Category Archives: Mom

Oct31

Happy Halloween!

Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 by Dianne

It will be over soon, but I wanted to stop in and show you a few nice photos.

I sent mom some flowers from Hallmark that came in a cute haunted house cookie/candy jar. I love the orange and purple! She loved them too.

My niece as Dorothy from Oz. I think The Wizard of Oz is our favorite movie.

My silly family-my sister-in-law, niece, brother and nephew as a hillbilly. Those are the candy corn hats I crocheted for the kids a few years ago.

I gave them this cool Gothic haunted house as a present this

year. It’s about 10″ tall.

I had given T. most of these stickers and she made this awesome poster out of them. Pretty nice and following in my footsteps maybe?

Footnote-I have to get a few more x-rays done because I put down a symptom on my mammogram form that I fill out every year and never did this before (they didn’t say this, but that’s what makes sense to me). I hadn’t seen the message today and Bri said, the radiology dept left a message-oh great! I had it done four days ago and thought I was ok for a year. I’m trying not to be nervous as the tech almost didn’t do the ‘standard’ mammogram because of what I wrote down. I’ll keep you posted. That was my 9th one too. Knowledge is power-Oprah is right! My mom and sister-in-law agree with what I said above.

Oct20

My old mug

Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007 by Dianne

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This mug was my favorite mug back in the late 70s. Mom just gave it back to me. I’m enjoying a mug of jasmine tea right now!

This is a little tree that I hung some tags on that I bought from a lady on eBay. I love other people’s art work and these are sweet. This artist is Honeygirl Studios.

Bri and I planted 3 mums on the side of the evergreen in the front yard. I also dug up my Persian Shield plant. It wore me out as I had about 4 hours of sleep last night. I got up to go in the bathroom at 6 am and heard the answering machine in the family room beeping. What? So I went in and it was my mom’s # on the caller ID at 2:37 am this morning! I listened to it and it was a lot of muffled stuff. Now it sounded like she had been mugged or something! I didn’t call her at that time of the day, but waited a few hours and she has no recollection on even touching the phone which concerns me. Weird.

Oct17

Splendid fall day

Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 by Dianne

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Mom came back from my uncle’s house and we headed over to Longwood Gardens. Most of the pretty beds that were there in September are gone. Not to say there wasn’t a lot to look at! We were there about 3 hours as it was in the high 70s.We got a wheelchair and I definitely worked out every muscle in my bod! Mom did get up a lot. I let her use my Power Shot digital and she had a blast using that until the battery died. We had some food in the restaurant (Mom a full lunch at 3! and me a half of pita with hummus and portabella mushrooms) The following photos are mine (out of 75!)

Mom looking lovely in her floral print top-perfect for today!

Bulbs laid out for spring. They really plant them heavily!

Awesome carved pumpkins
Autumnal display at the Pierre DuPont house
Bee on butterfly weed? Waterlilies
Waterlily gardens outside the conservatory. They were absolutely stunning this year!

Close up of waterlily
I will be uploading more photos to Flickr soon. There are some awesome orchids shots too.

Oct16

Trying something else

Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 by Dianne

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You know I’ve been on a kick to lower my triglycerides even though I haven’t had them tested in like 15 months. I gave Flaxseed oil capsules another whirl-not good. I couldn’t even eat a Ricola this morning it burnt going down. I also read that Flaxseed oil should be kept in the frig. I have mine in the cabinet and the expiration date in 2009! I bought it off the shelf too. I cut one open and it is really strong, so maybe they are not fresh.

I happen to catch Martha Stewart yesterday and she was talking about the essential amino acids. She mentioned ‘lysine’ and said it is good your triglycerides! I did a search and lots of foods have it-soy, green beans, etc. I’ll have to write them down and eat a ton of them!

Mom went to my uncle’s yesterday. My aunt is improved but talking jibberish. Maybe she had a fever or it’s just her age. Bri’s dad has some weird rash on his tummy and is getting that checked out. He has lost weight over the last few years (teeth issues) and I think it was chafing that got infected. Of course he’s thinking lymph nodes and the ‘C’ word. No use scaring yourself and stop playing doctor!

I have several piles of lawn ornaments to deal with. It’s nice weather again. Mom and I will probably hit Longwood Gardens tomorrow, but I’ll push her around in a wheelchair, because she won’t be able to walk around there like she use to.

