Category Archives: Sean

Jan29

Stuff

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Hey gang! It’s been fun looking at the blogs in the One World, One Heart event in my sticky post. I haven’t gotten to 100 on the list and I believe there are over 700 now! It’s neat to see so many creative bloggers out there. Don’t forget, if you have a blog and like to visit new bloggers and enter contests for awesome things, then drop by OWOH until Feb. 15th.
On a personal note, and it’s hard to talk about, my one family member is really unhappy and we’re not sure why. I do my best to help my mom when I can. Thursday was an ugly, ugly day. I’m not sure what tomorrow will bring, but wish mom luck as it seems to be her clothes and personal things that are always an issue with him. I don’t think I can handle him anymore. I have forgiven him so many times and he was really awful to me yesterday. Bad dream. He’ll probably be moving out sooner or later.
Sean is finally on the register at Wally World! He said it went well until the store’s manager or someone came up to him and asked him if a customer had bought milk and he stalled trying to recall and she said ‘well yes or no’? Seems the customer may have been trying to lift milk maybe in a closed container she later bought, but Sean checked the container and there wasn’t anything in it. I told him it seemed like a ‘test’ to see if he was doing the right thing. Geez.
Taking it one day at a time.

Jan25

My little Rembrandt

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Thought you’d enjoy seeing some of Sean’s artwork from when he was a wee lad of only 3. Why am I showing these to you? As you may know, he is cleaning out a finished room in the basement that was just loaded with a bunch of his things. He ran across his paintings and they were getting brittle from age. The best thing I thought to do with them before I recycled them was to photograph them. So I did!
Sean's paintings
Love the colors!
Sean's painting
And here is my dear painting. This was in my keychain 20 yrs ago and I just left it there!
Sean painting age 3

Jan21

Passed it by-finally ate here!

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This is right on Route one across the highway from the Brandywine River Museum-it’s called ‘Hank’s Place’. Sean and I were on our way to drop off his childhood bed at the Good*will and we decided to stop here for lunch on Wednesday. (Mom was having a plumber at her house, so I’m going on Monday now). I can’t tell you how many times we have passed it and never ate there. The prices are good. The clientele ranged from legendary artist ‘Andy’ Wyeth and movie stars when they were filming ‘The Village’ a few miles away. I believe William Hurt and maybe Joaquin Phoenix were two of the patrons back then.
When we walked in around 1:45 everyone looked up at us! That was strange. What was stranger that after we ate, I pulled out my debit card and the waitress said ‘cash only’! Ahhh. Thank goodness Sean had a $20 on him. We both ordered ‘triple’ clubs-me chicken salad and he ordered a turkey one. One of the best I’ve had for a while and I still have a quarter of it in the fridge. : ) I wish you could see the flowers someone plants there every year. I guess they must do their own composting from the restaurant leftovers as the banks are just loaded with marigolds, etc.
Here is the website where I found the photo.
After we dropped off the bed, we went to the mall as I had a gift card from Sean to use at Bos*covs. I picked out a honey colored leather purse and a quilted wallet (Zoey-quilted bags are so in!). I went to the register and the blasted card was denied. It was different from the ‘in house’ gift cards. Thank goodness another lady came along and she knew how to use my card! Whew!
We went to Trader*Joes too and got a few of their treats-some Orange Mandarin chicken and fried veggie rice for dinner. That’s our indulgent stop. The maple cookies are quite good too.
I’m getting the hang of Cha*Cha. I wish it paid more, as some questions really are hard to find and you may run out of time (3 minutes max.).
Off to the dentist today. It’s been almost a year. Crossing fingers I don’t use all my deductible up in one or two visits. Robbers. ; )

Jan20

Opps it’s Wednesday already!

