Here’s a photo of Michael & Karin that was taken a few weeks ago on Karin’s birthday. Can’t wait to see this cute couple ‘dressed to the nines’!
Category Archives: pals
Traveling day
First I’d like to thank Vonna for her sweet scissor fob. I see she surprised other stitching bloggers as she did me. Her thoughtfulness touched me to the core. I promise to add a photo when I do a WIP progress photo soon.
Yesterday we ventured over the Commodore Barry Bridge to my brother’s house in NJ and the grad parties for his sons David and Patrick.
It was a bit steamy, but breezy too. We were luck to avoid an accident on I-95 (which we saw in it’s beginning with the traffic starting to back up).
I toted along the camera but ended up not getting good shots as the graduates were hard to track down. My mom said she took more, so I’ll scan some of them. My sinuses were not good and I think bothering yet another tooth, so I was keeping a low profile and talking to old friends of my sister-in-laws. My greatest gift was how nice my brother Dave was to me. I know, that sounds funny, but usually he doesn’t have much to say to us. I showed him the new camera which he really liked.
So here are a few measly shots (I’m not the only one who can take photos guys!) The two bridge shots were on the way home and taken by Brian.
Sean and nephew Kenny playing volleyball in the heat.

Nephew Patrick’s Ford Galaxy-I think it’s a ’64-’65

Bridge shot of lovely refineries
Posted in memory of my beloved maternal grandmom Ruth who left us today back in 2000.
IRL
My friend did make it down today with her husband for a visit. They got here about 2:45 (I was a little nervous as I thought they were lost) and stayed until 7:45 until they headed for the other end of our county. We visited for a few hours and then went up to one of our favorite restaurants in Kennett. We even surprised Sean at Big Lots and did a little shopping. Angela brought me a cute little hand size scrapbook about friendship. I’ll have to take a photo. She added photos of herself and left room for my own photos. She also said what we had in common-November birthdays, we love cats and crafts. Speaking of cats, our boy Cosmo really liked them! They have 3 cats and he knows his cat people.
It was nice to finally meet after being ’email pals’ for at least 8+ years. I recommend it.☺
Update-Angela just told me that the people who they stayed with on Saturday night took them to sightsee in Philly the next day-they saw the Betsy Ross house, the Liberty Bell and Constitution house. They also ate a Philly cheesesteak. I told her next time not to miss the Art museum, the Franklin Institute or Reading Terminal market. Of course they need about 3-4 more days to see all of that!
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I found and bought these in Target or a similar store years ago because they reminded me of Dorothy’s ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz. Here my little niece loves Oz too and I promised these to her when she can fit into them. In December, she tried them on again and they were still too large, so she kept them here.
The next photo is of an apple coffeecake I made for my company from New York who should be here shortly. We tasted it and it’s good! It has Activa vanilla yogurt in it as I didn’t have plain yogurt.

The wacky weedwhacking woman
That’s what I did today and I am wacky for doing it considering what I’ve been going through this week. I did it for two hours because it’s pleasant outside and the temps are going up later in the week.
You have to do weedwhacking to get what the trim mower misses. My pond was getting covered with Creeping Charlie, which seems to be taking over this year. I only whacked a few things-some ferns, a spindly lily (which I was going to move-rats) and part of an impatien.
My friend is coming down from NY, so I want to make a good first impression. I’ll try to tidy up inside as much as I can. ; )
Rainy days
Yesterday the rain held off until later in the afternoon. Bri was able to go to his dad’s house and plant a few tomatoes (like he does every year). Then the deluge started from Hurricane Barry. This morning a huge branch from our apple tree in the back is broken off! It’s still raining this morning.
Personally I had a strained upper back just to make me feel a bit miserable. I used the heating pad while watching the next Food Network Star challenge. My back seems ok when I am laying down, which is good, but as soon as I start moving around-tightness. I have some major cleaning to do as my friend, whom I have never met in person, is coming for a visit this weekend coming up! So exciting. The next 3 weekends will be crazy.
Update-what a fun morning. I felt super anxious and what I think is wrong with me is a tummy bug. I did try some of that Danactive drink yesterday for your immune system-not sure if that agreed with me. I actually called my gyn and a midwife called back who is a year older than me. This is such an unpredictable age for women-we feel good one day and out of it the next.
Bri is getting a mole (or whatever it is) checked out on his forehead this afternoon. In fact, I hope the dermatologist gives him a once over as he has lots of moles and skin tags. I think he wants me to go with him. Wish him well.
Update-all the moles, skin tags were benign! Yeah. So happy. He even went out and cut down the apple tree branch after dinner. I’m feeling a little better, though tired. Hoping for a better tomorrow. Stomach bugs are the pits.
Zoey asked about the Food Network Star show-I too liked Amy the leader of the one team for the wedding. Thinking about the others, I agree, none are really jumping out at me either. I think Amy is the best right now.
Whenever I see your smiling face…

