Category Archives: Me stuff

Mar18

Hitting the road

Posted on Sunday, March 18, 2012 by Dianne

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.

Mar17

Happy St. Paddy’s day!

Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2012 by Dianne

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As many of you know, I got my DNA test done and Irish came in second! I am still wrapping my head around that one! So as a ‘newly’ found out Irish lass, I wish you a great green day! ~~I’ll be adding the corned beef to the crock pot shortly!~~

Here I am in my green outfit I wore to Lancaster on a little trip with Sean. The flower is a vintage one from the shop in NYC. I need to make a proper clip out of it.

Which turned out to be probably my last shopping trip for a while, Sean and I went up to Lancaster and we stopped in Intercourse, PA at ‘The Old Candle Barn’. This was a display in one of the rooms which I fell in love with. I am going to try and replicate this a bit (heck I probably have most of the things in this photo, I bought the trio mini vase set but in clear-like $8).

Brian and I are going down to Maryland next weekend. Remember the trip we were suppose to take last November for my birthday? It’s all paid for and we had to use it by next month, so we are going. We get our breakfast, so will have to do a few meals. I am happy to take photos, I don’t have to go to town buying things. He is getting a pretty cool gift I bought last Saturday at Big Lots. I think he will enjoy it as it wasn’t expensive.

Mar3

Photo Hunt Drop and Loud

Posted on Saturday, March 3, 2012 by Dianne

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Close up hummingbird fountain, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

Catching up on a few hunts. I love how I caught the water drop(s) in action in this shot.

And a family tradition is to light up and smoke out the neighborhood on the 4th of July with noisy firecrackers. They whistle, pop and bang-so very loud!

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I heard back from the DNA testing place. They said the test is not for ancestry, that is a totally different test. My friend told me that DNA goes back 1,000 of years. Our ancestors all migrated from about 4 major continents if I’m not mistaken-Asia, Russia, Europe and Africa. My grandmom’s dad was probably born in Sweden or Denmark. That is very close to Russia, so I am sure the ancestors migrated and settled in Sweden. I was surprised to see Ireland as being second, but again-they could have started there and moved to England. I believe my maternal gr-grandmother’s heritage is Irish. I didn’t see a connection to South America, but there were a few from the Middle East and Africa-some small country and Eqypt. Sean said this peaks his interest in learning about ancestors and where they migrated. I think he was seeing maps in his head.

Mar1

Solemn Sunday in NYC

Posted on Thursday, March 1, 2012 by Dianne

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The last day we were in NYC, Sean left to go to his meeting before us. We then all met up at St. Patrick’s Cathedral where we went to mass like we did almost 5 years ago when we attended Karin’s wedding.

This was taken the night before:

It was a nice service and not as long as our church services here! We then decided to head over to Central Park and Strawberry Fields to see the Imagine plaque in memory of John Lennon, the Beatle who was killed across the street outside of his home, the Dakota building.

Brian on the left there, our biggest Beatles fan:

The Dakota:

What pretty sights here! I can just ‘imagine’ how pretty it is in the summertime. We’d like to see it all green and lush too. I believe Sean said it had over 800 acres here.

For it being a brisk day, there were still a lot of people milling around.
Our next ‘must see’ place was the new WTC Memorial which was in lower Manhattan. We had timed tickets for it. Sean paid for the almost $20 taxi ride as Central Park was on his ‘wish list’ of places to see, so that’s why we went. I am really glad we did though.
When we got to the memorial area, we were a bit confused as to where to go as they had fences with blue signs all around the area (lots of construction here). We went down one way, though the signs had arrows pointing the other. I saw other people walking the wrong way. We got in the line, which moved quickly, but they have a security check point where we had to put our coat and belongings through the x-ray machine! I believe our tickets were checked 3 times. With all the walking, etc. and no lunch, I has a bit light-headed going in the memorial area-so I was keeping my head up, believe me as it was hard to go in there. It was quite a place to see-such large flowing squares of waterfalls where the twin towers use to go. You start to read the names, but then you start seeing names like ‘Sean’ and you can’t read them anymore.

This is the museum under construction

I read that the remains of about half the victims will be placed somewhere in the museum as they couldn’t be identified.

