Category Archives: tv

Sep26

So this is Autumn?

Posted on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 by Dianne

It’s close to 90 out today! I just turned on the air as I was trying to conserve energy. I haven’t been doing much except to play with Paint Shop Pro (sometimes digitalizing things is so much easier), but I did a page in my collage book last night. The book should have spiral rings as it’s getting so hard to work on. I also got 3 new rubber stamps in the mail today and want to play with them. I’m a little blah anyway.

Not too much new. Sean got a package from my friend Karin in Chicago (the lady whose wedding we went to in NYC) and I’m pretty sure it is cookies. I am so jealous as she is a chef in training-well she’ll be finished in December! I thought that was so sweet of her as I know she is super busy.

I started stitching the squash contest winner’s prize. I have to alter a chart, but I won’t go into that. I also started a gift which needs to be ready soon. The ’57 Thunderbird is nearing completion. I am tired of it, but it looks awesome.

Have you been watching any of the new shows? I caught ‘Dancing with the Stars’, ‘Heroes’ and ‘Journeyman’. Of course the last show is the only ‘new’ one above and it was a bit like one of my nightmares, trying to make sense of it. I’ll have to watch more to understand it better. And tonight, Tim Daly is in ‘Private Practice’, that spin-off from ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. Woo hoo!

Sep16

Say it ain’t so

Posted on Sunday, September 16, 2007 by Dianne

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That I am still pulling weeds in the middle of September! Usually by now I say the heck with it. I have to admit that I did the front area where people look as they pass the house. I filled up two garden carts with weeds, mostly those long grasses. Now my pretty blue and peach salvia are making a nice show. I promise a photo. I gave up weeding after an hour as my back was hurting. I am also pleased with my ‘trash grabs’; remember when Sean and I went to the nursery a few months back and the lady gave me plants she was tossing? They both are blooming-pink and white trumpet flowers-one is the Mandevilla and the other is very similar, but the leaves are a bit different.

When I came in I decided to make the gown for my ‘Mommy paper doll’. My friend gave me the body template and I used the photo of my mom when she was about 20. I assembled the body with brads and painted it too. The dress is made from some of the scrap paper I got in the mail yesterday. Her belt and shoes were made from a band from a candy box. Her belt and bag have butterfly accents. I think she looks like she is ready to go to the Emmys (you all are getting a sneak peek)!

And here’s her journal with her initials and the first page that I did for her:

I worked on my ’57 Thunderbird (Love Quilts) while watching the Emmys. It was in ‘the round’ and I felt bad for winners like James Spader who said they were the ‘worst seats he ever had’. I was glad Katherine Heigl from Grey’s Anatomy won. It was neat to see some of the cast from ‘Roots’ which was a miniseries 30 yrs ago when I graduated from high school. I didn’t know that Edward Albert, Jr (Butterflies are Free) had passed away last September-the ‘In Memorium’ showed his picture. I looked him up and he was only 55 and had lung cancer. His dad had passed on in ’06 at 96! Eddie Jr took care of his dad for 10 yrs. I liked both of them a lot.

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We went to church this morning as we thought Father M needed help as the ‘main’ usher was in a car accident last week in Virginia. We had heard he bruised or broke his ribs, but he was in the hospital. We have known Chris and his family for at least 10 years and when we saw him standing there today, well I just had to give him a hug! I think I surprised him! Later he told Bri that the rear axle on his Ford Explorer had broken when he was going about 55 mph! He rolled over at least 2-3 times and doesn’t remember anything except waking up when the paramedics were talking to him. I think he’s one lucky guy!

Sep15

Found this neat place

Posted on Saturday, September 15, 2007 by Dianne

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Frazy.com lets you search for your favorite books, music and movies so you can make a neat table like this. These aren’t all of James Taylor’s lps, but a nice sampling of them. I have my list of movies up on Myspace-the link is in my sidebar.

I’m still working on the Photo Hunt about plastic. I think I’ll just point you down to that plastic college ID of yours truly!
Got up a little late as I didn’t get to sleep until after 2 am. Driving sometimes does that to me since I am over alert (a good thing, when I am on the road).
I happened upon ‘Meerkat Manor’ on Animal Planet-what funny little creatures. I know the producers, etc. don’t want to disturb the balance of nature, but how can they let the little babies die from starvation? I was hoping they take them back to a animal rescue, if there is one out there.

