Feb3

Tension Tuesday

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Just a quick ‘hello’ for now. Brian and I had to take my mom to the ER to get rehydrated and they checked out her mouth thrush. It’s one of the worst things you can surely get-she’s been just miserable and not hardly eating or drinking. My uncle called me a little after 10 and said that mom could hardly speak to him when he had phoned. We got her there at 12 and left at four as one of my brothers picked her up to take her home. We knew they were going to discharge her within an hour or so and there was a bit of a snowstorm blowing through and we didn’t want to drive on slick roads. I feel bad that she is by herself, but she needs to eat and they won’t keep her in the hospital for that. Mom asked that my brother take the puppy home with him overnight. I called around 9:15 tonight and Mom sounded just as miserable. Needless to say, we are exhausted and I am going to bed very shortly. Say some prayer for mom for relief (she has yet another kind of medicine) and that we won’t get sick from being in an ER that seemed to be loaded with barfers. The room they put mom in hadn’t had it’s trash emptied and it was not nice. The nurse came in and cleaned the room while we were waiting. We feel doomed. Oy.

Feb2

Happy Candlemas Day

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I love my Old Farmer’s Almanac calendar as it reminded me today it is Candlemas! This is a old Celtic festival celebrating the fact that the days were getting longer and spring was not far off. The little groundhog Phil disagrees as he saw his shadow up in Puxsuatawney, PA.
I’m just rejoining that it is 50 out and sunny. My sinuses are very confused as it was half that temperature a few days ago.
Thanks for all those leaving comments for the One World-One Heart event!
My mom is ill with a bad cold along with the mouth thrush. She has two kinds of medicine and is getting little relief. I feel so bad for her and helpless. I heard plain yogurt is good for swooshing around her mouth.

Now for Manic Monday #153

What’s the most embarrassing song on your iPod (or music collection)?
I love Brick House by the Commodores! It stirs those disco vibes in my bones. : )

How much time do you spend each day in your commute? (Or if you don’t work outside the house, how much time do you spend in your car or other preferred mode of transportation?)
I hardly spend any time in my van. It’s 13 yrs old and only has 91K miles on it. However, my mom lives 23 miles away, so when I go to see her and we go shopping or whatever, I am spending a good 2 hours or more in the car in one day.
What’s your favorite wardrobe item and why?
I love my brown corduroy Bill Blass car coat and even bought another car coat-a pretty lavender one with a chartreuse lining.

Feb1

One World-One Heart Event

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Unpredictable February-another month of winter and cold-we’ll see what our furry little groundhog pal sees tomorrow! This will be a sticky post. All newer posts will follow.
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I am throwing my hat in for the One World-One Heart event-my third year-thanks to Lisa for all the time and effort she puts into this event-wow!!!
I found the most gorgeous book of prints at the tribute to Andrew Wyeth at the Brandywine River museum yesterday and thought fellow artists would love it for their libraries.
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It is only available at the museum and includes a sprinkling of many of the artists who have been featured at the museum-including the late Andrew Wyeth.
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I’ll send you a copy of the card they gave out at the museum-they were very stingy with giving these out! I only got two, one for us and one for our son who grew up in this area:
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Please leave a comment here if you would like to try to win this amazing book. I will pick a winner on the 12th at midnight. I also made a ‘skinny’ card (3″x5″) in tribute to the late Andrew Wyeth’s work to include with the book (the photo in the book was my influence):
Tribute to Andrew Wyeth in Skinny card form


Jan31

Brandywine River Museum Tribute day to Andrew Wyeth

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Brian and I ventured over to this and it was jammed packed with people (it was free) on this 25 degree day (wind chill 11). I mainly wanted to see Christina’s World, which isn’t usually on display here-it’s up in the art museum in NYC. I love to look at detail and amongst all the grass, there were a few well placed weeds-like thistles. Neat.

Andrew got a few dozen honorary fine art degrees from many local colleges, one being the one Brian and I attended (he graduated, I almost did)-West Chester University-he may have been the speaker the year I was suppose to graduate, I have to ask a few old classmates.
I managed to get some outside shots, but had to wait until the lens warmed up! I like my outside shot of the museum with the evergreens reflected in the glass. There were black drapes right near the entrance in honor of Andrew. The restaurant across the street-Hank’s Place was a ‘hang-out’ for ‘Andy’ over the past 16 yrs. He use to come in the back door, but then switched to the front. Their sign said something to this affect-the beauty of your art was it’s simplicity…we will remember you always.

I got to sign the guest book and said what a pleasure it was to live in the Brandywine River Valley and enjoy looking at the things he enjoyed.

His last painting from 2008 was called ‘Good bye’-how ironic-but maybe that’s something he wanted to paint. It depicts a white shaker style house on a hill with a beach and  sail boat in the foreground. I noticed in his later years, he went to more of a white background with the browns on top. I hope to take the tour with Victoria Wyeth sometime to hear what she has to say about her famous grandfather.