I happen to look up Vanessa’s name and read a little bit about her. Her mom is a writer who said 3 days before Bin Laden was killed, an angel fell off her table and the wings ‘perfectly’ broke off the back of the piece. She feels her daughter earned her wings then.
We only stayed about 20 minutes or so. We stopped to hear an excellent guide say how the letters are chiseled out to make the names, so something is missing, like the people here. The falling water is like ocean tears. He stood near a tree that survived the attacks, it was being nursed back to health and had wires, etc. to train the branches. It may have been a sweet gum tree. I had no desire to have my picture taken here, though Sean did and his face told it all. We nodded to the police officers standing near the exit to pay our respects to their deceased brothers and sisters in uniform.
We found a little place to eat a block down from here, after we had gone through the gift shop. We bought pens, a wristband and a ‘gold’ sweet gumball tree leaf to symbolize the trees they will be planting in this area. Most of the money goes to the memorial. They had moving videos playing and items like a wallet from a victim with his lucky $2 in it as he asked his fiance to marry him, it being the second time for both.
The restaurant was near the Freedom Tower

I believe they said a floor a week goes up. I heard there is also a Subway Sandwich shop a floor or two below that follows the workers up so they have a place to grab lunch or a drink.
The restaurant was nice with Picasso like painting and the shine from the Freedom tower coming in through the window

I ‘check in’ at the different places we go to with the phone app ‘FourSquare’ and this restaurant had a link to another NY app and we got $20 off. Too bad they didn’t take any off the price of beverages. I tell the guys to get water, but they don’t listen. They made me peppermint tea as I was chilled to the bone.
So we walked up a few blocks-it was about 4:30 and not one taxi was stopping. When we thought we had one, the guy asked where we were going and we said 42nd and he shook his head. The young woman said we should have just climbed in as they aren’t allowed to refuse passengers. After 20 minutes or so, a taxi did stop as he was headed in the direction we needed to go. A few times the 3 of us were squeezed in a Ford Escape taxi. We gave him a good tip for helping. He said that time of day the shifts change so they won’t stop that much.
We had a busy 3 days and saw a lot of neat things and we’d go back again! The more you go, the more you can find your way around. Not driving was a good idea. The bus was convenient as were the taxis.
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I got a Connect My DNA kit from a LivingSocial.com offer as I thought it would be fun to see the distribution of my DNA. I knew I was English, Danish, Swedish, German, French and Irish. They send you the cotton swabs on sticks to collect DNA off the inside of your cheeks and you send it back in an envelope with a barcode on it. I remembered to look last night and low and behold, they must have messed up or mixed me up with someone else as I am not, Russian, or mostly Irish or Syrian! I wrote to them this morning and let them know I know my heritage from genealogies from both sides of my family. I’d like a re-test for the money I spent. We don’t have one Russian that I know of in my family.
I guess I’m off to go shopping with my mom soon. The above info made my mind wonder a lot last night until I told myself it just couldn’t be true for goodness sake. : )
Last but my least:
Our view going home Sunday night:

Feb28

Getting around NYC

Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 by Dianne

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I’ve not been vegetating here, well maybe a little. We’ve been trying to get ourselves on our regular schedule again as a few days away can mess up your system. Brian’s dad was suffering with his right leg so much, Brian took him to the ER on Monday. They said it looks like arthritis to them. He’s going to get to the point where he won’t be able to get around or drive-your right leg is important for that. I think the next few months will be very telling in what the future will be for Brian’s dad. We all have to face this I guess.
Yesterday Sean took me out for pizza and I headed across the street to Kmart to get plastic boxes. There must have been a dozen or more racks with the sign ‘$5.99′ displayed for nice things like corduroys, Jaclyn Smith items (I got a $79.99 jacket for $5.99), Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) items. I bought several pieces and tried some on that just fit too snuggly, so they are going back shortly.
We got home from New York late on Sunday, after 8:30 pm. We arrived about 2 pm on Friday, grabbed lunch at an Olive Garden and then got on the bus to the city around 4:30 pm. Repeat this, never take a bus to NYC between 4-7 pm on a Friday. A 15-20 minute ride took 1 hour and 15 minutes. There were 4 of us on this huge NJ transit bus. The one problem with that is I saw dozens of near empty buses-so that made more traffic. We were punchy when we got off the bus and found our way through the bus station. We got outside and it was raining and very crowded. Silly me thought Sean knew his way to the hotel where his GIS conference was-he didn’t. It had been almost 5 years since we were there to boot. Sean was like a deer in headlights and didn’t know where to go! A cop directed us to the Hilton in Times Square-nope, we needed the one near Rockefeller Center. So we walked a block or so out of the congestion and hailed a cab-got us to the Hilton, he signed in and then we headed across the street to the Museum of Modern art (MoMA) as it was free on Friday nights between 4-7! And it too was crowded. I love art and got to see so many masters’ work like Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso,Matisse, Gauguin, etc. Here is Monet’s Agapanthus

