Category Archives: local interest

Sep24

Early Autumn Day

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Mom and I ventured over to Longwood Gardens a few hours before it closed. That was just enough time for me to take 99 photos! Mom did really well walking around, I think better than me as I am knee to toe Icy Hot right now. We finished the day with a Philly cheesesteak. Here’s the link to the slideshow if you are interested. : ) I just noticed how badly the tops of a few of these need cropping. Geez.

Mom poses near the walk of flowers. It was so nice, around 72 and sunny.

Ornamental orange peppers and bronze-orange mums

Lots of real pumpkins and gourds of every shape and variety. These are grown here. It really wasn’t as dark as it looks.

We happen to peek in a room in the conservatory and there was a gorgeous display of handblown  pumpkins, gourds, acorns, etc from a couple in the San Francisco bay area:

This was the front of a huge cornucopia.

We almost had the entire place by ourselves. Pretty neat.

Sep23

Media shots

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The photos are some scenes from my hometown. This is the Trader Joe’s I go to when visiting mom and is located in the old Infantry building. I have to say it’s pretty neat.

Trader Joe’s in the 11th Infantry Building, Media PA, originally uploaded by garyhymes.

I brought my mom home to stay here for a few days. She really loved her gifts from us and the canvas I made for her. She cried when she saw Sean’s portrait. Though we both had tummy issues, we did go out to dinner to The Olive Garden and then looked around a Border’s and then Michael’s craft store. I thought I was getting Sean a neat book on the earth ( his birthday is next) and when we got home, mom saw he had it on his bookshelf! Good eyes there mom. I’ll have to return it. We also visited my brother’s house and I showed my niece my Flickr photos on their computer, which she enjoyed.

Everybody’s Hometown, originally uploaded by hhsc/Greg.
They leave the lights up all year round-I believe they were up the last time I looked.
Sep22

High Def Heaven-finally

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After waiting 3 times, 4 turned out to be the charm, though the tech showed up over an hour late. He was just a young guy, one you’d be a bit afraid to let in your house as he wasn’t dressed in a uniform (at least a shirt or hat), from the company. It’s like night and day with how clear the picture is. All the major channels are high def (if they said on ‘The Insider’ that their Emmy coverage was HD once, they said it 50 times-geez!) Since we have to keep this system for 2 yrs, we went ahead and added 50 more channels for only $10 more a month. Bri says he doesn’t watch much tv, but he is the king of channel surfing. Not too many channels are HD yet, but just wait.

I enjoyed all the glitz of the first hour of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and then switched over to ‘Heroes’. It’s been forever since that’s been on. Some of it was rather nasty in HD, but I like the show, what can I say.
When the news came on, one of the top stories was this:

MEDIA Pa – Sarah Palin threatened to steal the show from running mate John McCain as she warmed up the crowd at their joint appearance at a rally on Monday in Pennsylvania.

“Sarah, Sarah, Sarah,” chanted the crowd as the Republican vice presidential candidate stepped on stage in the town of Media.

“I see a lot of hockey moms out there for McCain,” she said as the crowd roared its approval. She went on to introduce her family, calling husband Todd ”Alaska’s First Dude,” before pointing out their daughters Willow and Piper.

Palin quickly launched into criticisms of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, whom she said “likes to point the finger of blame but, tell me, has he ever lifted a finger to help?”

“In order to get others to say ‘Yes’ to change, has he ever told his own party ‘No?’” she asked. “When it comes to reform, he likes to say, ‘I will,’ but has he ever been able to say, ‘We did?’”

The two Republican candidates go their separate ways again on Tuesday, when McCain campaigns in Ohio and Michigan while Palin meets with several foreign leaders in New York.

Well isn’t that special? My hometown got quite interesting visitors. Media is the county seat. They’ve been mostly Republican, but for a while they had a Democratic mayor. Joe Leiberman was even there. This is such a hot story, the local news haven’t undated their websites about it. Thanks Reuters. My favorite Palin ever-Michael Palin from Monty Python’s Flying Circus. ; )

McCain Palin Rally – Media, PA, originally uploaded by H1GHTOWER.

McCain Palin Rally – Media, PA, originally uploaded by H1GHTOWER.

Sean interned around the corner from the courthouse here.

