strawberry Festival, so we can look in a few stores (of course most were closed). Glad to include my mom.

Apr2

Seeing one of my favorite artists

Posted on Monday, April 2, 2012 by Dianne

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There’s a special exhibit going on down at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It’s one I didn’t think I’d get to see like so many I thought I’d go to and then the show was over and moved on. Well, I said to Brian, this would make an awesome 28th anniversary gift if we could go in the first Sunday of the month when it’s pay what you want (seriously?-just say it’s free, we are buying food and gift shop items). But, it did cost admission to see the Van Gogh exhibit. And lookie here:

We weren’t allowed to take photos in the actual exhibit, but I saw people using their phones and the guards didn’t say anything. It was amazing to see one of the Sunflower paintings and the Flowering Almond branch he did for his namesake nephew when he was born. He applied the paint so thickly on many of his pieces making them very dimensional. He died at a young age of about 38.

We did go through the European artists and we also saw some local artists from Bucks County, PA. in another gallery. We were allowed to photograph these without flashes.

Mary S. Cassatt was born in Philadelphia, but lived in Paris. She loved to paint mainly women and children.

Family Group Reading

Woman with Pearl Necklace in a Loge
Have you ever seen a Picasso like this? So beautiful!

One of my favorites was by Perrier called Evening in Spain

And Brian checking out some local artists from Bucks County, PA

When we left the Van Gogh exhibit, we went across the street to check out a meandering park near the old Waterworks for the Schuylkill River. When I went to junior college, my friends and I went to a few St. Joseph University’s frat parties on boat house row there on the right.

The Water works building is a swanky restaurant now!

The city! I grew up only about 11 miles from here!

Happy to pose outside. We forgot to go see the Rocky statue. The stairs that he ran up were on the other side from where we were.

Yes, I bought some souvenirs, 3 of those lovely bags were only $1 each. I got a double light switch cover of ‘Starry Nights’ (I had seen that painting up in NYC in Feb. ) I got my mom some pens-she collects them. I hope we can come here again in the future, but not through the neighborhoods where the GPS told us to go. These little daytrips do us the world of good!

Mar25

Weekend in Maryland

Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2012 by Dianne

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Lovely king size bed in our room, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

It was nice to get away with the birthday boy from Friday afternoon until Sunday. Just look at this lovely room. I have more photos to share and will do so. This was called ‘The Philadelphia Room’ (pretty funny-we can’t seem to not get something related to where we live). The ‘water closet’ is through those doors there.

Last August, a Livingsocial.com deal came in the email for the Elk Forge Bed and Breakfast in Elkton, MD. Though not far away, under 20 miles, I thought it would make a great birthday getaway for me. As you may have remembered, Brian was sick with pneumonia and I cancelled it the day we were suppose to check in. I had to use the deal soon, so we went for his birthday this past Friday. Here is the birthday boy under the lovely Magnolia next to the inn. The warm weather was making it fall.

What a lovely place! The original is from the late 1700s and they added on, so they have 14 rooms now.

The ‘back’ of it is really pretty, we didn’t venture around to take a shot-this is from their website:

Our room was spacious and relaxing. Only two complaints-the big window behind the fireplace was back lit all night as there are steps right in that area. They need to camouflage that with something. The water was scalding hot and I did burn the toe I dipped in the tub!

Pretty mural in the dining room

Lovely conservatory

Dove couple-they had a baby!

Sweet common area near our room

Down the hallway

We left this on all night-it threw out heat too!

It surely was the Philadelphia room!

Pretty front door

Gnarly tree out back

Our trip to different Maryland towns tomorrow!

Mar22

Spring has sprung, but it’s like summer too!

Posted on Thursday, March 22, 2012 by Dianne

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I’ve heard that my pals up in Canada and Michigan and getting nice 70 degree temps like we are down here in Pennsylvania! Tomorrow it will hover around 80! We haven’t had much rain lately and the ground is cracking. I had a circle of daffodils out where we planted the tomatoes and zucchinis and I guess us working the earth made them bloom ever so nicely this year. They look like this:

The forsythia are blooming and my PT looks pretty near them. Brian gave her a wash for me this week.