I was looking at some really old unfinished stitching projects and decided to finish a few. One is a little Amish girl and boy. I have had to tear some things out, but it will make an adorable box cover. Not sure when I started it, but the leaflet is from 1985! Remember I have finished a few things like the turkey wreath and the stitching girl. I also have ‘kissing babies’ that I remember doing in our apartment and we haven’t lived there for over 21 yrs! I think I did add to it a few years ago, but the border and background is all that it needs now.

I’m getting some goodies together for Sean’s 21st birthday which is on the 24th as we won’t see him that day. I need to get the gift cards and a few other things. We will have a little get together for him when he comes home in November to make it special for him.

Oct15

Weekend visitor

Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007 by Dianne

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My mom came over on Saturday and will go home this afternoon. It’s nice to have company and she was glad to get a change of scenery. She was originally going to go over my uncle’s house yesterday, but my aunt (in a nursing home) ended up in the hospital with a bad urinary track infection. She is going on 92, so they didn’t want to take chances. She seems to better from the antibiotics.

I made mom a nice dinner Sunday(I did overcook the meat a bit as I was playing with PaintShop Pro), but it was good and she enjoyed it. She’s been enjoying my art magazines and books and even sketched out a fall still life from one of my books. This is good for her. And she gets to stay in Sean’s room which she likes as she misses him a lot.

I didn’t get outside or switch my summer clothes to winter ones because mom was here. I can use Sean’s room as a sorting room this year which will be helpful.

Have a great day. : )

Oct9

Venturing and raining

Posted on Tuesday, October 9, 2007 by Dianne

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Today I got awake a little after 7 and got up right before 8 as I knew my sister-in-law Colleen wanted me down to her house around 10:30 so she could do my hair. I actually got out the door around 9:30 and even stopped at the post office in Chadds Ford to mail a package and the Love Quilts Thunderbird square. Colleen wasn’t home, but I went in and ate some yogurt and only had to wait about 10 minutes as she had been food shopping. So now I have brown hair again(!), almost like my real color. She was nice enough to trim my hair and blow it dry too. I was out of there by 12, got lunch for my mom and me and headed for mom’s house. After we ate, she wasn’t feeling chipper and I just started tidying up there. Two hours later she was ready to go out, but I was ready to go home. I left at 3 and headed down the road then decided to stop off at a cross stitch shop I hadn’t been to in years. I was looking around and saw the cute punch needlework samples. The shopkeeper showed me how to do it (she was a lefty too) and I decided to buy a kit and the needle. I also bought Little House’s ‘House of a Needleworker’; The Prairie Schooler’ Santa’s 1-4 days of Christmas; TPS 2005 and 2007 Santa cards and some mocha linen to make the Santas on. I stopped and got us some pizza (small ones-white for me and regular for Bri). When I went to look at my stash from the shop, I saw the linen said $8.50 on it and the receipt said $17.00! That’s a big difference. I’ll have to call to see about that and may have to make another trip there.

~Update-I was charged for the bigger piece of linen (one number difference in the item number on the receipt!), so I do have to go back to the store and either get my money back or another piece of fabric. I might as well get another piece of fabric. ; )

Needless to say, I’m bushed. We had some thunderstorms pass through tonight and it’s now in the 60s. Nice to have some rain!

And I got a new school photo of my darling niece Tori. She did good posing as it looks just like her, no silly or scared face just her sweet smile.

Oct1

My 1st professionally framed XS pieces

Posted on Monday, October 1, 2007 by Dianne

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This has a pretty moss colored mat with a thread-like texture through it. The frame is a two-tone wood and has some of the maple color of what’s in the house. I will probably hang this in the family room. I realize this photo is a bit dark.

This is off white and with a distressed look. I think it will go in the kitchen as it’s under glass like the first piece.
I went down to my mom’s although I am having some tummy issues. We went out to lunch, then to JoAnn’s and I came home. Well, I did make a brief stop at Borders and they had the JCS ’07 Ornament Issue. It has some cute designs. We ordered Chinese which may not have been a wise choice for yours truly as I have a burning tummy right now. Oy.

Sep23

Happy Birthday Mom!

Posted on Sunday, September 23, 2007 by Dianne

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Mom (Jeanne) and I are very close. I hope this turns out to be a lovely day for her. I spent at least 1.5 hours wrapping her gifts and they look pretty in their fuchsias, pinks and raspberry papers.

And the cupcakes I made and decorated:

My brother is having us all at his place for dinner. There is also a flea market doing on-hmmm…maybe we can hit that first! ; )

We had a nice evening as you can see. Colleen and Ken outdid themselves (mostly C) with the grub-steak, shrimp, chicken and the works! Ken did his good deed of the day by going out to see Uncle Don.

