Sean will be going back to PSU for another 6 weeks or so in about 12 hours. He’ll miss his dad’s birthday and probably Easter. This week flew by.
Here are some camera phone photos I took a few days ago at Friday’s restaurant (and photoshopped):
I hope by the end of today to get the zebras finished and posted-AMEN! What a chore they were, and I so dislike XS to be talked about in those terms. If I had just thought to do the darkest color first in the bodies, I would have saved myself much grief. The grass wasn’t easy either. I think they will be a nice addition to the quilt(s) for the twin boys. I can’t wait to do a few Christmas ornaments soon.
Sean and I enjoyed our afternoon shopping, though both of us have been ‘off’ in the tummy dept. Wonder what that was? We did go to Fridays for dinner as my friend Karin had given me a gift card for that restaurant. We are sitting there and a large group of people sit behind us. One guy said, ‘Save a place for Mike D!’ That’s Karin’s husband’s name! What a coincidence!
We got some nice things for Brian (can’t say what as I see him looking here) as his birthday is on the 24th. Need to look for one more thing.
I treated myself to a few things at Michael’s crafts and Kohls as I haven’t been to these stores for a while. Shopping is fun!
Update-no stitching today-yet. I decided since it was near 60 degrees I wanted to rake out a few more areas/gardens. I created about 6 huge piles and Sean helped me pick them up. I was so happy to get his help!
Then I was trying to do the Photo Hunt for tomorrow (I finally picked a few I will use) and took some extra photos for your viewing.
I took off the netting that was over the pond and thought this leaf looked interesting:
Part of my neighbor’s huge wood pile. Notice the older wood next to the newer.
These are wings from an angel lawn ornament that I was trying to take an interesting photo of. This is next to the pond and I photoshopped it. Notice the reflection of the barren trees in the water:
We do ‘gamble’ every week and buy a few dollars worth of Powerball tickets. I just saw that no one won again and the payout is worth $275 million! Wow! Just a piece of the pie would be fine for me. ; )
Not too much going on. Sean went to the eye doctor and now has contacts, but he needs new glasses too. It only took him about 10 minutes to learn how to put them in-must be those long fingers. He has to get his glasses up at the State College Walmart as he can’t come home again to pick them up. By the way, I think I mentioned this earlier, the eye doctor was in a photo with Oprah Winfrey and she told me she had been to her show. That’s all.
Here’s a closeup of the only thing(s) we bought at the Flower show. Mom bought me the burgundy, pink and lime flowers that the local Acme store booth had and Brian bought me the beads to commemorate the flower show.
We were going to go to the outlets in Lancaster, but decided to go to Delaware instead. My tummy was way off yesterday and I’m ok today(so far), so I think we’ll go to Old Navy, Michaels and Target!
It’s 2 am and I’m just about to try and get to bed. It’s the blasted daylight savings. I was also doing some awesome photo editing in Flickr of my Flower show photos. Now I don’t want to make a slide show of the originals on my computer.Here’s the link so you can see them on Flickr slideshow.
My flower show video is posted in the right bar there too. You’ll see Brian and Sean talking.
Nightie nite until later.
Update:
Sean just emailed this photo which he took with his little HP digital. I’m glad there is a photo of Bri and me. He only took about 12 photos (he was pushing his grandmom in the wheelchair) and I took over 100! There are over 80 in Flickr and I must have edited more than half. Their photo editing companion-Picnik is amazing!
We’re off to get Sean’s car-it passed inspection. His dad’s car, which is our newest car is getting run into the ground. I don’t understand Bri. He hasn’t had the oil changed in over 4K miles; the glove compartment broke, and there are lights on the dash that are out. He needs to take it to the dealership so they can order parts. My brother thought my 12 yr old van was in great shape. I hardly drive it though.
