We’ve been doing a lot of redecorating around our home lately and checking out some of the home decorating shows, I’d never really watched them before but have found a few kind of interesting so this week Home shows are in the spotlight!
1. Do you watch home shows regularly? If so, which ones?
All of them!!! I love HGtv and TLC and even the Style network and DIY shows. Top of list are most definitely ‘In A Fix’, ‘Trading Spaces’, ‘Divine Design’, ‘Design on a Dime’, ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Decorate’ and the getting yourself organized shows which make me antsy like ‘Clean Sweep’, ‘Mission Organization’ and ‘Clean House’.
2. Have you ever followed a tip that you learned from a home show or TV?
Several I would think, mainly unintentional maybe? I did paint one wall in my family room a different shade in the same color family recently. Also found out how great that blue masking tape is. : )
3. What is the best (worst,stupidest,coolest…) thing you’ve ever seen on a home show?
When Hildi on Trading Spaces glued straw on the living room wall of a house. The homeowners had small children that were probably going to pull it off and eat it!
~Bonus~ If your home had it’s own show what would it be called? Why?Remember to leave your link or answers in the comments!! 🙂
‘3 men and a lady’ (one male is a cat) or ‘Our Catastrophe!’ (because we never quite get the house the way we want it mainly from hoarding too much stuff.

Closing thoughts-A tv host on a cable show (I don’t really know him too well) commented ‘What’s with these undecided voters? Is the problem they don’t know how to get to the polling places?’ LOL

If you had to name a time when you wished someone in particular had used more candor than you, when would you say it was?
Ok this is really weird. I was trying to have another baby back in 1990 and Brian and I went to the gyn/ob doctor to see why we weren’t able to conceive. The doctor said we both had problems and asked us if Sean was our conceived child! Now I wish Brian had said something back then. I don’t know if the doctor was really being offensive, but if you look at the two of us, we are clean cut people and look like we are in a monogamous relationship. I mention this because Brian will cough that one up in my face for some reason and just did recently. I think deep down he has an issue with not sticking up for himself. I answer him by saying that Sean belongs to the mailman! I found out from a wonderful midwife later that I have uterine fibroids which would hinder my ability to conceive.

It’s not a brutal as they say….I’m sure if you are around the age that I am you’ve seen the ‘jokes’ about it feeling like someone backed over your boobs with their car. I’ll tell you what hurts-the darn ultrasound. They make you drink 32 oz of water and hold it for over an hour. I never can, but I just drink more to try and make up for what I lost. What added more hurt was going out in the cold and driving myself there. They usually take me right in and the tech usually always says ‘your bladder could be fuller’, as if! I have always had a tiny bladder anyway, ask anyone who I’ve been on a car trip with. The ultrasound was to check my uteran fibroids.
I had to wait a bit for the mammogram. I didn’t know it was for almost an hour later. The mam tech kinda gave me grief about it. The waiting room was empty while I sat there for about 20 minutes. I rebounded by saying I had no problem waiting. She wanted to get me in anyway it seems because this older woman was having one done and taking forever to find her insurance cards.
This is over for a year, so the tech said. I don’t know what they will say about the fibroids though. I had several small clusters last year. I am hoping to live with them until menopause. It’s not easy being premenopausal.
Boob Poem
Author Unknown
For years and years they told me,Be careful of your breasts.
Don’t ever squeeze or bruise them.And give them monthly tests.
So I heeded all their warnings,And protected them by law.
Guarded them very carefully,And I always wore my bra.
After 30 years of astute care,My gyno, Dr. Pruitt,Said I should get a Mammogram.
“O.K.” I said, ‘let’s do it.””Stand up here real close” she said,(She got my boob in line),”And tell me when it hurts,” she said,”Ah yes! Right there, that’s fine.
“She stepped upon a pedal,I could not believe my eyes!A plastic plate came slamming down,My hooter’s in a vise!My skin was stretched and mangled,From underneath my chin.
My poor boob was being squashed,To Swedish Pancake thin.
Excruciating pain I felt,Within it’s vise-like grip.A prisoner in this vicious thing,My poor defenseless tit!
“Take a deep breath” she said to me,Who does she think she’s kidding?!?
My chest is mashed in her machine,And woozy I am getting.
“There, that’s good,” I heard her say,(The room was slowly swaying.)
“Now, let’s have a go at the other one.”Have mercy, I was praying.It squeezed me from both up and down,It squeezed me from both sides.
I’ll bet SHE’S never had this done,To HER tender little hide.
Next time that they make me do this,I will request a blindfold.
I have no wish to see again,My knockers getting steam rolled.
If I had no problem when I came in,I surely have one now.
If there had been a cyst in there,It would have gone “ker-pow!”This machine was created by a man,Of this, I have no doubt.
I’d like to stick his balls in there,And see how THEY come out!

~~~~~
Whoever thought up the word “Mammogram”? Every time I hear it, I think I’m supposed to put my breast in an envelope and send it to someone. — Jan King
~~~~~