We played movie trivia which I won twice-yahoo! : ) And we played the DVD of Deal or No Deal and we won money twice, but the first time we could have had $400k and walked away with $115k! ; )

My bros with mom-one is missing

The grandkids and mom-Sean is missing!

Two daughter-in-law and one son in-law

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DON’T FORGET TO TAKE A GUESS ON THE CONTEST PAGE AT THE LINK ABOVE!

Sep21

Domestic Dianne

Posted on Friday, September 21, 2007 by Dianne

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I decided to go help my mom a bit yesterday. She seemed like she needed me to come down and I did. I can’t do any yard work there as she has a bad mosquito problem. There must be a ton of stuff filled with water around in hidden places. I got out of the van and one landed on me!

So I did half the kitchen. She is rearranging cabinets, but what I saw, didn’t work. I tried to put all the tomato based items on one shelf, then separated the fruits and veggies. For some reason she has a spider problem in her cabinets. I am not a spider fan and was scared to put my hands in them as I saw little egg sacks. I had to get the broom first. I also went through her spices. For someone who has so much of everything (like 7 cans of tuna), she was trying to hold on to open jars of spices (no lids) and outdated items. I really think her time in that house is limited. I wish she’d just let me help as much as I can.

For some reason she took boxes from her basement and but them outside and never brought them in again. She said she was sorting them out, but water got in them and ruined books, yarn and Christmas ornaments. I think her reasoning skills are affected a bunch from her pain meds.

We did go out to dinner to Bennigan’s where she had steak and I had salmon. I’m thinking of the Omega 3 factor since Bri and I are getting our bloodwork done on Tuesday morning. I sure hope my triglycerides are lower. I am trying to take the flaxseed oil capsules a few times a week too.

I cleaned in my kitchen today. I wiped down shelves and the top of the frig-ugh! And I also wiped out the garden window and rearranged the plants. You have to be somewhat of a contortionist to get to the glass shelf and the deep part, but it looks so nice now.

And here are a few ATCs I’ve been working on lately.

Today, a friend in California sent me her little collage book to add to. I was flattered.

Have a great weekend!

Sep16

Say it ain’t so

Posted on Sunday, September 16, 2007 by Dianne

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That I am still pulling weeds in the middle of September! Usually by now I say the heck with it. I have to admit that I did the front area where people look as they pass the house. I filled up two garden carts with weeds, mostly those long grasses. Now my pretty blue and peach salvia are making a nice show. I promise a photo. I gave up weeding after an hour as my back was hurting. I am also pleased with my ‘trash grabs’; remember when Sean and I went to the nursery a few months back and the lady gave me plants she was tossing? They both are blooming-pink and white trumpet flowers-one is the Mandevilla and the other is very similar, but the leaves are a bit different.

When I came in I decided to make the gown for my ‘Mommy paper doll’. My friend gave me the body template and I used the photo of my mom when she was about 20. I assembled the body with brads and painted it too. The dress is made from some of the scrap paper I got in the mail yesterday. Her belt and shoes were made from a band from a candy box. Her belt and bag have butterfly accents. I think she looks like she is ready to go to the Emmys (you all are getting a sneak peek)!

And here’s her journal with her initials and the first page that I did for her:

I worked on my ’57 Thunderbird (Love Quilts) while watching the Emmys. It was in ‘the round’ and I felt bad for winners like James Spader who said they were the ‘worst seats he ever had’. I was glad Katherine Heigl from Grey’s Anatomy won. It was neat to see some of the cast from ‘Roots’ which was a miniseries 30 yrs ago when I graduated from high school. I didn’t know that Edward Albert, Jr (Butterflies are Free) had passed away last September-the ‘In Memorium’ showed his picture. I looked him up and he was only 55 and had lung cancer. His dad had passed on in ’06 at 96! Eddie Jr took care of his dad for 10 yrs. I liked both of them a lot.

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We went to church this morning as we thought Father M needed help as the ‘main’ usher was in a car accident last week in Virginia. We had heard he bruised or broke his ribs, but he was in the hospital. We have known Chris and his family for at least 10 years and when we saw him standing there today, well I just had to give him a hug! I think I surprised him! Later he told Bri that the rear axle on his Ford Explorer had broken when he was going about 55 mph! He rolled over at least 2-3 times and doesn’t remember anything except waking up when the paramedics were talking to him. I think he’s one lucky guy!