And from a few days ago (my one brother is there somewhere):

PA Media 9-17-08 Joe Biden Visits, originally uploaded by Barack Obama.

Man, I love that Flickr for photos! : )

Tomorrow is my mom’s birthday and I am going down to take her to dinner. Bri has been complaining about a sore throat on one side and he found an ulcer under his tongue. He doesn’t feel that great in general. Mom wanted to come out for a few days, but we’ll see how Bri is.

Sep12

Mom update, etc.

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My older brother came and took Mom to her follow up visit. The eye doctor said it was healing slowly and she couldn’t even read the big ‘E’ on the chart yet. I had called her before she left and she was sweeping down the steps! OMG-with an eye so susceptible! What was she thinking? Thank goodness she is loading the eye up with 4-5 different drops. She said she had a monster headache all evening. The doctor said that was probably from the anesthesia. He also said she was probably ‘feeling’ it as the anesthesia was wearing off too soon. Mom said she didn’t sleep well, was thinking about all the mess in her house. I told her to worry about her eyes. My mom mom always said the dust will be around in 100 yrs and you won’t.  Wise woman. Mom gets rechecked on Tuesday-keep thinking about her please. : )

I forgot to mention that we got a new t.v. on Wednesday night. We went with Courtney’s suggestion, and got a 26″ Samsung LCD-HDtv. We need to get the high def hooked up. It has a really great picture, she was correct. I am still getting use to the rectangular format over the square. I’d like it maybe 2″ higher too.  I am so old-fashioned! We’re getting our Dishnet updated on Monday to HD-made those arrangements late in the afternoon. Won’t cost anything and we can sell back the old receivers too. I was talking with the young lady and she had cataract surgery as she got a hockey punk to the eye, sort of a coincidence.

It’s rainy here again. It couldn’t rain when we wanted tomatoes and peppers. And there was again another Philly police officer, a woman, who got killed by a 16 yr driver who went out of control in an SUV (I believe). Our local stations have been televising the funerals-so sad.

This evening-

Saw James Taylor selling his new CD ‘Covers’ on QVC tonight. You know, I wonder if I could have been in the stinkin’ audience? Ahhh! The QVC studio is about 25 minutes from here. I guess I’ll have to see if they have a calendar. James seems to have a deal with QVC as he’s been on before hawking CDs. He’s sure not comfortable doing PR and must have taken 8 sips from his water bottle in 1/2 hour.

I’m working on one of those canvases I bought to alter and so far it’s not proving easy. My main image was the front of a catalog and she is wrinkling-a lot. My friends swear by gel medium and I use tacky glue or Mod Podge. I’ve been sticking little holes in it to get the air out. I will just have to layer more. I painted it with Gesso first, that got a little crackled. Then I added red and gold acrylics. I can see ‘something’. My 3 pieces of large art that I found (two from a Christie’s auction catalog) are pretty. I’ll definitely share one way or another.

Sep7

TV went poof!

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Yes, it’s true! The picture tube (it’s over 10 yrs old I believe), has been going. We had it fixed a few years ago too. There were lines running across the top of the screen for months. Just a few days ago, the lines were creeping into the people on the tv. Very annoying. What Bri thinks went is the switch. We heard a noise and then there was an electrical smell-phew! The tv is now out on the back patio waiting for disposal. We are using Sean’s 20″-we are use to the 27″. My question-we want to get a flat screen now (I think that’s mainly what are sold) and can anyone suggest a brand that you own and works well that doesn’t cost a fortune? (like under $600?) Bri thinks that Walmart makes won’t be any good. And there is a definition factor too. I believe that the ‘big electronics’ companies sells to Walmart under a less known name, just like the food companies do in the grocery stores. Secretly I’ve been wanting a new tv for a few years. ; )

The annual Mushroom Festival is in full swing today after the torrential rain we had yesterday. Bri said that it was still on yesterday-hmmm. Wonder who ventured out in that? I may go up at the tail end of it, maybe around 4. That’s maybe. Not a big fan of crowds. It would be nice to get dinner up there though. Last year I wanted to see the chefs who were from the Bravo show ‘Top Chef’. This year the featured chef is a local guy.

