Mar22

Longwood Gardens 2009 Orchid show

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This past Friday, I decided I needed to do something different. I hadn’t had my van for 3 days and it was nice to have wheels again. I headed to Longwood Gardens to see their orchid display and to get a walk in. I want to try for a mile or so a week and build up. Here are some of my 85 photos, the rest are on Flickr. I love the blue poppy too!
I came home to a message that Brian’s father that he had fallen down on an errand to get a watch battery-the town he went to wasn’t around the corner. He tripped on the curb and hit his nose enough that it had a wound that bled a lot. They called an ambulance too. He was at the hospital and no one knew it. We tell him to carry his cellphone on him. To make a long story short, he’s doing good-Bri checked him out on Saturday. We want him to get his eyes and ears checked (he hasn’t been to an eye doctor in at least 15 yrs). He seems to be getting more frequent falling or tripping episodes. I even called Bri’s aunt to talk his dad into going to the eye doctor as she use to run the optical dept of a nice store in Philadelphia before she retired. Crossing fingers.
Also on Saturday, Bri’s car’s brake lights decided to stay on and we had to drop that at the shop and disconnect the new battery. When it rains it pours! I was outside raking out some garden beds too.
We are all anxious for Sean’s trip to Las Vegas-bon voyage to him!

Mar20

Show and Tell

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Skinny card swaps received, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

For the last several months, I have been in a Flickr group where the moderator picks a theme and we make a skinny card (3″ x 5″) to correspond with it. These are the 14 (I think I have a few more) that I have received from the states and Finland-so far. I just love to flip through these and admire each and every one!
Can you guess the theme for any of these?
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Each card represents a different theme-a few were-fashion, children, transportation, winter, feminine, red, celebrities, music, fairy tales…
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Be sure to watch the video about Christian the lion in my Vodpod. The two men who raised Christian (back in the 1970s when it was legal to buy wild animals) were on The View today. I thought I’d watch it through Youtube, and of course was deeply touched by it as I was with the movie Born Free.

Mar19

Thursday Thunks

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I forgot to play last week-may have to grab those questions too!

1. The last flight of stairs you walked up/down – were the carpeted? Uncarpeted-my basement stairs!

2. Green or purple grapes?
Doesn’t really matter-I think green skins aren’t as thick maybe?

3. Do you like Peeps?
I like they once in a while. There seems to be Peeps available year round-Santa Peeps, Heart Peeps, and maybe Shamrock Peeps?

4. The smell of Vicks – like it?
Yes-it reminds me of my childhood-but wait, I was usually sick when I was smeared with it! I still use a touch of it in the winter (on the bottom of my neck in front) to keep my head open. It usually works!

5. Do you put decorative cling-ons on your windows for different holidays? I use to when my son was little. They fall off a lot! I have a few fairy ones still on my bedroom windows which are cute, but faded.

6. Finish the sentence – I spent too much money on ________ .
art collage materials.
7. Which celebrity should be flown into outer space or placed on a desert island? Paris Hilton

8. Would you support schools changing the “open” time? Such as 10am – 5pm, for example? Not having a school age child, it really doesn’t matter. I think 5 pm is too late as half the year it’s dark by then.

9. Do you go fishing? No, not really interested. It would be neat to catch lobsters though.
10. What question should we ask next week? It’s springtime-do you spend more time outdoors?

Last week’s questions:
1. You are walking down the road and you look down. There is a bug. Do you step on it? The operative part of this question-walking down the road-no I wouldn’t step on it, just walk away from it quickly!
2. What is one fantasy that you want to come true more than any other? Living in a land of rainbows and unicorns-gee-I think having a living environment under the sea or in space would be cool.
3. Someone knocks on your door. Do you look out the window to see who it is before you open it? Do you open it regardless of who it is? If I was expecting someone, I open the door. If not, I look and most times speak out the window to the person.
4. Have you ever eaten Play Doh?
Many moons ago-very salty-probably spit it out!
5. What was your favorite Saturday morning cartoon as a child and why?
Bug Bunny and Looney Tunes-love Marc Anthony the Bulldog and his little friend Pussyfoot.
6. Are you a “people watcher”?
I think I am, especially if I’m playing ‘the waiting game’ waiting for someone who is in a store at the mall.
7. I have a bowl of fruit. There are apples, oranges & pears. You help yourself to one – which one do you choose?
I like all three, but I don’t eat a lot of pears, so I’d pick one if it wasn’t too hard-I’d pick the apple if this was so.
8. What is your biggest pet peeve in the blogging world?
SPAM!!!
9. What is one religion that you could just never see yourself joining?
I respect most religions-I don’t think I could be a Moonie.
10. What word do you use far too often?
What?
11. How long do you spend in the shower?
About 10 minutes
12. If you were to write a personal ad about yourself, what would it say?
Domestic goddess with many skills such as cooking, baking, photography, blogging, art collaging and gardening. Can figure out many problems without blowing a fuse. Reliable.
13. Your favorite flavor of soup is….?
I eat a lot of chicken noodle out of the can, but prefer the homemade variety.
14. You are sitting on a bench in the park and a bug walks in front of your feet…. do you squash him? See #1-though if he came close to climbing up one of my legs, it’s days may be over.
What to play?
too?