It’s been a long day. We didn’t get moving until 1 to get my mom and grab the 2:17 train to the city. I know, it’s a late start. Daylight savings messed with our sleep a bit. The flower show was on until 6 anyway. I think if the four of us go on a Sunday again, we should eat a big lunch and then go. We ate a big breakfast, grabbed a pretzel and nachos at the adjoining mall as a snack and then walked the walk, though mom was in a rented wheelchair. We always manage to miss something. I heard a woman say she loved the bayou with the steam. Well, we didn’t see that, yet Brian saw a photo of the exhibit on flickr. I shouldn’t complain as I took over 100 photos and did a video too! I haven’t uploaded or edited the video yet, but will tomorrow. However, here are some of my favorite people and some broad in beat up pink sneakers. : )
It was nice to have my guys along. Here’s the inside of the train on the 35 minute trip to the city. It takes us 45-55 minutes just to get to mom’s house first.
The guys took turns pushing mom around and helping her take photos. At the end, she ditched the wheelchair and walked around to see if she got to see everything!
Did I mention the theme was New Orleans?
I don’t wear sneaks a lot, but I had to today with all the walking we did. I know my ankle boots would look so much better, but it was comfort over looks here! I saw a young woman go in the show in about 3″ spike heels-she’s crazy! I am at least wearing my new glasses. This exhibit had lights pointing down (see the foot marks) so you could stand under the exhibit. Bri didn’t get he was suppose to take a shot of what was over my head along with me! But I am standing in the wrong direction too!
And for Zoey, our friendly blogger tablescaper:
This was a hot pink mylar like rug!
and this too:
Plastic or paper lights and tons of orchids. The other tablescape will be on my slideshow that I’ll put together later.
We went to Carrabbas Italian restaurant when we got back to mom’s area and enjoyed a nice dinner there. I guess I’m glad I went. I just love using that camera so much, but I like spending time with my family the best!
I so miss my flowers! I was out this past Monday raking around my little box hedges and irises as they looked so forlorn. So this photo hunt had me thinking about how I love different colors when it comes to choosing flowers for my various gardens. I really like a rainbow effect, but these green hued flowers are so unusual! They are easy to grow and not hard to find. The lime color zinnias are Envy and the greenish irises are Kiwi.
 |
| Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants. |
If you like my floral photography, many are available on neat merchandise at Cafe Press and Image kind (links at the top on the right).
And… Sean arrived home safe and sound about 3 Friday afternoon. He looks good. He gave the security deposit for his studio apartment today before he left. When his dad got home, he gave his boy the biggest smile I’ve seen in ages. : )
My brother called and said that my 12 yr old Windstar needs some brake work and he found out where the squeak was coming from- if I remember-a belt and something was wrong with that. ; ) Let’s say getting this stuff and the inspection ‘ain’t cheap’, but I will have some peace of mind.
So I will go home with mom and my brother lives around the corner and I’ll get my van and go to Trader Joe’s in my hometown. Sean will be home for a week tomorrow and my cupboards are bare! He’s so sick of pasta and wraps. Guess I’ll concentrate on stew and pot roast-the meat I have! He won’t be home for Easter or his cousin or dad’s birthday though. Guess we’ll have to get use to things like that. He is finally settled on a studio apartment, but just by himself. His old high school pal kept backing out of the deal! He may have to sublet the place for three months next summer or get stuck with the rent if he won’t be there.
I sent out ATCs to some pals and when they get them, I’ll show you some.
At least it’s a sunny day here. I’m ready for the spring.
Last night, my estranged brother called up my mom! He hadn’t talked to her since November of ’06. Said he wants to come back to PA to live. His family is up here and he’s alone and getting older. I know it had to do with what happened over the last day and I guess it got him thinking. He said he wants to sit and talk to me face to face-oh joy. He’s the one who basically only listens to his own opinions. This should be an interesting year ahead.