Bri just took a huge bag of food over to his dad’s house. His dad still is very weak, maybe a smudgeon better. His sister-in-law wants to come over tomorrow to help with laundry, so he was up tiding the bathrooms. He’s not eating well at all. This is very stressful for Bri and that rubs off on me. I’m going to call the hospital to see if they have a medical alert device (thanks to Tammy for mentioning this). My FIL leaves the house locked up like Fort Knox though. I guess he’ll have to take his chances during the day as my uncle does. Speaking of my uncle, he couldn’t get up out of his chair a few days ago, and it took three of his neighbors (all older men) to get him up. My mom says he is sitting too much and this was the proof of it. Geez-old guys!

Sep1

A little daytrippin’

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I can’t believe it’s September already!

Bri and I went down to Dover, De today. It’s about 50 miles one way and takes an hour. Not much to see, just some marshy areas with egrets and I saw a whole family in one area. Every once in a while, there is a housing development. There are places I want to see and photograph like Lum’s Pond (about 20 miles away-we went there for a company picnic years ago) and Odessa (about 30, but they decorate the old homes for Christmas). I did take a photo of the St. George’s bridge:

This is over the Chesapeake and Delaware Canals (thus named) and taken at over 50 mph. The average speed limit on this stretch of road to Dover was 65 mph. That just seems to fast to us.

Hit a big sale at Atlantic Books warehouse-buy two, get one free. I shop the middle of the store where the bargain books are Bri tends to shop the perimeter where they aren’t on sale, but he was thinking the sale, though he picked out only two books that were over $20 each. Now I really have to love a book to pay that much. When we were checking out, I tossed one of my books in with his-got a $9.00 book for free. I guess we saved $25 on the total sale. I was very selective. I may sell a few of the ones I bought anyway.

We ate dinner at 3:30, having skipped lunch, at The Olive Garden-good parmesan crusted Talapia! Oh, I got a new postage scale at the Office Depot so I will know how much stuff over a pound will cost to ship. I can use click and ship now too!

It was nice to spend some time with Bri as he’s back to work tomorrow.

I’ve been going through links and adding some and taking some out. I think I have some awesome ones to share.

Aug28

Delaware Senator Joe Biden

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Delaware Senator Joe Biden, originally uploaded by Clark Westfield.

To Senator Biden and Attorney General of DE Beau Biden,
You deeply moved the attendees of convention Wednesday night! You brought Michelle Obama to tears. That had to be the highlight of the convention because you brought it to a level where people could relate to you on a personal level. Thank you.

Beau is going to Iraq soon and that really touched people as he won’t be home when the election is going on.

Note-Obviously people in general don’t like to talk politics. I’ve been very liberal since the first time I voted back in 1980 and I’m not going to change. My blog is my journal too, so I write things to remember them too.

Aug26

Late Summer Longwood Gardens 2008

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Late Summer Longwood Gardens 2008, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I did get over to LG for about 1 hour. It’s a little hike to the Italian Water Gardens, my focus here. I didn’t even go to the Idea Garden or Conservatory. I’m going to try and go once a week for the exercise. A week ago, I was at the top of the lighthouse in Atlantic City! Even though I’m hurting some, I think continuing this will be worthwhile and I’ll have more energy.
I saw lots of bees, not one big butterfly. I had to come home to see them. Saw a bride and groom when I was leaving. I think they were just putting on their wedding outfits to get their photos taken.
Came home and made a almost from scratch roast beef dinner (used instant potatoes).

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I want to give a shout out to local young lady Amanda McGrory who will be going for the gold medal in racing at the US ParaOlympics. She was featured on the local news station last night as someone who has made a difference in sports-a ‘game changer’-video here. Amanda use to go to school with Sean (elementary) and was in the CCD class Bri and I helped with many years ago. She is a lovely, bubbly person.

Just got finished watching Hillary Clinton’s speech at the convention. I still wish it was her, but that’s the way it goes. She is so articulate and shows how intelligent she is. Funny to see Bill getting all misty-eyed. Her experience really showed. I like Michelle Obama, but Hillary is the seasoned politician. I know that Michelle isn’t a policitian, but she can surely learn a thing or two from Hillary.

