Sunday’s ‘I Recommend’

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Welcome to the nineth (full) edition of ‘I recommend’. As the name implies, this is a share to recommend just about anything you like or have tried. It can be a book, drink, food, movie, music CD-anything.

cflBrian started to switch out our old standard lightbulbs last year to the ‘piggy tail’ Compact fluorescent lightbulbs. (This is a guy you could tell lived through the Energy crisis of the 70s as he is always turning lights off).They are recommended by Energy Star-

Why should people use CFLs?
Switching from traditional light bulbs (called incandescent) to CFLs is an effective, simple change everyone in America can make right now. Making this change will help to use less electricity at home and prevent greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global climate change. Lighting accounts for close to 20 percent of the average home’s electric bill. ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy (electricity) than incandescent light bulbs, last up to 10 times longer, cost little up front, and provide a quick return on investment.
If every home in America replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified CFL, in one year it would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes. That would prevent the release of greenhouse gas emissions equal to that of about 800,000 cars.
Do CFLs contain mercury?
CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing – an average of 4 milligrams. By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury – an amount equal to the mercury in 125 CFLs. Mercury is an essential part of CFLs; it allows the bulb to be an efficient light source. No mercury is released when the bulbs are intact (not broken) or in use.
Most makers of light bulbs have reduced mercury in their fluorescent lighting products. Thanks to technology advances and a commitment from members of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the average mercury content in CFLs has dropped at least 20 percent in the past year.

They really are energy savers. We saw our electric bill dip below $100 for the first time in years. They come in a cool blue and a more yellow,I prefer the yellowish myself. I guess they call these other names.
When we remodeled our kitchen, going on 3 years ago, we chose Energy Star appliances too-the dishwasher and frig.
Have a great Sunday and if you are off, a restful Martin Luther King’s Day.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An Eagle fan photo:

brieag

Photo Hunt-Hats

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PSHunt

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These are a small sampling of my son Sean’s 30+ caps. I know he has a bunch of them up at school too. The only sports team he is missing is the Flyers-got to resolve that. (and since he’s been gone a week now-up to PSU, it makes me think of him).
Of course we are pulling for the Eagles to win against the Cardinals, which they have done before on Thanksgiving. This may be the year-who knows? Go Eagles!
Sean in the Caesar's restaurant
Here I am in a hat-I love my berets
Dianne in Conservatory
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Happy Birthday to Ben Franklin too!
(someone ‘challenged’ me to a ‘capped’ Ben, so here you go! He’s wearing the same cap Sean is wearing above.)
bfportait1

Stolen from Barbara

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What the heck, these are silly but fun. Hope I answer truthfully. ; )
Things you’ve already done: bold
Things you want to do: italicize
Things you haven’t done and don’t want to – leave in plain font

1. started your own blog (plus too many other things)
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited Hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. been to Disneyworld
8. climbed a mountain(not a big one-in the Poconos with my mom and elderly grandmom)
9. held a praying mantis I think it was a baby and not sure if I held it on a stick or my bare hands.
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited Paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the statue of liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden a gondola in Venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33. seen Niagara Falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an Amish community(I live close)
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen Michelangelo’s David in person
41. sung karaoke
42. seen old faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited Africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance(twice)
47. had your portrait painted (my in-laws took our photo to Paris and my drawing looked like some Spanish lady)
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. been to the top of the Eiffel tower in Paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud(one of my favorite activities as a toddler)
54. gone to a drive-in theater
55. been in a movie
56. visited the Great Wall of China
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited Russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies
62. gone whale watching
63. gotten flowers for no reason
64. donated blood
65. gone sky diving
66. visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a check-maybe? Doesn’t everybody at some point?
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the Lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar(more like tasted)
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in times square
74. toured the Everglades (I may have been there as a toddler though)
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guard in London
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the Vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in Jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. read the entire Bible
86. visited the White House
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating (I could never do this-I’m ‘this close’ to being a vegetarian-darn hamburgers)
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury-hope this doesn’t jinx me as I have no desire to do this.
91. met someone famous (John Travolta and Tug McGraw for a few)
92. joined a book club
93. lost a loved one
94. had a baby
95. seen the Alamo in person.
96. taken a road trip
97. been involved in a law suit (child support issues-not sure if that is a law suit-I was one of the children)
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee
100. met the love of your life

This is telling me I need to travel more and be more charitable.