I have to smile myself, ’cause I love you!
My high school pal just sent me this in the mail. Seems her granddaughter and my niece are on the same softball team called ‘The Pixie Chicks’ in our hometown. What a nice surprise.
We had a hectic early afternoon here. Sean’s car has been acting funny, meaning when he tried to start it. It finally died up at the high school where he was parked after watching the local Memorial Day parade. Luckily I found a tow place a few blocks away, but the price was high and Bri had it towed to a place that ripped him off last year. Why? We’re thinking it’s the starter or alternator. This is the intended vehicle we plan to take to NYC in a few weeks. If it had to happen, glad it did locally.
Off to mix up some potato salad.
Hope you’re having a nice day. ☺
As warm as the 4th of July
Bri and I worked outside today and Sean worked in Big Lots. He was scheduled for 3 days in a row and the boss even tried to snag him for tomorrow, but he put his foot down. He has a new Dell laptop to play with and hasn’t had that much time to look at it (no internet yet).
Bri planted tomatoes and green peppers while I planted zinnias, cosmos, daisies, Mexican sunflowers and an assortment of seeds that came in a package between paper (you just lay them on the soil and throw a 1/2″ of dirt over them). They were poppies, zinnias and a few others. By the time I was done, I had two very rosy cheeks and was dripping in perspiration. I cooled off and mulched Sean’s garden so he could just enjoy it and not worry about doing it. Bri cut the entire lawn too.
My gladiolus (planted a few weeks ago) are coming up! Yes! And I see astilbe poking it’s finger-like leaves up near my Sweet William flowers.
I had a ‘Perkins’ dinner tonight-eggs with chives and a little cheddar cheese on top, bacon, fries, biscuits and grapes.
Before I went outside today I worked on 4 Art trading cards. (so G if you are reading my blog stop here). Our pal chose the project-pick an artist, do cards like their artwork. I picked one of my favorites-Vincent Van Gogh and his Starry Night painting for all four cards. They were fun to do! For my cross stitch readers-I used some gold cording from my stash for the sky swirls. Two have star shaped brackets. I did use one element from the original painting in each design-a star or the village (for instance). Some of you may recognize the Don McLean lyrics from his song based on this painting. I was sad to read that Vincent had painted this when he was in an insane asylum.

We are having rainstorms tonight. We need the rain, but I know that some of my plants were really getting hammered. I am also hoping that I patted the ground down well after I planted the above mentioned seeds.
Gift for Karin
I don’t think my friend has enough time lately to check out my blog. She is going to be a bride in a month now and I get to see her as such! Anyway, her birthday is coming up on the 26th and I had stitched this years ago (and tucked it away) and it just seemed right for Karin. She is a chef in training and in love, so you can see it’s perfect.

I forget where I found the little pots, spatula and spoon, but the bowl, cherries and ‘garnish’ are from a Mary Englebreit leaflet I just found at a book sale. I framed it myself over the weekend. I also just framed Stitching Girl today and mailed off the above today too.
So close
My friend from New York was on a group trip to Longwood Gardens Saturday. She told me the night before and I was bummed as I had other plans, but I would have tried to track her down. She was 8 minutes away and we could finally meet after being pals at least 8 years or more. We almost met down in Atlantic City but missed each other again back in 1999. It would have been hard to visit with her group in tow. They all raved about LG. I heard that my Uncle Don’s wife was with a group from the nursing home at Longwood yesterday too. Aunt Mildred use to go all the time by herself, just like I plan to do one of these days.
Sean went with me to get the free lounge chair yesterday. It’s not bad for free. It has to be fixed up a bit, but it’s so nice to know I can go put my feet up and read and stitch in the summer months. I’m actually (hopefully) getting another one that sounds like the one I just tossed. Bri will pick that up on Friday.
Didn’t do too much today as it was chilly. I potted up some petunias-three pots and also a hanging basket of portulaca. It’s going to be chilly tonight, so I hope my plants will be fine.
I still need to food shop, do more laundry, well the list never ends.
Bri went to see his dad and I asked him to bring home some ‘D’ pizza (you know which chain this is) as I was going to give it one more shot-but it was awful. It’s on my never eat again list along with KFC.