Off to the dentist tomorrow-again. Am getting fed up. They did x-rays on Brian a few weeks ago knowing that he was on his 2nd visit of the year and that he had had a filling-so no insurance money left and us in the hole again. I purposely didn’t have x-rays my second time, nor did Sean. I’m surprised Bri did.

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Aug25

A little snow!

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Surprise! Gotcha!!! I got a prize in the mail today from Flora of Bonehead Studios! I won her door prize and it’s simply adorable. Flora, you are so talented and I am honored to own a piece of your work. Isn’t he something? He’s a snowman on a wand with pretty ribbons. I got a lovely handmade card too.

Here’s the link to the Spooky Times Jingles blog for shopping.

Not too much is new, I just worked on some ATCs with the crushed flower backgrounds-after I went food shopping and making dinner.

My mom is having cataract surgery in the beginning of September. I’ll pick her up from that. Then she is having another eye procedure a few days after her birthday-probably a glaucoma thing. She should have had this done ages ago. Please keep her in your thoughts.

I’m getting itchy to go to Longwood Gardens again, so maybe tomorrow. I want to try to get down to the Italian water gardens this time as I seem to miss it or forget about it.

Aug24

It’s all about Joe

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Since Senator Biden is fairly a ‘local boy’ (born in Scranton, PA), close to both Philly and Wilmington, the news is all about him and the people camping out at his home in Greenville, New Castle County, DE (there is also a Greenville in Kent Co., DE). I like to hear that people sit next to him in church, and see him out and about. He’s been teaching at Widener U law school p.t. since 1991. (My mom worked at the Widener campus in Chester, PA and I attended there a few months-hard school).

Here’s a map of how close the ‘maybe’ next VP lives from me. How cool (his birthday is the day after mine-Nov. 20th)!

Makes me want to take a drive down there to see where he lives! It’s not a very big town and you definitely would not miss it (you know the expression of if you sneeze, you’d miss it) as it has some lovely homes and scenery.

I think a lot of us locals feel we know Biden personally as he’s been a senator so long. He’s had some really down moments in his life-

His 1st wife and infant daughter died in a car accident shortly after he was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972. His two young sons, Beau and Hunter, were seriously injured in the accident, but both eventually made full recoveries. Biden was sworn into office from their bedside. Persuaded not to resign in order to care for them, Biden began the practice of commuting an hour and a half each day on the train from his home in the Wilmington suburbs to Washington, DC, which he continues to do.

In February 1988, after suffering from neck pains, Biden was hospitalized and underwent lifesaving surgery to correct two brain aneurysms, one of which began leaking.[6] The hospitalization and recovery kept him from the Senate for seven months.

From Wikipedia

Biden is a politician through and through!

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Sean is doing well, getting use to living in an apartment and buying his own groceries. Seems the only thing he forgot was a trash can and bags. He can walk a 20 minute walk to the campus or take a bus. Today he took his car to go to church. He’s been visiting with some old pals. Tomorrow classes start.

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I was a cleaning fool yesterday. I think it helped me not to think about Sean driving 160 miles. I even got Bri in the act! He got out the Murphy’s Oil soap and did some of the floors in the living room. Men have such great upper arm strength, that the floor shone! He failed to lift a few area rugs to get the dirt from under them. I worked so hard in the living room, I neglected the family room. Mom and friend dropped by to bring back my tote bag with my latest read and cross stitch project in it and they sat in the messy family room. You want to see my latest XS?

It sure doesn’t look clear here-rats! I think the camera focused on the chart. It’s called ‘Sleeping Kitty’ by Ellen Maurer Stroh. I’m doing it on fabric I think I bought from Carol S. I usually don’t start in the middle (at the top) and I’m finding it harder to keep my place, thus the pencil marks. I don’t think it will take long to finish.

Need to do some art one of these days. I’m stalling working on a Wizard of Oz swap. I have 3 weeks, but I really want to think of something neat for my partner. I have the main piece I will collage and most of the materials gathered. It’s just to sit down and get cracking!

Oh! I’ve been using the back massage chair cushion (Shiatsu by Homedics-my mom has one we bought her too) we have and I think it’s helping! Yeah! When the chiropractor made me lay on a table with the same principle of ‘faux’ massage, the lightbulb went off to start using mine again. Even Bri’s been using it.

Monday will be the first day I’ve been alone since the 15th!