Category Archives: pals

Jan8

Getting things done

Posted on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 by Dianne

This is getting ridiculous. I don’t want my pals to think I’m slowing down in my advanced years! Ok, I’m not ‘that’ old, but this isn’t like me to send gifts so late. It’s all the stuff that happened between Oct.31-Dec. 7, and then the mad Christmas scramble-the sinus cold and something else now that has me moving slower. But, I did get two things wrapped up and ready to send to England and Ireland. I have something almost ready to go to Canada. Another item, a grad gift, was assembled over the weekend and that’s wrapped. There are still things on the little love seat that need to get in boxes and mailed too! Some aren’t expected, but my one friend needs something to make her smile as she just got diagnosed with pneumonia and may have an autoimmune disease.

My mom’s range top and oven went out. She had someone there to look at the situation and he said she needed new appliances! The oven is fairly new, but I bet it’s the wiring and he didn’t want to get into that. She is waiting on someone else to come now.

Sean took advantage of the warm weather and ran in the park today. I wanted to go, but wasn’t up to it. I did have the cat out on his harness yesterday and we had a nice walk, though he was in a hissy fit mood. Sean’s off for his 6th semester at PSU on Saturday.

Dec23

Love/hate cookie baking

Posted on Sunday, December 23, 2007 by Dianne

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I do love making cookies but not when I’m baking down to the wire for a major holiday. I actually went to the grocery store-again!-with Bri so he could get some cheeses and meats for his dad. Every year we give him a food basket. When I got home, I got started on the lemon squares. I had let the butter sit out too long and the bottom part was like icing instead of crumbly. They came out good, but the lemon part separated from the bottom part. I have them really squeezed into a tin, so maybe the two parts will meet again. I also did the macadamia orange cookies and they are delicious! I just assembled a nice variety of cookies in a Chinese take-out container for Mr. Mailman and stuck it in a Christmas Glad bag and out it went to the mailbox. I’ve done that as long as I can remember-cookies for about 4 different carriers now.

I was sitting here thinking that I should make cookies a few times a month and freeze them to have. That way I could try different ones and pick the best for Christmas.

Well off to relax a bit. I was going to tidy up more, but ended up in the bedroom tidying up my clothes-whew-it looked like a cyclone hit!

I slept really well last night as I wasn’t cold for a change! We have some balmy weather and it makes it nicer for sleeping. Someday we will replace the door in the basement that has glass panels in it (that leads to the steps and metal doors) that is directly under our bedroom. It’s cold in the winter!

Congrats to my friend Barbara on the arrival on her new son Arden. Not sure if he was born on the 21st or 22nd. Her husband left a message in her comments yesterday and that’s all we know. Can’t wait to see a photo of him!

Dec22

A little sewing and finishing

Posted on Saturday, December 22, 2007 by Dianne

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Even though I haven’t slept well for a few nights, I decided to get a little sewing out of the way for projects that are due for a lottery (see side bar) and for a Christmas ornament. I never learn my lesson about climbing up and down off my step ladder or squatting too much, so I suffer with a groin pull. I thought sewing would be a quiet activity, though my concentration and mood were a bit off. So I finished a drawstring bag for the Cross stitcher’s lottery that is due for the 31st. I didn’t have too much trouble until I got to the casing stitching and fitting the safety pin through that to find the end. Oy! Anyway, it’s cute and I am glad that’s out of the way.

Snowbunnies by Little Needleworks-Just Cross stitch 2007 ornament issue

And this is The Prairie Schooler cardinal duo I stitched a few months back. It’s on my feather tree.

I have to turn the Amish children and apple tree into a square box top. I just need to find the box. I am sure I have one somewhere! And another piece is a gift I will turn into a flat fold. Hopefully I’ll make them within a few weeks.

My friend Zoey sent me a beautifully quilted piece that she made today. It’s a hot pad. I’ve admired her work for ages (as shown on her blog) and now I get to own something she made. Thanks so much for the lovely gift.

Off to church soon. I hope I don’t take a nap there. ; )

Dec21

Making this the quiet day

Posted on Friday, December 21, 2007 by Dianne

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Now 6 kinds of cookies is a lot and I can’t believe I want to make 2 more kinds! I must have lemon bars. And then there is the one with those expensive macadamia nuts. I need a breather though. I just can’t do anymore standing on my feet for a day or so. I can’t forget I had that dang procedure only 3.2 weeks ago!

The cookies with the caramel sauce were really sticky and I had to let them set up in the frig. And then I used cheap-o aluminum foil-don’t use that. I have to sit down and make sure the cut bars don’t have tiny pieces stuck to them. I had some in my mouth-I was lucky I don’t have many metal fillings left in there! : )

<—Go check out Alexis Stewart’s cookies and candies on either her mom’s blog or her ‘Whatever’ blog! She really goes to town with some extraordinary treats and packaging! She obviously only makes them and doesn’t eat them-skinny! I sample mine to make sure they are good. That’s usually enough for me until I want a cup of cocoa or tea…and a cookie!

