Category Archives: Philly

Oct29

Phillies memories

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I’m still praying to St. Anthony that I will locate my signed Tug McGraw photo I got of him in person in 1981. I know where it use to be, and I went through the entire shelf and it’s not there. I did find this:

I think it’s one of the better portraits I drew years ago. I was only 21 when I did this of Tug. : )

And then on the shelf was the 1978 team, almost the same players from the 1980s team. I have that big box of stuff, but since this was on the shelf, here it is:

And a close up of Tug:

His famous saying was ‘You’ve gotta believe’. I’ll keep hoping!

By the way, the Tampa Bay Rays had to move out of their hotel in Philly and ended up in the swanky Hotel DuPont (look at the video tour-it’s really nice and Longwood Gardens is mentioned too)in Wilmington, a stone’s throw from here. They were really impressed by the joint-perhaps their upcoming consolation prize?

Oct28

Ah, sweet technology

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I was a bit nervous this morning, but I was home in one hour following my mammogram. They have a new digital machine, so it was faster (though still uncomfortable and you don’t have to hold your breath). I had a nice 50 something lady tech that was the spitting image of my grandmom Ruth’s sister Edna. Now what’s weird, I just had a dream about Aunt Edna within the last few days. (I had been looking at a lot of family photos lately too). She was in my living room plain as day, and I said to her ‘I thought you were deceased?’ She had plenty of breast issues in her long life. Maybe she was confirming to me that I would be fine. I got to see the images on the computer screen. I didn’t realize how much is going on in your breasts. The digital images are really crisp and clear. Crossing fingers.

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They just said on the news that the suspended game last night was the first ever for a World Series. I doubt they will play tonight as it is still really lousy. We are still hoping for a win. I think it would be nice for a new generation of fans to see a championship. I loved it back in 1980 and still have an entire container of memorabilia from that Series plus an autographed photo of Tug McGraw.

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I’m helping Sean edit some summaries for a Geography course that he was struggling with. This last article was a doozie and took me 2 hours to read and then to edit his paper. So far ‘we’ have gotten a ‘C’ ‘B-‘ and ‘C+’. Not bad for an Early Childhood Ed major who isn’t into such dry material. I did read in the last article that overtilling is bad for soil, which makes sense. They suggest planting a winter cover-like alfalfa (I guess) or just to poke the seeds in the ground without tilling it. As I had said in a previous post, our vegatable garden failed miserably this year. We need to do something if we want to continue to grow things. I like learning how to help the environment too!

Oct27

The curse of Billy Penn?

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Or things happen for a reason?

The weather in this neck of the woods is certainly frightful today for a baseball game (39 degrees and pouring rain). The Phillies were winning 2-1 until the top of the 6th inning and Tampa Bay’s Upton came along and tied it up! The game was then delayed…until…3 am? tomorrow? Wednesday in Tampa Bay? I bet it will be Wednesday. The local news people are saying things happen for a reason…we’ll see.

And the curse of Billy Penn-Bri reminded me and then the newscaster repeated it. Ever since skyscrapers were built taller than the statue of William Penn on top of City Hall in Philly, the major sports team haven’t won a championship. We’ll see…
Update-11:22 pm-the game was suspended. AHHHHH!

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Off for the mammogram tomorrow in that lovely cold and windy weather. Crossing fingers.

Oct26

Bleary-eyed

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Because of the torrential downpour we had around 6 pm last night, the 3rd game of the World Series was postponed until after 10 pm. It was a pretty good game with the Phillies pulling off the win (5-4) about 1:50am. I just about stayed up to watch it.

Sean just left around 12:30. First he is stopping to see his grandfather, then he will head back to school. He has a ticket for comedian Lewis Black’s show (on campus) at 7:30. The three of us went to see him a couple of years ago at another university-he is sarcastic and funny rolled into one.

Back to the rain-we had just gotten out of church and couldn’t decide where to eat when the heavens opened up! We drove through some terribly big ‘puddles’ in town, almost big enough to stall out the car. We went to BK. The place was almost empty and our burgers were lukewarm. The a/c was blasting in there-may have accounted for the cold food. We should have complained. After ‘dinner’ we ran over to Wal*mart so Bri could get his dad a tv-a 32″ RCA as he has enough money and it was the right size.