My friend Rachel had a little girl on the 15th of this month and I sent her a few gifts. I couldn’t believe I found an outfit that had a cross stitched bear on it! We met through cross stitching! I said I’d give her one of my passes if she wants to bring her two year old son and newborn for a walk in Longwood sometime. She lives closer to Philly, but to the north more.

Brian and I are off for our trip tomorrow afternoon. It’s about 25 miles or so, but a B&B. I have plans to see a few little towns and there is a casino not that far away. We’ll keep busy! I have to wrap up his gifts after I get off from here. I have only a few, but one was a little pricier than the others. He should like the main gift (from Sean and me). Speaking of Sean, he did Turbo Tax and got his refund in less than a week! How lucky is that? We probably won’t get a refund, but we hope to use the program also.

And to live up to my blog name, the person I sent the poppy ATC scanned it when it got to The Netherlands as I forgot:

Mar18

Hitting the road

Posted on Sunday, March 18, 2012 by Dianne

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It’s fun to get in the car and drive about 40 or so miles for a day trip. Sometimes we stop off at places on a whim. Like just last week, Sean and I headed up to Lancaster and turned down a road that lead through the towns of Intercourse and Bird-In-Hand PA. The first place we saw was ‘The Old Candle Barn’ in Intercourse, so we stopped. I had fun looking around and bought a few little things. I saw a button bunny design and would like to replicate it.

They wanted $35 for this. I just won 100 buttons from an eBay action for $5, so I think I can make my own.

We went to the Old Candle Barn’s sister store called ‘The Gathering’ where I got my mom a couple of red granite ware metal plates that have 3 divided sections. She has a red kitchen (my brother painted it this color). The lady there couldn’t believe Sean was my son which was flattering. : )

We took a walk up the road and I took a few photos.

This is a neat grocery store with it’s neon ‘meat’ sign and phone booth you sure don’t see much of anymore.

This gorgeous Magnolia was blooming. Pretty sure it’s a month early.

We didn’t go in here, seems many stores weren’t open

Hmmm…the ‘Edged Weaponry Museum’-must have been lots of swords. Built in 1918.

We got in the car and just a few blocks away were many more people and more shopping. I saw the general store and remembered the scene from ‘Witness’ where Harrison Ford slugged the ‘English’ guy for making fun of the Amish. Someone said he was a ‘cousin from Ohio’. Sean was driving and whizzed on by.
There seems to be more restaurants in Bird-in-Hand. Sean said we can drive down that way again some other time.
Today, Brian and I went up to Oaks, PA to the Pennsylvania Expo center. It’s about 38 miles away. We stopped for a bite at McDonald’s and went on up to the Sugarloaf Craft Festival. We had gone up in November and I thought it would be a nice change of scenery and something not too expensive to do. I had coupons to save us a few bucks off the admission price. There were many of the same vendors and it was fun to check out what people make and sell. I saw lots of photos for sale-gorgeous, but since they were framed, very pricey.
I got this as it’s very rare to find my name spelled correctly. I may borrow this idea for my etsy shop, but with my own twist. The people loved this seller as these mounted piece were only $10. I will make a pretty frame for it.

We spent the most $ in a candy booth! They had like 3 for $10 bags of stuff. I got my mom some Black Jack gum she likes there. Then I bought some small tubes of hand lotion-coconut and lime I think.

We were here about an hour. On the way home we were about to drive past the Valley Forge National Park. Brian turned in and we went to the visitor center and saw some neat things like long swords (hmmm…more edged weaponry-lol) and fossils they found in the park from prehistoric animals. The daffodils out front were all in bloom-pretty!

I guess George Washington slept here?? LOL Administration building

We then headed to a Big Lots and bought some food items and then headed to a grocery store to get meat for dinner. All in all a good distracting day for Brian. Tomorrow he will call the main office to find out about insurance and a 401k he had with the company.