Sean is coming home in the afternoon. His big present came today. I can’t say what it is as I’m getting mom the same thing and hers didn’t come, though hers has an accessory. If you want to guess in my comments what these are, go ahead. Think Longwood Gardens…..or any neat place…..

I have a list here:

Christmas stuff in the bedroom-need to go through stuff I purchased last year at then JoAnn’s sale.

Tidy up near sofa, eBay box and bookcase area (yes, books are on the floor too). The sofa area is doable-not sure of the other places. See all these books? They are the ones I had to move back in September. I think I could have hurt myself doing this.

What’s sad is that one full shelf is all Christmas books-crafts, decorations, those lovely Southern Living ones, and I didn’t open one of them this year. Not to say I won’t during the next year when I want to do more crafting!

Next on the list:

Finish cookies (not today!)

Fudge-takes 5 minutes. I just read that someone makes it the way I do, on the stove, and they whip it before pouring it in the pan! I’ll have to find their post about that again.

Christmas card for a family from our church who was concerned about me and the procedure. I was really touched that they sent me a card.

Bows on gifts-I told you why.

And I forgot to put my mini Belsnickle Santas out! I have to see if their display case can be hung up. I don’t have a ton of table space.

Thanks to all who commented on my decorations. I looked at 100 blogs-no wonder my eyes are tired-and I didn’t see any other snowbabies-yet.

Check out my ‘board of fame’-family, friends, Make A Child Smile kids and their thank you notes, pictures I like, postcards, my 30th reunion name tag! Can you spot the first photo of Bri and me taken in one of those photo booths (on the boardwalk in Wildwood, NJ)?

Try to take it easy!

Dec20

Winding down

Posted on Thursday, December 20, 2007 by Dianne

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Ever have a busy day and you know you should be getting shut eye, but the adrenaline just keeps pumping? I am getting there, very tired and yawning. Wednesday I made 4 kinds of cookies-Butter flavored Crisco Chocolate Chips (the best recipe), 7 layer cookies (from a box mix-so skimpy, I’ll make more), Russian Tea cakes and last but not least, Rum Raisin Cheesecake squares. Two were in a pan, so not too hard to make. My CCs are a little brown, I swear the first batch gets that way. Today I’m trying new recipes…involving ice cream caramel sauce, macadamia nuts, peanuts and peanut butter cookie dough-not in one cookie recipe! I have a ton of Reese’s peanut butter cups I should sub for Hershey kisses in that blossom recipe.

I’ve been watching ‘Clash of the Choirs’ as I’ve been in so many. It would have been awesome to be in the Patti LaBelle one! I sing soprano, but I can sing lower if I wanted to. : )

Wish my friend Barbara well, she may be welcoming her little kiddle into the world today! Good luck!

Nov30

Seeing clearly

Posted on Friday, November 30, 2007 by Dianne

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I like how the discharge instructions from the hospital said not to ‘make major life decisions for 24 hours after anesthesia’-did they get sued or something in the past? Me trying to cross stitch was somewhat interesting-but for the life of me, I can’t get one window in a house to be 7 stitches high-it’s stuck at 6 high-and it needs to be fixed. Maybe I’ll see where I messed up later.

I asked Brian to take down the autumn decorations around the front step area as I couldn’t reach up to get the leaf garland. I stuck a berry wreath on the door with a cardinal-so that’s a start. I’m thinking maybe a new wreath with all cardinals, only time and energy will make that happen. : ) Big Lots usually has what I want and that’s a stone’s toss from here.

I’ve had many phone calls-from California to Florida. My pal from ‘Make A Child Smile’ (see link) called to tell me what was going on in her life not knowing what was going on in my life. She’s so sweet, well look at what she does for sick kids! I had my two sister-in-laws call over the last few days too. I filled my neighbor in on what was happening. It’s nice to chat IRL too. I miss talking to ladies my age. I was a big volunteer for 8 years at Sean’s elementary school (he was in a 2-yr kindergarten program) and even held the position of Corresponding Secretary for the PTO (org not assoc) one year. It was neat to be voted in. So I had all the moms to chat with-then middle school made them all disappear as we weren’t needed as much-IMHO.

Well, I’m off to bed soon to try to ignore the gauze and ace bandage. I get to take it off around 3-4 this afternoon, but it may be sooner!

BTW-my follow-up is the 7th-come on lucky 7!

Also-my ‘me stuff’ page has been updated.