We all got up feeling funky and bleary-eyed. The guys are over pop-pops and I am hanging low here trying to get my act together.

GO PHILLIES!

This is the Philly Phanatic:


Update-
I was so whacked out today, it wasn’t funny! Dang BK, but Bri brought me home McD’s chicken sandwich (am I brave?) and I was ok with that. I think I was hungry by then. I also get in a stew when I know Sean has that long trip ahead of him. He made out fine and enjoyed the show.
The Phillies are playing great and winning 8-2 so far in the bottom of the 8th. I get nervous and have to do something else instead of watch. Here’s something interesting-some of the ashes of the late Phillies relief pitcher Tug McGraw

were scattered on the pitching mound last night by his sons Tim and Mark. Tug’s # was 45 and the winning pitcher Jamie Moyer is 45 yrs old.  Jamie was really sick with a stomach bug and played anyway. Darn tummy bugs!! I got choked up when I heard about Tug (thanks John Clarke) as I had met him after the 1980 World’s Series and got his autograph. He lived in my hometown for a number of years. (The photo is of Tug recreated his winning pitch at the closing ceremony of Vet’s Stadium in Philly. He would pass away 4 months later).
What! another homerun-Ryan Howard appears to be out of his slump-10 to 2!! We won! 3 games to one! Looking good! I hope it stays that way!

Oct16

Let’s Go Phillies!!!

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Phils reach first World Series since ’93
10/15/2008 11:38 PM ET
By Ken Mandel / MLB.com

LOS ANGELES — Using a perfect script without a surprise ending, the Phillies captured the National League pennant with a 5-1 win over the Dodgers on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. With it comes their first trip to the World Series since 1993.

With the Phils never straying from their opportunistic best, Jimmy Rollins scorched a leadoff homer on the game’s eighth pitch, much like he did in the Game 4 NLDS clincher against Milwaukee. With a lead and the ball in ace Cole Hamels’ capable left hand, it seemed inevitable.

The Dodgers never had a chance.

The star of the game!

There’s a lot of celebrating in downtown Philadelphia tonight.

I’m so glad Brian and Sean got to see the team that made it to the World Series. : )

Sep28

Hungry

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Bambi:Mama said ‘roses are delish’, so these Rose of Sharon must be too! I already ate the little roses on the other side of the yard!

(photographer Brian through the dining room window-cropped by yours truly)
And look who else was hungry:


From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby
Sarah Palin and her daughter Willow ordered cheesesteaks in South Philadelphia Saturday.

PHILADELPHIA (CNN) – Sarah Palin partook in an established political ritual on Saturday night when she headed to Tony Luke’s in south Philadelphia to order a pair of cheesesteaks with cheese whiz and onions.

But as the kitchen sizzled and orders were barked out, Palin found herself talking politics, calling McCain’s debate performance “awesome” and taking questions from a voter about the hunt for terrorists in Pakistan.

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No food shopping…yet…probably Monday. It started pouring, so I scrounged around and made spaghetti and meatballs.

Jul18

Goodbye Spectrum

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So it’s really true-the Spectrum is getting torn down next year. Vet’s Stadium was torn down a few years back:


Not that I went to either place that much, but they are/were such landmarks of Philadelphia, anything new doesn’t really hold any memories for me-yet. And they won’t be the same kind of memories. I saw the Phillies play at the Vet for the first time-it was so awesome to see the grandeur of the place when you climb the stairs and take a gander at the playing field for the first time.

At the Spectrum, I saw the Flyers ice hockey team play, went to concerts-John Denver, Dan Fogelberg, Linda Ronstadt, Heart, Jackson Browne and went to a few Disney on Ice shows with a little Sean. Good memories. I’ll never hear John or Dan again and I doubt I’ll see the other performers again.