Show and Tell

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My Kindergarten photo, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

This was taken about 44 years ago. I feel bad I couldn’t remember everyone shown. I just uploaded all of these that I had (missing 1st grade), but if you check them out on Flickr, you can see I have a good memory. I am sticking out my tongue-I did when I smiled.
Dianne kindergarten
The old Sandy Bank School is now the Walden School. I remember sharing it in a Show and Tell a few months ago. We had our class in the basement-it was a hospital green and I so disliked the milk in the cartons and was forced to drink it. Our class room would turn into the cafeteria. I went to school here for K, 2nd and 3rd grades. There was a newer school down the road I attended for 1st, 4th, 5th and 6th grade.
I just saw three of the people here at my 30th reunion in Nov. ’07. The one lady lives a few miles away from me and I didn’t know it, we both live 20+ miles from this area now.
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Could you take a second to send a sweet little girl named Haven a birthday card for her 5th birthday on the 26th? She’s the featured child on the ‘Make A Child Smile’ website (right side bar there) and she’s really sick.

Thursday Thunks

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I’m trying out different memes. Let’s see how this one works. You can certainly play along too! It’s me stuff, ya know?!
1. Whats the coldest temps you’ve experienced? Something below zero.
2. Whats for dinner tonight? Stopped at Trader Joe’s yesterday, so probably a premade pasta dish or pulled pork.
3. Would you consider this job in Australia? It’s gorgeous there-but they only need one person, bummer-that would get lonely.
4. What was your favorite subject in high school? Creative Writing and Home Ec gets an honorable mention.
5. How many hours a day is your tv on? It’s off and on…I’d say at least 8-10, but I’m not always looking at it, it’s background noise sometimes.
6. Have you ever received an award?
Not an Oscar perhaps, some awards in school for the honor roll, art, in jr college for my grade point average.
7. Whats your mousepad look like?
It’s brown with blue squares-each square has squares within squares- from Target.
8. Do you think Bud should do the Thursday Thunk meme?
I’m new at this-who is Bud?
9. How many browser tabs do you have open right now? one
10. If you are a parent, have you or did you ever put Vicks VapoRub on your children under the age of 2? I may have, but I’d say he didn’t let me. You aren’t suppose to put Vick’s near your nose which seems to be the problem with the study they did.
11. If you had to pick one insect to infest your house for 1 day and after that day they would just suddenly vanish, which insect infestation would you pick? Butterflies, if you mean they would just vanish from my house, not existence.
swallowt
12. What color is your underwear that you are wearing right at this moment? The ones they sell at Big Lots that no one wants with the little flowers all over them.
13. What was the last think you watched on tv? Ellen Degeneres Show (I did this earlier in the evening)
14. What are your plans for the 4th of July this year? I have no idea-potato salad will probably be on the menu-maybe burgers.
15. Tell us about one absolutely wonderful thing that happened to you as a teenager and every time you think of it, it brings a smile to your face. My brother gave me a surprise birthday party when I was 16 or 17. I even had a band play for me.
16. What product could you sell someone based on your love for it? Chocolate-but why would I want to do that? A ‘product’ I love is Oxiclean as it gets out spots-even in my Swanstone sink.
Found this on the Rainforest donation site (I think):
jimmycquote
The feed may indicate that I look here a lot, it’s actually Dianne central for my other links as you can see in my sidebars.
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Head scratching thought of the day-
Bacon in desserts?
Bacon in ice cream? I do love bacon-but with ice cream? Not sure
baconicecream
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3 is a charm-third trip to the dentist late this afternoon to fix my tooth.