Aug13

Merv

Posted on Monday, August 13, 2007 by Dianne

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I was sorry to read that Merv Griffin lost his battle against prostate cancer on Sunday. That is the cancer that has left my uncle with a defective bladder from the radiation treatments. What do I remember about Merv-his talk show! My grandmom use to watch it all the time, so I would too. He had a great singing voice and could play the piano, but he didn’t do either that much on his show if I recall. I remember his announcer and sidekick Arthur Treacher (fish and chips guy) and Charo. Why is it that so many talk show hosts need to sit behind a desk? (Mike Douglas, who had his talk show in Philly, which I went to a few times, didn’t have a desk). So Merv thought of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! out of the blue and both are still on (I like Jeopardy better). Merv was on some reality show within the last few years, I can’t remember which one, but seeing him again brought back memories of his old talk show and how good it was…and now, the dear boy himself (A.Treacher)…has gone to rest.

Jul31

Tom Snyder

Posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2007 by Dianne

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Tom Snyder passed away at the age of 71 on July 29th. Back in the late 60s- 70s, he was a newsanchor at the Philly station where my brother is presently employed as an electronic technician (yeah, Dave got all the ‘math brains’ in the family).
Back in 1968 as a Philly newsman

I do remember Tom back then (as I fondly remember Jessica Savitch), but I remember watching his late night show when all the other shows were long over (I’m still a night owl). I recently watched him do an interview with James Taylor and his siblings back in the late 70s that was uploaded on Youtube.com. I can’t help but think back on Dan Akyroyd’s (when he was on Saturday Night Live) take on him…sitting there spewing out questions with a cigarette in one hand.

Good television.

Jul23

In the company

Posted on Monday, July 23, 2007 by Dianne

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I’m still here and so is my mom! I went to get her on Saturday. She got a new frig just like mine, but a shelf smaller in both sections. She didn’t have one of the shelves separated, so I did that and rearranged items in it for her. She tossed a bunch of stuff out of the old one. I started to get a big allergy attack there that unfortunately lasted all day. I took mom to the farmer’s market for lunch and then we dropped by the Goodwill as I had a bag of stuff (old cross stitch leaflets) to leave. We went inside and I struck pay dirt! Someone had dropped off a bunch of cookbooks-Emeril and a few other Food Network people. I also got a white wicker buggy for my teddies. By the way, the guys went on the bus to Atlantic City with Bri’s dad as they hadn’t been down there for a while. I would have been by myself all day.

We came home and just vegged out as I wasn’t up to par. Bri and Sean didn’t get home until after 10 as there was a ton of traffic on Saturday. They went to the new mall and were most impressed by the new fountain and light show that rivals the Longwood Gardens show! I went to bed early but didn’t sleep all night! I couldn’t turn my brain or bladder off. Sunday was a sit around day. Mom seemed to enjoy sitting in the lounge chair and painting with her ‘Watercolor a day’ calendar. We ordered Chinese food which I was disappointed to do as I like to cook for mom when she comes here.

We watched the finale of ‘The Next Food Network Star’ and I swear I could have gone to bed at 9 when it started I was so wiped out. I voted for both Amy and Rory, to be fair I thought. I was happy Amy won as they don’t have someone quite like her on the channel. Rory looks like she has a popular restaurant she just opened in Texas. Good luck to both of them.

Today we were planning on Longwood Gardens, but it looks like rain. Bummer. Sean and I will take mom home tomorrow. Then on Wednesday I have to get a tooth checked out as it hurts every time I eat. My dental woes continue!

Jul13

Food Network Star Finalists

Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 by Dianne

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Rachael Ray hosted the final ‘3’ Food Network star finalists on her show this morning. ‘Jag’ the only guy left, cooked Puerto Rican food, Rory cooked Tex Mex (grilled food) and Amy who is the Next Door Gourmet did an egg dish. All received kudos from the three judges, but I think Amy stood out as being calm and collected and remembering everything she had to do and say. But Amy got to go last. I’m not sure if she got to watch the others, but she looks like she learned from their mistakes. I didn’t care for Jag calling Rachael ‘sweetie’. Rachael joked that she didn’t mind being his sweetie. Plus what he was cooking was something that the average cook would have to save up a month to cook-lobster. He used an oil that he called ‘poor man’s saffron’ but he used lobster, contradicting himself-Rachael pointed that out. Rory was really nervous. Plus, I know how to cook steak on the grill! But to be fair, of the three dishes that were made, Rory’s looked the most appetizing. When I eat lobster, I don’t want to mess with it too much and I’m not much on eggs unless they are scrambled or a frittata. The remainder here was edited as I shouldn’t have said what I said and I didn’t mean to hurt Rory as she wrote to me-I didn’t expect that. (I just looked at what my commenter said and I am the first on the list in a Google blog search) I am so sorry, I’m almost a Jersey girl myself. I was making fun of myself in that passage though. Good luck in your quest Rory, for hosting a show on one of my favorite networks. Here’s a plug for her. And I so want those ribs!!!!