The fight scenes for ‘Rocky’ were suppose to be at the Spectrum, but were actually filmed in LA. There was a Rocky statue outside the Spectrum for a few years before it was moved to near the Phila. Art museum.

Posted: Tuesday, 15 July 2008 10:16AM

Spectrum Will Be Torn Down For A Mall

by KYW’s Mike DeNardo and Greg Orlandini

The Spectrum, for decades the South Philadelphia home to the Sixers and Flyers and the site of hundreds of memorable concerts and other events, will close next spring and be demolished.

Arena owner Comcast-Spectacor has plans to replace it with a complex of retail space, bars, restaurants, and a hotel (see related story). The 42-year-old arena, slated to shut down next spring, had been used for Flyers and 76ers games until the adjacent Wachovia Center was built and opened in 1996. It was the site of the Flyers’ Stanley Cup championship victories in 1974 and 1975, site of the Flyers’ victory over the Russian team in 1976, and the Sixers’ home when they won the NBA championship in 1983.

The Spectrum, built in 1967, is currently home to the Phantoms, Philadelphia’s minor league hockey team; the Soul, an Arena Football League team; and the Kixx, an indoor soccer team.

Over the years, some of the most notable music performers included Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, the Jackson Five, the Grateful Dead, and Kiss. (A web site called “Remember the Spectrum” has been set up by the building’s owners.)


PS-Brian and Sean are going to a Phillies game next weekend at the new Citizen’s Bank place-that should be awesome! It cost a bunch to go too!

May7

80 degrees!

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I’m a little light-headed from spray painting a lot of my outdoor furniture today. I have more to do, but need the paint. It’s $5 a can, I bought two hunter green cans of it and was able to spruce up a large settee, two Adirondack chairs, a foot bench, a little table and a little child’s Adirondack chair! Not bad!

I took some photos earlier, before Sean arrived home safely around 4:10. He got stuck in traffic 10 miles out of State College, but it was smooth sailing from there. He had a nice oven roasted pot roast and veggies for dinner.


I had this mosaic planter/birdbath and put it on top of an over turned flower pot and added a bowl I had. It’s amongst the mums which are wilting a bit from the heat.


Here’s my seating area near the holly bushes. I just sprayed all the furniture (and repaired some broken areas on the top of them) earlier. You can also see the four planters with an assortment of Coleus, petunias and lobelias.


This is the garden I worked on all day yesterday. This is what I see when I come out the front door. The little flag is blowing! I have lots of cats in there in honor of Mr. Cosmo.

This is the Amaranthus that looks like a Summer Poinsettia. I hope they get big!


The Nicotiana is in the garden out front too!


I wanted to show my friend a Lily of the Valley flower and since they are coming up in the fairy garden, I used one of the fairies to display it.


This is of the same flower on one of my new blue dishes.


This is a bit blurred, but I liked it-these are Johnny Jump-ups.

When I was spray painting the furniture, one of the Philly News NBC10 van drove down my road. I have never seen any news people around here. They had a news story about my county earlier, but not this area. A 19 yr old Annapolis female Naval Academy student, from Kennett Square was found unconscious in her room and later passed away . That may be the reason they were near her.

Another tragedy-a Philly policeman got killed as he drove up to a supermarket that had just been robbed (there is a bank in the place I think) to stop the get away car. He hadn’t even gotten out of his vehicle and was shot about 5 times. He was about to celebrate his 40th birthday this week.

Mar22

Photo Hunt-Metal

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PSHunt
Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

A metal structure from the recent Philadelphia Flower Show. That big leaf looks like he is being modest and hiding behind it!

Metal sax player, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

And one of the most famous structures in Orlando, Florida-

The Epcot sphere. That’s Sean giving the thumbs up. We weren’t planning on doing Disney (just Universal) back in ’05, but decided to go on Mother’s Day. I could have had my legs fall off that night and wouldn’t have known it!

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I’m the 3rd comment on Martha Stewart’s blog-woo hoo!

Congrats on 500 fabulous shows! I really enjoyed your photos too. Thanks for inspiring a domestic goddess in mushroom country of PA!

Posted by: Dianne | March 21, 2008 at 01:08 AM