I’m not sure if my father turned Catholic. I found the info that my cousin’s friend must have saw-that he is having a memorial mass in his name, which isn’t the same as the religious mass. Maybe a priest or someone felt bad for him. It feels weird and all, but I lost him a long time ago, especially when he decided to be physically abusive to me and my family. I don’t share this with everyone, but when I was little, around 2-4, I slept on a cot at the top of the stairs in our first home. I would sneak in my grandmom’s room and snuggle with her until my father pulled me out of my safe haven and tossed me on the cot again, under the light that was on all night. I didn’t have a real bed until I was about 5 or 6. He also took my beloved pacifier and threw it down that same hallway and I never cared for him after that. I absolutely loved my grandmom’s brother-in-law, Uncle Al and he had to hold me all the time. When my father tried to hold me, I’d cry. My father did buy me a Barbie I begged for and got me a pink and green dress with a matching shoulder bag one time. That’s all the nice I remember. When my parents divorced in 1972, we all went to court and he wouldn’t even look at us. I can remember what I was wearing- a white knit top with the outline of a sequin star on the front. That’s the last time I saw him except for a photo he sent my older brother about 1985.
Once he took off with my little brother in the car for hours and my mom and grandmom started to get worried. I don’t think Ken was more than 2. He did bring him back, of course.
He loved Oregon so much and missed it. My mom lived out west in San Francisco for a year but she missed PA and was about to have my older brother, so they came back.
My father’s relatives are really nice people. I have some interesting family history through them too-my great grandfather was one of the first forest rangers and my gr-grandmom wrote a book about her life called ‘Honeymoon on Horseback’. I have a copy! And there’s a park and maybe a stream (or water source) named after my great gf.
My cousin compiled that great book on our family and sent me a copy a few years ago. I didn’t know that my paternal family arrived through Maine until I received that book!
So although I had a black sheep for a father, the people around him (though not my paternal grandfather) were always nice to us, especially my cousin and her mother and sister-who I met with her husband when I was little.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was going to do the Photo Hunt, but I didn’t get around to taking my wooden photo item yet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m so proud of Sean! He donated blood to help kids with cancer. He never did this before and felt a little woozy, but he’s pretty psyched too. He got a free t-shirt out of it too!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I got the jewelry shown below-love the necklace! The earrings are much bigger than pictured and too big for me. If anyone wants them, they are about 2″ long and still in their packaging. They are suppose to be red, but are more brown.
This image is a part of my memory forever. I love how Brian, my husband, still goes swimming. I love when he ‘dives’ in and then I see his head pop up, matting all his curly hair down on his head. My son isn’t a swimmer (not that his parents are), but he’ll take a dip. It’s the freedom of vacation. A bird out of a cage. The vast Atlantic ocean in front of you. (Fenwick Island, DE)
|
| Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants. |
It seemed like it was more of 3.5 hours of a musical extravaganza than an awards show this year. It was the 50th anniversary, and they did a wonderful job of entertaining us for all that time. The View just showed the highlight of the evening-Herbie Hancock, Lang Lang and a full orchestra doing their rendition of ‘Rhapsody in Blue’. Loved seeing Beyonce booging with 68 yr old Tina Turner. And the opening number with Alicia Keyes singing along with old film footage of Frank Sinatra was awesome too.
I spent the time stitching the zebra, who seems ok now, not a stitch off or anything. I am also clipping magazines-and being really selective about what I am clipping. I am looking for images for my art cards/collages and some recipes and craft ideas. I happened upon an article about thyroid issues. I was told I didn’t have a problem, but one of the woman had ‘normal’ readings and had 3 or 4 different opinions before a specialist said she had a thyroid problem. I think mine gets wonky maybe? I plan to have a physical after Brian gets his bloodwork results back. Frankly, I am nervous as my nerves have been tested a bit these last few months.
My brother had a meltdown about my mom’s house yesterday. I knew he would sooner or later as he is trying to do too much in too short a time. I was angry to hear he threw an nice tall boy kind of desk away. I had spent a long time scrapping paint off it years ago. It’s made out of an unusual wood too. I am so glad I got my great aunt’s hutch out of there years ago! I love antiques. I wish I could help more, but I can’t lift. I can sort, I can take stuff to the Goodwill. I can certainly dust and clean. I think he needs to take a break and do something he likes.
I’m probably going out later to mail some books. I got a half.com sale too-probably a book I had listed for over two years-I need to find it!
And it was about 10 degrees out this morning and around 2 where Sean is. Speaking of Sean, he needs to get his housing issue settled soon. I need to proof a paper for him too.
Collages & Creative Goodness 