Jan31

Photo Hunt-Furry

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PSHunt

My brother rescued this furry little guy a few weeks ago to give to our mom. His name is Kelsey (this is a bit photoshopped to fix his eyes and make it more interesting) and he’s about 2.5 months old and a terrier mix. Today I saw him chase his tail!
I hope he gets trained better as I also stepped in a few ‘mistakes’. I was down to take my mom to the doctor as she had a sore throat which turned out to be thrush-yeck!
kelsey3

Jan30

Show and Tell

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This past Monday I went to my Mom’s house and we went over to the Goodwill so I could drop off a few things. We always look around inside, and I found a few ‘treasures’. Why would anyone give this charming plate away?
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Perfect for a birthday celebration!
Then I saw this little hobnail salt holder stuck on a shelf for $1:
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Mom located a couple of thumbprint cobalt blue drinking glasses to go with some of the other glasses I have.
I have to make another run to my mom’s as she woke up Thursday with a terrible sore throat. I had to go to the dentist, so she had to wait until today. I feel bad, but her 100 foot long stone driveway wasn’t plowed and now the snow has a crusty ice topping. My brother’s friend will be doing that this morning. Please say a few prayers that she doesn’t have strep throat. I’m also thinking tonsillitis.
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I’m wondering how crowded this event would be as I’d love to go! When people hear ‘free’ they go bonkers!
The Brandywine River Museum will host a public celebration of Andrew Wyeth’s life and work on January 31 with complimentary admission and a display of his most famous work, “Christina’s World” on loan from The Museum of Modern Art in New York. More details at: http://www.brandywinemuseum.org/

Jan29

Thursday Thunks

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If you want to play along, please do!
1. Have you ever felt alone, but yet there are people around you?
Yes, especially in crowds of people much taller than my 5’2″. Usually I’m the opposite as I am alone more than with people and sometimes I’m nervous I’m being looked at-like the gray in my hair, etc.
2. Do you have any video game consoles? Which ones?
Sean’s gone through the Play Stations-he’s up to 3. He has Guitar Hero and a hand held Nintendo too.
3. Do you freak out at food warnings/outbreaks, such as the recent peanut butter salmonella scare?
I do watch what food is being recalled and if anyone has been ill in our immediate area. And peanut butter being bad is like chocolate being scarce to me.
4. What color/pattern is your beds’ comforter/bedspread?
I have a ‘machine manufactured’ quilt (sorry Zoey my quilting pal) with a white background and interlocking circles that are different colors and designs. It’s warm!
5. How many windows do you have in your house? About 16 on the main floor and some little basement windows.
6. Name six things that are in your bathroom.
The usual items and…. a rain forest shower head, a wicker shelf for towels, a little wicker shelf for small bottles of shampoo and lotion, a closet jammed with towels and stuff, framed angel photo and a blue thick piled throw rug.
7. How big is your garage? Should it be bigger?
My garage is now our family room. I think it’s about 15′ x 20′.
8. Got your taxes done yet?
My husband does them. He gets a break this year as he had to get them done for the school loan the last 4 yrs, but since Sean is graduating, I bet it will be the end of March.
9. Think of a mental disorder….. why did you think of that particular one?
Alzheimer’s because I would never want to get it as I have such an active mind.

Jan28

Hump Day Humor

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I’m trying to be find something funny while it snows and sleets outside. It may make for a lousy commute for Bri. It is suppose to warm up to 40 in the afternoon, so that will help.
Here’s a
Housewife’s National Anthem

My kitchen tis of thee,
Sweet land of misery,
Of thee I sing.
Place where the biscuits died,
That once were mama’s pride!
From every country side,
Let freedom ring!

My kitchen tis of thee,
That took my liberty,
Of thee I sing.
I hate thy heat and steam!
I hate to mop and clean!
I think I’m gonna scream!
Let freedom ring!

Fling aprons to the breeze;
Throw dishtowels in the trees;
Let women sing!
Let frozen food awake;
Let all that eat partake;
Let it their dinner make,
My life prolong.

Our kitchen tis of thee,
Which took our liberty,
At thee we scream!
Long may our pots be bright;
We scrubbed them half a night!
The microwave has saved our life,
It is our King!

Jan27

Ten on Tuesday

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Name 10 of your favorite articles of clothing (I don’t have that many individual favorites):
1. Hand knit socks made from Rachel in Germany that need to be darned again as I wear them so much!
2.My fluffy pale yellow bathrobe with the big, pale blue stars
3.My brown corduroy car coat. I liked it so much I got another car coat the color of my avatar’s coat!
4.I had a pair of mocha color Liz Clairborne slacks that fit me so well and I got bleach on the front of them and ruined them
5.Black cashmere long sleeved v- neck sweater
6.I heard velour was in style again, so I dug out these gray ones I had and have been enjoying wearing them again
7. Lane Bryant makes the best jeans shorts for ladies my age-well all ages-they are a little longer. They have elastic waist bands, I love them
8. My assortment of wool berets
9. My assortment of frilly little summer skirts-I do prefer skirts in the summer
10.My tan colored overalls shorts
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Yesterday, I went to see my mom and her puppy Kelsey-that little squirt! He is full of energy and needs constant attention. Mom was letting him walk her! We dropped some stuff off at the Goodwill and I found some treasures which I will share in future Show and Tell’s. We went in a dollar store and they had all kinds of dog toys, so mom got Kelsey about 5 new ones-i.e.-a long bunny without stuffing and a squeaker in the head. He was shaking the heck out of it and found the squeaker right away.
Also took mom to an early dinner at the Outback Steakhouse. She sure looked like she needed a good meal, she is so thin. She had pork tenderloin with an apricot sauce and I had peppered strip steak on top of potato wedges. It would have been nice to give me a green veggie too. Mom gave me some of her green beans.
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Woke up to about an inch of snow. I need to go clean off my van. Did I tell you both my side mirrors fell off within a few days of each other? I got double-sided sticky tape and the one is fine, but Bri pieced the other back on-we need to get a new one cut.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sean had a Book of the Month Club package arrive here yesterday. The trouble is, he didn’t order it! We are concerned as his debit card was used without his knowledge to pay for the book. The company canceled his ‘membership’ and his bank said they would look into it.
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Have you been in this situation-you see a doctor that you don’t like and want to switch to an associate? I called the GI associates today and the lady on the phone said I should really see the doctor first that I want to switch to. I think he would just agree with the other doctor, since they are associates! To go to ‘specialists’ it cost $40. Not to worry, I want to get the bloodwork that was ordered back in November out of the way and I questioned the above.