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I took leave of this blog for a few days. It’s so boring in the dead of winter, especially if it’s raining or too cold to go out. My mom gave us a bed and frame for the guest room to replace Sean’s little twin with the bunky board and no box spring. It seems someone always needs to use the guest room for some reason-can we just say snoring or restlessness? It was a big 3-4 hours undertaking for Brian on Sunday. It was dusty under the bed-an entire forest of big gray bunnies was lurking under there! I need to work on the bedrooms as they seem to be neglected the most. That’s bad because of allergy issues.
I’m a human search engine, or mainly a guidance counselor for what seems like mostly tweens and teens on Cha*Cha. I’m getting paid, so I answer carefully. Boys seem really curious about ‘one thing’! I could go on. I can chose from previously answered questions which helps too, especially if I am in a pickle. Some just want opinions about dating, etc. I do get serious questions, but I can tell some are doing their homework and taking the easy way out. I couldn’t tell someone how to covert kilograms to ounces in 130 characters though!
Sean was going to drop me off for my ultrasound follow-up on Monday and go to the Y that is almost across the street from the hospital. We were about 5 miles from home when Sean heard that telltale noise you hear when you are getting a flat tire! Ugh! Missed the appt. Cost $80 for a new tire as the old one had a big cut deep in tread. It’s always something! Going back to the doc on the 4th of Feb.
Today, probably visiting mom and helping her sort through more stuff-it never ends!

Jan13

Coping

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Only 12 days into the new year and there is such devastation in the country of Haiti. Just about 38 seconds (and many after shocks), caused the worst earthquake in two centuries. It’s almost unbearable to look at the photos of the wounded people and many buildings laying in ruin. We’ve met some Haitian people in Florida before when my brother took us to a flea market down there. Anyway, all I can say to do is what we did (give up pizza one night) to donate $10 through the Red Cross. You can text it on your phone as we did. Every little bit has to help.
Another thing for us on a more personal level is that my mom has to cope with her failing eyesight. She went to her eye doctor today and there is nothing else they can do to save the sight in her right eye. She sees distorted figures and wavy lines in that eye right now. We are praying that her left eye stays strong. I think she knew that’s what kind of news she was facing. Too bad she went through cataract surgery in 2008 as her path was taking her down this road, which they didn’t know back then. She is still driving, but I rather she not. I guess eventually she’ll have to go to senior daycare or have someone come during the day to help her. I’m hoping that’s a long way off for her sake.
So that’s a lot to digest for us all. Wish us luck.
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I did make some ‘Brooklyn Cheese Puffs’ from the ‘Lost Recipe’ cookbook. They were mainly ricotta cheese with a little flour, butter and cheddar cheese. You had to put them in the freezer for half an hour and then bake them in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. My oven was smoking!
You can see the recipe if you click on the photo and make it as large as possible.

Yum-so tiny and tender, like a biscuit, but they were definitely puffs!
Here’s the link to the cookbook.
Off to the eye doctor for me tomorrow for my 2 yr check up. I have a feeling I’ll need new glasses. All of us have dry eyes right now too.
Sean will probably start in Wally World next week. He just had the ‘drug’ test (the ‘liquid’ in a cup) today which won’t be finished getting evaluated until the end of the week. We are glad he will be bringing some money in for his bills, but it’s only part time right now.

Dec9

A little decorating underway

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Feather tree in family room, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