Actually I hate that expression. It doesn’t pertain to me, no not ever! LOL I am not a label whore either though I love Liz Claiborne stuff. I wasn’t impressed by what I saw in the outlet in Atlantic City this past August. She makes the best stretchy pants, so tailored. I do have my fair share of clothing. Some of it’s not that old and some of it’s many years old. I was switching out my summer clothes with the winter (which are my favorite) clothes today. We have a 3 bedroom ranch house with lousy storage space. We have 3 of those sliding door closets with the basic wooden pole and shelf above and a closet we put in the family room for coats, the vacuum, games, video tapes and junk. We bought 2 armoires for each of us about 4 yrs ago. What happens with the armoires is we get tall, leaning, folded piles of clothes and the stuff on the bottom gets lost and I forget to wear it. I need to go to Wally World (Walmart) and get some flat plastic see through boxes so we can divide the short sleeves from the long sleeves and everything in between.
Poor Bri has to go up in the attic and get the two ‘doggie caskets’ as I call them with all the needed clothing in them and drag them down the fold up stairs. Now I am thinking about getting space bags as we are getting older and want to not hurt anything! It’s a 3 hour ordeal and I cringe and open up my donation bag (try to have one a season) and quickly pop in the things I hate that wrinkle or don’t look right on me.
To me, pure heavenly bliss would be a walk in closet like my sister-in-laws both have. I hope they don’t read this, but neither have the clothes I have, sorry gals. One wears hers a year or so and they are gone. The other one seems to have the same outfits for years.
Update-I went to a book sale yesterday and was very good and only bought a small bagful. I had been at my mom’s and she went to the sale before me (the sale was in my hometown) and she bought me 20 books! I wasn’t thrilled to say the least. I had many of what she bought and they weren’t all that great. Sorry my mommy.
Mom told me one of her uncles was in WWII and she told me the division too. I need to write it down. He was an musician, so played for the troops as well. Incidently, he and his brother were in a band in the 30s and some of their music was used in the ‘Paper Moon’ soundtrack. Seeing Tatum O’Neal on Oprah made me remember this.
We took my son to the mall last night so he could pick out a few birthday gifts as he will be 18 on the 24th. I dropped $80 in the Gap for 2 items-a button down shirt and tan cords. He had a gift certificate for Macy’s for $100 so got himself a new winter coat-dark blue microfiber with gray fleece lining. Mom got him ‘The Day After’ DVD. I think he wants some surprises because he said he couldn’t believe he was picking out his bd gifts! I have one thing for him and my good friend in Alabama is sending him a few things. He’s hard to buy for. We are probably going to take a day trip to either New Hope, PA or Rehoboth Beach, DE. on his birthday. We’ll see next weekend.