There are two of these large murals by Monet which took him 4-5 years to finish:

I was thrilled to see ‘Starry Nights’ by Van Gogh:

We didn’t get to see Andy Warhol’s famous Campbell soup cans or Jasper James Flag-some other time.
We then headed to the Rockefeller Center area. It was raining off and on, so we were glad to have umbrellas. Unfortunately the bottoms of our pants and shoes got very wet.
I thought this was cute of Sean near Radio City Music Hall.

We then saw this pretty area.

Prometheus lit by colorful lights

We asked the young lady guard in the concourse, under this area where we could eat and she suggested Billy’s Burgers. So we headed there where Sean enjoyed a large turkey club (yes, he blew Lent) and Brian and I had shrimp burgers, though we messed up for Lent in Olive Garden earlier.
We walked along and saw the following:

Set from Today Show

Chase Bank

Window of Christie’s Auction showing the Elizabeth Taylor auction (I think one took place already and they sold one of her Van Gogh’s)
We ended up back in Time’s Square-we walked many blocks too.

Sean would go here Saturday night

And we stopped and bought cupcakes to eat later-Sean had a toasted coconut and I had a white chocolate and Brian a Chocolate Snowball. I thank them for showing the calorie count (about 1/3 of your daily intake if you are a lady on a diet-oy).

And yes, they were yummy.
I’ll talk about the next few days in different posts.

Feb7

Winter blahs

Posted on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 by Dianne

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Turns out my cold was more than a cold. I decided to call the doctor yesterday and though I didn’t have to go in for an exam, the doctor called me in a Z-pack antibiotic as she thought it sounded like I had a sinus infection. I was a little feverish last night. One good thing, I have a good appetite, but I’m hungry all the time. I still have stuffiness, and a loose cough now. I have 4 more days for the medicine-only 1 a day.

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Here’s a design I made out of a cardboard frame a friend sent:

It’s a photo copy from an old book of mine. Thought I’d give it to my mom.

I have so many winter projects I’d like to start, but my head hurts and it’s hard to concentrate.

I don’t wish this on anyone! Stay well!

Feb2

Spring-like weather

Posted on Thursday, February 2, 2012 by Dianne

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Yesterday here, it reached almost 70! Wow!! The day before it was in the 60s. I went out on those two days and raked leaves and debris in the side yard until my left elbow ached. We usually dump the cart down the hill and my pile was so big, I stopped. I have a lot more to do. I had gone to town raking in the front yard in the middle of November. With Brian having pneumonia and Sean working and going to school now, I wanted to jump start spring cleaning. Unfortunately, my sinuses haven’t been great. I have postnasal drip and an itchy throat. I’m blaming it on the dental issues (I usually get something from that and going 5 different times, I was doomed to catch a bug). But the cold weather will calm down the weird stuff floating in the air and there I was digging into composting leaves and stuff, so that didn’t help me. I am using Claritin, the neti pot and some nasal decongestant if I can’t stand the drip. It took about 3 hours to feel better this morning. I’ve been waking up at 5 or 6 am with a tickle, worst yesterday.

Anyway…

Now the little groundhog Phil a further north in Pennsylvania had to see his shadow-6 more weeks of winter! If it stays nice, it won’t be too bad!

Jan24

Let’s hope these fixes hold

Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 by Dianne

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I was at the dentist yet again. The new temp duo was fixed by the dentist’s assistant (got a chip in it last night) and I asked her to check my upper crown too. She called the dentist in and he filled it like a cavity. He said no more crowns for that one, that he’d continue to fix it until I eventually need an implant. I had a bit of a rant in an email to him last night…some of my words…’financial burden’….’my anxiety level keeps raising’… I guess he got the picture. I came home and ate popcorn. Hopefully all will stay good for a few more weeks until the crowns are ready. The receptionist tried to milk more moola out of me, ‘for my balance’. I said in two weeks. It was rough waiting until 5 to go. I ate dinner at 4-shrimp fried rice and apple chicken sausage from Trader Joe’s.