Wow-I haven’t blogged since last Friday?!
Well I’ve busy! My brother moved on Saturday-in the rain and then snow. We were asked to finish cleaning out one bedroom. Bri and Sean moved an entertainment center, an end table and the top of a hutch (yep in a small bedroom) while I gathered up what was left. I wiped down the windowsills, helped mom clean the floors and moved what wasn’t too heavy. My brother wasn’t finally all moved in until Sunday night. He brought a Dalmation and a tuxedo kitty with him. Now there are 3 pets in the house. Mom’s been cooking a bit again too. The kitty went missing for a day and he was under a bed in a room next to my mom’s. They have a lot to go through and some appliances need fixing too.
Sean and I have been shopping too. I do most of my shopping online, but go to the nearby store to pick out clothes for my niece and nephew. I got some great prices! Also got myself two pairs of corduroys for $8.40 each and they fit perfectly!
We went to Delaware yesterday for the boring gifts-lol. Today the oven got fixed. We are questioning why they stuck $20 to the bill when they were getting like $144 for the labor. They guy was here 10 minutes. Same place that I had bank issues with as the tech ran my debit card through 3 times. Today I wrote a check! Hope we get that back.
I’m cleaning up the area for the tree that we will put up on Friday. The little feather tree is the same on I have put in our family room for a few years. Hope to make at least one ornament to add. I have one I started last year. I know stitchers who have enough ornaments for a big tree! I am decorating the fireplace mantel with my grandfather Alan’s manger set. I think it’s at least 60 years old. On the other side is my collection of nutcrackers. I just added a new small one to the collection. A few of the older ones needed a little gluing! Brian’s late mom gave most of them to us. I’ll be doing more decorating tomorrow-stay tuned!
And good luck to Sean on his interview tomorrow. It may be an internship, but let’s hope it pays.

Dec1

Getting there

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It took until 4 this afternoon and 3 phone calls to get my bank to take off the two charges for $205. Eek! That would have early put a damper on the next few weeks.
I didn’t sleep too well last night. Never install virus software in a new computer at 1 am. If you do, make sure you download the correct software-I should have looked at the email better. I finally got that squared away around 1:40 am. My oh my!
To keep my nerves calmed (a little) I made our Christmas card for 2009-it includes us this year-that’s all I’m saying. I did have an idea, and then artist Claudine Hellmuth shared something she made on Facebook which was the springboard for my imagination. I’ll share it here after it gets color copied and sent on it’s way.
My mom called me tonight. She sounds somewhat better. I wasn’t going to continue our conversation if she was only going to complain about little things, she was ok.
My brother is moving in over this coming weekend, although the apartment’s gas has been turned off and he has to take a shower elsewhere.
Tomorrow I hope to get a few groceries in here as today I just couldn’t. My post nasal drip has been Chinese water torture today. I used my Neti pot which helped a lot. I could tell the right side was more clogged than the left. It always seems to be the right side. I do sleep more on the right.
I did my cookie post for the 3rd so I wouldn’t forget to do it! I only have a berry wreath on the front door as it’s not really the one I want to hang. I am doing more of a natural theme. I wanted to do mostly white lights on the tree. Sean like multi-color, so maybe I’ll add a few gold to the mix. That won’t be until around the 12th, though I do have a helper this year,it could be earlier!
Speaking of my helper-he has an informal talk next Thursday with a local conservation district. I was really praying hard last night and then Sean got the call. I hope something works out for him! He has gone through quite a few boxes in the basement-many his old belongings. What the heck do you do with an old chemistry set?

Nov19

My life at 50

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That’s right, 50 yrs ago, yours truly floated into the world in a rather fast labor and delivery-one hour to be exact. Yours truly was the loudest baby in the nursery too. My mom said she heard me over the other babies and got up to comfort me and was ushered back to bed. I was welcomed home by my older brother David, age 5. Three months later, my mom got pregnant again and was also coping with a troubled marriage. My father was to leave us all in 1972 (by that time there were 4 kids, Ken came along in 1967) to go back to his home state of Oregon where he would pass on alone in Feb. ’08.
Though I’ve had a rough childhood, I think we still had many blessings and I’ve tried to hold on to family traditions with my own son. Mom always outdid herself on birthdays, Halloween and Christmas and we had so much fun. I don’t remember wearing a store bought costume. In fact one year, she cut up her wedding dress for a 1st grader. It felt a bit odd wearing it, but I’m sure I felt pretty special. My birthday was usually shared with my year younger brother Don. We had the best one when we were about 6 and 7 when we had a house full of neighbors and cousins. Christmases were special, down to the overstuffed stockings that would always hang on the stair railing. One year my mom and grandmom(she was my second mom) sold some evergreen trees that my late grandfather had planted to have money for gifts.
Here’s me as a newborn babe-with my mouth open:

I turned out to be a stay at home (mostly, I’ve had a few jobs) wife and mom, though I went to college to be an Early Childhood Education teacher and came very close to doing so. I have been an aide to many children over the years. I think I would love to do art projects with little ones now. Sean always enjoyed doing projects from making paper to painting wooden plaques.
I think I’ve been a good wife, sister, aunt and mom. I’ve been there for people. I look forward to this part of my life when I hope, things will get easier soon. It’s hard to believe only 10 yrs ago I had a son entering his teens and now he’s a young man. He’s been my best gift ever. And he was almost my birthday gift back in 1986.
And lastly, thanks to Brian for being there for me through thick and thin. He’s been a great husband and best friend. I hope when we are 80, we have scooters to toot around Longwood Gardens on.

Oct23

Days fly by

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I don’t want to lose interest in my blog and wanted to stop by and touch base. Not too much new. Went to the doctor for an annual yesterday and was able to schedule the mamm and ultrasound for next Tuesday. I may be getting a procedure to make my life easier. I’ve been going to this particular office for at least 6 years and it was the first time I saw the head doctor, a nice man from Jamaica. I had to tell him my gr, gr grandfather was a French doctor in Jamaica (one of the first). If you saw my old photos last week, I’m talking about gr grandmom’s dad.

Today I am going to a bookstore with a coffee shop area to meet a lady I went to high school with to talk about possibly writing a children’s book together. She is a published author. We found each other on Face*book and since I mentioned one of my dreams would be to write a children’s book, she said we have to get together to brainstorm. I have a few ideas. I rather not discuss them here, but Lorin told me what the publishers are looking for and I live in an area where there is a large ethnic population of a certain group of people. Lorin has also found a few leads for Sean as she helps her students locate jobs. Needless to say, I’m a bit is shock and of course doubting myself about coming up with a good idea. Lorin is also an artist and could illustrate the book.

We have been following our Phillies and will cheer them on in the World Series for the second year in a row. A few nights ago, Sean and I were watching a game on pins and needles when Jimmy Rollins hit a 100 m.ph. ball in a gap to help the team win the game, we were jumping up and down. It’s a talented bunch and we feel they are going to win again for Harry*Kalas, one of the team’s announcers, who passed away this year.

Other than that, I’m working on getting my clothes sorted. I have a large space*bag of slacks to go through in the living room and found a few bins of clothes I haven’t looked at for a few years.

Have a great weekend, and I promise not to be a stranger on my own blog!

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This is a wooden tag that I made using my gr. grandfather’s photo.

Oct20

A Day in Bucks County, PA

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A Day in Bucks County, PA
The three of us took a daytrip up to Bucks County, PA on Sunday to celebrate Sean’s birthday a wee bit early(it’s really the 24th). We thought he may have to work, but alas, he called the lady that ‘hired’ him from the grocery store and now she said they were in a ‘hiring freeze’. Very sad indeed. He is first on the list-so he hopes this is true info. The restaurant in Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, has the best Sunday brunch. Brian and I stumbled upon it 10 yrs ago when we went up in the same area to celebrate my 40th. From breakfast treats to craved meats and treats, everything is prepared (I think this is right) by culinary students. The village had a fun array of scarecrows/effigies on display from Scarecrow ‘crows’ to Michael Jackson. More are in my Flickr photo stream. It was a chilly and blustery day. My feet gave out early as I’m not use to wearing heels. I should have wore my sneakers. Sean and I plan to try and catch some of the autumn foliage in Lancaster one of these days. The leaves in Bucks were just changing a little and everything was wet looking.

I am using the larger of the two collages and I got cut out of the one with Brian. The building is the Bucks County Playhouse right on the Delaware River in New Hope, PA. This is where many of a celebrity did summer stock, even Tim Daly when he was a boy.