My grandmom was the same age as I am now back in 1948. She was seeing the end of WWII. I couldn’t help but think about what she was facing back then. She had no kin in the war, thank goodness. My uncle had a medical problem and was dismissed from active duty. I think her brothers were too old- not sure though. She had the same worries with aging parents, in fact her dad died around this time. She was probably scraping by as she did most of her life. It’s not easy for us right now. I guess we should be a two income family, but it’s too much for me right now to work a 9-5 job. I think I will look for something either later in the day or early evening. I am not a morning person.
My mom was 18 then like my son. She was working as a secretary like she did most of her life. My mother has the singing voice of an opera singer. I wish she had gone to New York or out west. I think her life would have been so much different. I could tell she wasn’t really a happy person unless she was shopping. She’s still that way. Mom is a bit down right at the moment as her sciatica is acting up again. She is spending a lot of time in bed and isn’t doing much around the house. I know she needs help, but I do too. Sometimes it feels like I am living in 1948 in a very male dominated household. I was cleaning in the kitchen and it was a crummy mess. No one wipes down the counters except for me. I am here and it’s my job. Oy.

I am so damn sick of them all. Not just one or two, but the whole explosion of them. I was telling Sean that once the elections are all over, do we even hear from most of the politicians until the next elections? I’m not talking about the Prez, but the congressman,etc. The ones who get the great insurance plans that Bush says no one else is entitled too. That’s another peeve of mine. We had my son in the ER in August because he almost cut off the ‘pad’ of one of his fingers with the electric hedge clippers. Sean’s all healed now-they ‘glued’ the ‘u’ shaped flap down. We got a ‘this is not a bill’ statement from the hospital a month later and gulp-it was over $1K!!!! I ended up buying the same kind of glue at the supermarket for under $6. The hospital charged $160 for a dap of glue. I guess it was made by elves in the Himalayas! That’s just crazy.
Anyway, I will say a few of the local politicians do send out newsletters. Usually of them standing on the steps of the capital building in Harrisburg with the National Honor Society kids. They are a little informative-like talking about road repair and all. Yawn.
Please, no more ‘I’m Joe Blow and I approve of this ad’……ayyyyyy!!

I just wanted to add a note of sincere condolences to the Christopher Reeve family. I hope he is walking again somewhere. 9 years of living like that was something else. I’ll always remember him as Superman in the movie. George Reeves was the tv Superman (I use to watch that show). Christopher was perfect for this role with his great bod and angular face and piercing blue eyes. I do hope that stem cell research continues in his name. He was braver than Superman in how he struggled to live day to day. The image of his long body in a wheelchair at the Oscars lingers in my mind. God Bless him!

Something fun for you to do, see your name in heiroglyphs….
Write Like an Egyptian

I have to give my grandmom a lot of credit for saving me from a lot of misery when it came to illnesses. She had some interesting remedies, one of which I adapted lately. Mom mom’s was for congestion. I remember when I was in high school and we had gone to see a show that my younger brother was in. I was sitting there in the audience feeling sicker and sicker. By later that evening, I was flat on my back with a lot of chest congestion. My grandmom got busy down in the kitchen. First she got a piece of old sheet. She then mixed up a concoction of vegetable oil and dried mustard to make a paste. She may have heated this before or after she spread it on the sheet, or the heat from the mustard was sufficient. She folded the sheet up and then placed it on the sick person’s chest. It burnt slightly, but that was a great way to break up congestion. She always spoke of saving her own mother-in-law from getting pneumonia.
I have had some congestion from that bug I had a few weeks ago, just enough that you feel like you swallowed glue. I found a new way to break it up. I got the Icy Hot in the deodorant type rub on container and just rub some across my chest before I went to bed. I think it helped! I also just bought one of those Sudafed vapor plug-ins. I am not a big fan of eucalyptus which is one of the scents. I also think that helped, but I couldn’t have it right next to the bed or I felt like I was getting high all night!
I still wake up most mornings stuffy and then it takes a while for my sinuses to drain. I’m sure it’s having a cat plus a dust mite thingie. I need to change the sheets more, vaccuum more and dust more. It just seems that no matter how much I clean, I have to repeat the process a few days latter. It may be because we are so close to a busy road.