All was well with my mom. I should have started off with that. Being a lady’s matter I’m sure she wouldn’t want me to come right out and say what was the matter. I’ll say one word, (so go look it up) ‘prolapsed’. She’s good for another year and is getting a mammogram soon. She had us worried, but she’s like her mom and bounces back. The weather was strange yesterday-rainy, a bit warm and foggy-perfect for ducks.

I’ve been working on projects, including one for a Flickr group. They all need finishing touches and I will share soon. Doing these helped get my mind off my teeth and annoying postnasal drip. The later seems to get stirred up every few weeks.

I got declined from the online writing job. I guess they thought either my blog stunk or I didn’t have enough writing experience. I took a look at one of their writers when I was checking out their site and she was just alright, nothing flashy about her writing. Brian just reminded me that I took a correspondence course in the 90s and did have samples of my actual ‘typed’ writing. I got a diploma for ‘Writing for Children’s Magazines’. Maybe I should see if that is still in demand. So the search goes on. BTW, this is post 3, 293- Suite101.com. So there….

Jan21

A little snow event

Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2012 by Dianne

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Overnight we got a little snow, about 2″ of it, but of course it wouldn’t be a complete dump without a little frozen precipitation on top. I would have been fine with that, but I had to go out this morning as I had a piece of a crown break off while sucking on a peppermint Life Saver! Talk about luck! Brian took me in at 9:30 and the dentist cleaned around the temp on the bottom as it still was bothering me and said the one on top (yep, problems with the bottom left and top right-fun chewing times!) that has a post into my gum needs to be replaced! This will be the third one now (roughly at $900 each). I can eat with it. I guess when I go in to get the ones on the bottom, they will prepare that one and probably the one next to it which needs a filling underneath (that’s the one I thought broke). Luckily the tops ones both have had root canals.
Here is a bit of a peek of the snow:

Last week, before all the dental stuff, Sean and I went up to the outlets in Lancaster. I got some great deals in the QVC outlet store, some slacks, tops and this which I tried out last night:

It’s a Technique muffin pan that makes square muffins! They didn’t stick, but deflated a bit, but very moist. The mix was a raspberry one found at The Christmas Tree Shops for $2.00 (half off). The price on the page does not reflect what I paid-I think mine was $15 with something off!

I ‘did’ work on a little project for my arts and crafts day. I am almost finished, but not quite up to it today. It’s a little shadow box. I don’t know about you, but when I have teeth or head issues, I just tend to be blah and stare at stuff. Glad I made an effort. I did print out some Valentine’s things and may work on them tomorrow.

Sean just booked a room in Seacaucus, NJ, 8 miles out of NYC. We can grab a bus in. We’ll plan our itinerary now.

Monday I take my mom to the doctor. A long time coming and I pray all is fine.

Jan18

One year ago

Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 by Dianne

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I was not to be seen in blogland for over 3 days. I had that gnawing pain in my gut and it turned out to be a bum appendix (with a benign polyp) and a case of pneumonia and I ended up in the hospital. I didn’t feel that bad from it really, but the shots in the tummy were not fun nor getting pumped up with medication. The guys went out and bought the Mariner the day after I got home, a big surprise!

So this January it’s all about the teeth. Went for a cleaning, they took x-rays and all the work that needs to be fixed sprang out from the shadows. Yesterday I went to the dentist and was there two hours. So nice of them to let me use an iPod with James Taylor drowning out the drilling-which I wondered why went on for over 4 songs. Seems I had 4 cavities and of course had the temp crowns made. My gums are hurting a bit, but so far I can live with it.

I declared Fridays for ‘Arts and Crafts’ on a Facebook post. I don’t necessarily mean all day, but it can be from paper collaging to baking for a few hours-I just want to produce something to share. : ) I need to do this for myself. I am happy getting help with the big jobs like the basement so I can think of being creative again. What was down in that dungeon (and still is) taking up space was insane. I have a few boxes to sort, maybe tomorrow if I can lean over.

I’m waiting to hear from a few online sites about writing articles for them. I submitted a blog post, so hello there Suite101.com if you happen to read this too. The child care leads seems to be going no where. I don’t have a premium account, not sure if that’s it, but it’s expensive. I got a background check thinking that may make the people happy-maybe I’m too old.