Mar19

JT and his kitty

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jtandray1
I get an email from JT every month and there were a few videos (and here too) attached of him making a mouse trap, playing with a mouse he caught (he named it Evander because it had a hole in it’s ear like the boxer) and then they showed him with his cat Ray! Wow, I didn’t know! Another short video was of Ray climbing up a cat walk to the second floor. These are cute as they show JT as like the grandfatherly type next door (he is a grandfather) and not the singing legend-except for what looks like a BMW in the garage. : )

Mar18

A quick wave

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That one hour of sleep I got last night didn’t quite cut the mustard, so I’m heading to bed early tonight. I had tummy issues and mom and Brian insisted I go to the doctor. About 8:15 am, after a night of tummy ‘rumbas’, I finally took something that usually helps my IBS (over the counter Equalactin-that stuff is magic and they better keep making it) and within a few hours, everything was calm, except for my brain. When I can’t sleep, I can’t turn off the mind box. And I was so sad to hear about Natasha Richardson and didn’t know the extent of her now fatal injuries until later today. Was thinking about how fragile life can be.
Bri went with me as my van is still at my brother’s house (it’s inspected and fixed). We waited 45 minutes for the doctor to say, I think you have IBS! I made him check my neck as I thought I had a swollen right gland-didn’t and had him look at my the left ‘girl’ scar as it’s developed a bump-he said it was ok. He still thinks I should go to the GI doc (a new one that I originally wanted to see). Everything he mentioned I said I had had already- an ultrasound in the fall of 2006 (the first GI checked off a special blood test and I brought the paper to show this doc before I get the blood work-this one mentioned an ultrasound) and I continued to get cholesterol and liver enzyme blood work yearly and he thumbed through my papers and found the results for that stuff. So that was a wasted $30 in my book. I learn more off google search. I definitely think we need to get a new GP.
Off for my van tomorrow and hopefully I can pick up a few gifts for Brian’s birthday soon!

Mar18

My mom and me

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I do lots of Art Trading Card/Skinny card challenges on Flickr. The latest one was to follow the theme ‘A Mother’s Love’ since Mother’s Day is coming up in England (the moderator picks the theme). This is my mom Jeanne and me in about 1967-68. She is dressed up, so probably for work. I look like I’m in my pjs-wonder if I was sick? Anyway, I enjoyed making this look like the flowery designs of the time.
One day I’ll lay all my ‘incoming’ cards out for you to see!

Mar17

St. Paddy’s Day

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Being married to a man with an Irish first and last name and naming our son Sean Matthew, you know we like to at least eat corned beef and cabbage today! Sean just called and didn’t even wear anything green today! Shame on him! I have this cutest green tam that I haven’t posed in yet-neither would the guys!

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(Had to take my own photo!)

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Missed posting yesterday as I had to go down to my hometown and drop my van off so my brother Ken, the mechanic could inspect it. There are a few things I asked him to check out. It’s 13 yrs old and I don’t trust other places with it. Sean’s car was just inspected down the road from here and he said it was giving him a little trouble starting. He tried it this morning and it turned over right away. He needs to make sure it’s fine as he is driving 3 hours to the Pittsburgh airport on Sunday to go to Las Vegas with his Geography group for a conference.

My sister-in-law did my hair yesterday and then I went to my mom’s. My second brother is getting ready to move in and he and my other brother’s family were cleaning out rooms over the weekend. They had quite a task and I wish my basement looked like mom’s-they did a good job. Of course she is complaining about not being able to find things that she hasn’t been interested in for years.

All that made me want to do a little dusting and straightening up tchotchkes here and I’ll work on doing more of that since I can’t go anywhere. I’ve had some muscle spasms in my tummy that have come and gone for years-not sure why it does that, but usually a Tylenol will calm it down. But it usually spasms around 6 in the morning, so I’m wondering if I’m just hungry? I looked it up and seems it may be associated with IBS. I remember it happening way back in 1997! The doctor was no help-I saw I posted about it back in 2006. I’m not in pain, it just moves by itself like a baby kicking-I call it alien gut. My one friend said it could be scar tissue from my 6″ long gallbladder scar rubbing on the muscles. Wonder if a tummy tuck would help? : )

I’m going to toss the corned beef in the pot shortly and add cabbage too! Have a great day.

Mar15

Another good-bye

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I’m never going to get use to these blasted departures, especially knowing Sean will be almost across the country next Sunday. It’s gotta be, can’t keep them little forever. Now I know why Brian use to say he’d hate it when Sean grew up.
Bri said we could go out to eat tonight-so that will be within the next hour or so I guess, a nice consolation prize-not having to cook!
I was looking at the People magazine ‘Style Watch’ edition and thought ‘I’d recommend’ (it is Sunday and that’s my usual time to write about things I like or have read). So here are the style trends for Spring 2009-Anything with a ‘mini floral’ pattern-dresses, tops, skirts. Funky Little House on the Prairie wear!
Hobo bags-I actually just bought one-not very springlike-it’s black, but I know I have a big pink one somewhere too.
Ruffles!!! There are some really cute examples in the magazine-I like the ruffles pulled to one shoulder and the vest with the tiny ruffles on the bottom.
Utilitarian-uniform like details-shown is an Ann Taylor silk camp shirt which is pretty but pricey.
Neon!!!Mostly shown are purses, shoes, jewelry and clothing with a neon trim. You don’t want to look like you escaped prison in a neon orange jumpsuit!
**My Favorite**-Cool colors-they are calling them lagoon blues-gorgeous shades. I have a purse my mom gave me in a cool shade like shown.
Not boring beiges Also like this color palette, crisp and clean looking.
Other popular accessories:
Textured bags
Exotic heels
Gold shoes (glad I kept those gold  sandals I hardly wear)
Statement necklaces (Zoey should be happy about this one-I love necklaces too).

Sean did get a lot of work finished this break, including a long paper about Vikings which I proofread-all 13 or so pages! I have done his proofreading throughout school and I really wish he would learn to sit down and figure out what sounds good and what doesn’t.  Not to say I didn’t mind helping,but this is definitely an area he needs ‘to grow’ in.