I saw this on a few blogs, the latest being Annette’s Acres.Here you go, I know you are excited!
1) What time do you get up?
I stay up until 1 am, so I don’t get up until 9 am or so. This all may be changing if I have to get a job any time soon.
2) If you could eat lunch with one person, who would it be?
My grandfather who I never got a chance to know as he passed on when I was 2 months old.
3) Gold/silver?
Both
4) What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and loved it!
5) What is your favorite tv show? I like all the ‘reality’ shows like Survivor, The Apprentice, Extreme Home Makeover, Amazing Race….
6) What did you have for breakfast?
First a cereal breakfast bar and a few hours later half a big old bagel
7) Who would you hate to be stuck in a room with?
Someone who has really bad body odor, I’d puke.
8) What/Who inspires you?
People who do unselfish things for less fortunate people.
9) What is your middle name?
Carol
10) Beach, City or Country?
Beach
11) Favorite ice cream?
Anything with chocolate and nuts
12) Butter, plain or salted popcorn?
Butter, but the Cinnabun flavored is to die for!
13) Favorite color?
Teal or aquamarine, but you’d think red with the sofa and van
14) What kind of car do you drive?
1996 Ford Windstar Minivan
15) Favorite sandwich?
Hands down-chicken salad, preferably with apples or grapes added to the celery
16) What characteristic do you despise?
Liars or pompous asses
17) Favorite flowers?
Gardenias
18) What is your dream vacation?
One of those almost secluded islands that has all the luxuries, but is like a picture postcard
19) What color is your bathroom?
It’s got tan wall paper with lines of flowers and an Raphael Angel border at the top to look Victorian
20) Favorite brand of clothing?
I’m not a label whore (is that the right expression?) I like Liz Claiborne a lot and White Stag from Wally World has some nice items
21) Where would you retire?
The beach!
22) Favorite day of the week?
Friday
23) What did you do for your last birthday?
It was pouring rain, my mom was here and in lots of pain from her sciatica. It was a bit of a disaster. We ordered Chinese take-out.
24) Where were you born?
West Chester, PA
25) Favorite sport to watch?
Maybe figure skating
28) Which detergent do you use?
All or what’s on sale
29) Coke or Pepsi?
Coke-but the one with less sugar
30) Are you a morning person or a night owl?!
Night owl
31) What is your shoe size?
7.5-8
.32) Do you have any pets?
A brown tabby boy cat named Cosmo.
33) Your favorite season?
Autumn
34) What time is it?
8:56 Saturday night
35) Name as it appears on your birth certificate.
Dianne Carol Knowles
36) Nickname?
Diadsie-thanks mom!
37) Number of candles on your last birthday cake?
44
38) Kids?
Son almost 18
39) Hair color?
Light brown with caramel highlights and gray roots
40) Tattoos?
No
41) Eyes?
Hazel
42) How much do you love your job?
As homemaker-it’s peachy keen-I need help! LOL
43) Favorite foods?
Chocolate, lobster tail, chicken salad, peaches, pie, pizza.
44) Been to Africa?
No
45)
Been toileting papering?
I may have gotten the supplies one time! LOL
46) Have you ever been in love?
Yes. Still am.
47) Been in a car accident?
Yes, head on in a VW Bug-no seat belts! I fractured my nose and had glass in my mouth. I looked like Rocky! This was back in 1981
48) Croutons or bacon bits?
Croutons
49) Favorite saying or phrase?
Live each day one day at a time
50) Favorite restaurant?
The Little Inn in my hometown or Marina Deck in Ocean City, MD
51) Favorite non-alcoholic drink?
Iced tea with lemon or green tea
52) How many times did you fail your driver’s test?
Twice or three times? I forget!
53) Do you sing in the shower?
Almost every time!
54) At which store would you like to max your credit card?
Boscovs a local dept store
55) What do you do most when you are bored?
Usually clean, go outside, surf the web, call my mom
56) Bedtime?
1 am or so
59) Glass half empty or half full?
Half full
60) If you could live anywhere in the world where would you live?
Someplace warmer or near the water
61) What is your most annoying habit?
Throat clearing
62) When was your last true vacation?
August trip to Atlantic City, NJ.
63) Time you finished this post?
9:08 PM Saturday