Nov25

Blue Sunday

Posted on Sunday, November 25, 2007 by Dianne

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Sean just left about 10:30 am. It’s his first solo trip up to PSU. He drove down with a friend, but the guy’s mom is driving him back. Tomorrow is the opening of hunting season and we think he should have gotten an earlier start. He said he didn’t get to sleep until 2 am as he was thinking about the trip. Wish him luck.

Barbara at Mainly Stitching sent me the sweetest birthday gifts that arrived yesterday. I love that the mattress style pin cushion was made as a stitch-along with her son (Brightneedles’ Mary Kirby series). I can see the two of them happily stitching away. And Barbara also sent a thougttful ‘Think Pink’ bookmark from Mosey n’ me. A few years ago I met the designer for Mosey n’ me, Frank Bielec as he’s a designer on the TLC cable show ‘Trading Spaces’. Thanks again Barbara!

I shamelessly hijacked her photo as I like how she had them set up on her blog. : )

So now I’m a little blue as all the ‘fun’ and ‘busy’ stuff is over until after this trying week ahead. I do go to church almost every week and last night the first hymn ‘O Jesus, Our Savior, Our King’ (or something close) had the word ‘benign’ in it. The lector also said ‘don’t just go by medical opinion, go by the word of the Lord’. Around the ceiling are smalls stained glass windows of saints and I ‘talk to’ St. Ruth as that was my grandmom’s name. So I’m feeling some good vibes in a spiritual way this weekend.

Nov21

Welcome to my seaside neighborhood!

Posted on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 by Dianne

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Sean took me to the post office and I picked up my gorgeous piece today. It was mailed in early March of 2006. I haven’t seen the houses by the different stitchers on the internet as I wanted to be surprised. I’m trying to guess who did what-I think I know. And thanks to Rachael for the gorgeous handmade socks she sent along. I’m taking them with me on Wednesday. : ) Thanks to everyone who stitched on this-Annemarie,Barbara, Carol, Rachael, Su and Veronica! You are my forever pals and so talented!

Mine is the first one in the top row.

Nov18

Weary traveler and lost mother

Posted on Sunday, November 18, 2007 by Dianne

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Sean slept in and wasn’t use to ‘the quiet’. He’s been eating up a storm and enjoyed relaxing on the big red sofa in front of both his laptop and the tv. It was a football day Saturday for him while Bri went out shopping for yours truly. I was tidying up the dining room area so we have some place to eat dinner on Thursday. I use that as my work area for my paper crafts. I had a lot of stuff spread all over the place and am not finished yet. I had the table almost all cleaned off when something in my ‘idea’ box caught my eye and I made a few more cards, a few for surprise gifts. I’ll show you when they are finished.

My mom and her friend and boarder Jim decided to go to the dog show in Philly. My mistake was not calling her like I usually do, around 10:45 as I thought she wasn’t home. She could have called me too. So around 4, I started ringing her house, nothing. At 8 I called my brother’s house and Colleen tried mom’s cell-nothing. She said she’d send my brother around at 9 if no one had heard anything. Mom did call me around 8:45 and I was short with her and made her call my brother’s house. When I called back, I asked why she didn’t call me once during the day. She had some waiting time (like an hour) in the parking lot of the train station as she had missed the 11:25 train into the city. They stayed downtown until 7 pm! That was a total surprise to me, her being out after dark in a crowded city. They went to the Reading Terminal Market and it was jammed packed. A lot of things were going through my head and my evening wasn’t that great. I’m glad she got her ‘doggie fix’ and all, but geez, call someone to let them know you are out after 5. She never did that before. She’s getting too old to go on excursions like that. She was with Jim, and today he turns 61!

I am almost ready to share at least one finish-that would be for the cross stitch lottery due 12/31. I am working on a very late gift too. Stitching has slowed down just to the evenings. I hope my mojo peps up soon! I have ornaments to stitch!

Update-Sometime soon, I have to go to the dentist as a filling close to the gum line on the bottom left of my mouth chipped off leaving a highly discolored (amber) tooth! I think some of it started last night while I was still awake at 3 am. I have ‘herbal gumdrops’ that are suppose to help you relax and left a crunchy thing in my mouth. It then all came out when I was trying to enjoy a lemon drop, having forgotten about the adventure at 3. Geez.

Mom feels bad that I was so upset. She said she has a down feeling about me, which doesn’t make me feel good. Sean says he has good vibes about me. We are both Scorpios and can read each other fairly well. He just doesn’t know what to get me for my birthday. I believe he just utilized my Amazon wishlist tonight! He had gone to Walmart and I heard Brian say, ‘that’s all’? HA.

Here’s a little gift for my friend who likes to belly dance.

That is her dog Haylee. I don’t think she reads my blog. I made her about 3 dog ATCs- they are in Flickr too. I just feel like doing that more lately than stitching. I have three boxes of my paper stuff nicely pushed under the little sofa in there now. It looks neater too.