Update-Rory wrote back and thanked me for editing my blog. I told her in reply that Bri has one of the toothiest smiles

around and I have loved that smile for 25 years! What the heck was I thinking? And I noticed from her blog that she loves preschoolers (so do I, remember I have an AAS in Early Childhood Ed)-she has a Youtube video with her and her niece’s class. All forgiven I think. If you can’t say anything nice….yes mom!

Funny thing seen on the side of a bus yesterday (and twice): webuyuglyhouses.com! I mentioned this to mom and she asked if I meant her house-no-just that it was a weird thing to see twice.

Have a cool Friday the 13th!

Jul1

The Coleus Experiment

Posted on Sunday, July 1, 2007 by Dianne

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I love coleus for their watercolor-like ruffly leaves in a rainbow of colors. This year they are doing exceptionally well. I just pulled out the Sevin to combat the Japanese beetles that are munching on them and some of the other tender plants. So what’s this experiment? I am breaking off small pieces of my different plants and sticking them in a pot of wet soil. I did the first one by accident as some leaves had broken off when I was repotting the plant. It took root! I found a few baby coleus under the chestnut tree in old potting soil, so I potted them up too. I am hoping to start a bunch of them so I have them for the wintertime and next season-hopefully.

I did 3 hours of gardening yesterday-Bri trimmed the forsythia out front which were way overgrown and I raked up one side of the cut branches. The township also had just come along and ‘trimmed’ about 2 feet of our yard along the road away. They did this all over the place. I guess it makes it easier for the mail people to get to the boxes. I also tied up tomatoes and hoed around some of my gardens. Since I took an interest in the veggie patch, Bri has been more involved too. I had left it up to him the last few years as I was fed up with putting so much work in it and not getting much out of it anymore. He bought 5 more huge pepper varieties today at Walmart. I did buy more plants. I was hoping for better prices though. The plants that were discounted were clinging to life by a hair. Why do they wait so long to put them on sale? I bought a Paradise rose bush and a few plants for around the pond area and another coleus!

Our main reason for going to Walmart was to exchange my under the counter radio/CD player that was in the kitchen. The one we bought last year (thank goodness we saved the box!) had melted underneath in one spot. I do remember smelling plastic burning at one time. I was afraid to use it! They did give us another one-the same one, that’s all they sell.

We watched the concert for Diana tonight put on by her sons in honor of what would have been her 46th birthday (I am 18 months older). I was surprised it was only broadcast for an hour. I like Elton John and Rod Stewart’s ok, but they sing the same old songs all the time. It would have been nice to hear something new from Elton. The most enjoyable parts, seeing Princes William and Harry and seeing film footage from when Diana was a girl. She certainly looked like she lived a privilege life. I had read that she complained about being the third daughter of a mother and father who wanted a son. Also, her mother and father separated when she was 10 or so.

Anyway, it was a gorgeous day-no heat. I was trying to sit under the chestnut trees but they are dropping their ‘flowers’ for a better name of those messy things. At this stage, fireflies mate all around these trees. Nature overload!

I hope to get mom one day this week. And Sean got a A- in his night school class.

Jun4

Rainy days

Posted on Monday, June 4, 2007 by Dianne

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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.

May24

I think I’m almost finished

Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 by Dianne

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Sean and I went down to a few garden centers in nearby Hockessin, Delaware on Wednesday. The one place has unusual plants, but as my grandmom would say ‘are very dear’ with their prices. I did purchase plants with an all yellow tone-some of which were portulaca, marigold and licorice plant-it’s a whitish yellow. I bought two different kinds of fuchsia and planted them together. I also added to my coleus collection. I planted my purple and yellow sweet potato vine in strawberry jars and in it’s holes I added apricot color portulaca.

I have yet to plant my flower seeds though I am not worried. Zinnias and cosmos are quick to germinate. I found some lavender and green zinnia seeds. I also have seeds I saved from last year. I want to plant sunflowers, but I am afraid they will be a snack for deer. I guess I’ll throw some in to see what happens.

We’ve been watching all the tv finales-nothing too surprising with the ‘reality’ based shows. I did think that maybe Laila Ali would win Dancing with the Stars. I think she got a bit of a chip on her shoulder and people didn’t care for that. I thought that Blake would win on American Idol, but Jordin did. She’s a pretty decent singer for a 17 yr old, but he is a great performer.

Lost also had it’s finale. I’m really confused now. I think they get rescued, but Jack (Matthew Fox) is really messed up. I’ll be curious to see how they continue that saga.

Happy 18th to my nephew Patrick!