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Ruthie, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.
This is my late grandmom (‘mom mom’ to her grandkids). One day I got the bright idea to take some photos from old video of my brother’s 1982 wedding because there were some good close ups of Mom mom. Though it’s not a very clear image, it’s her classic smile and it makes me both happy and sad to see her face again. She lived to be almost 97 and I think about her almost everyday.
This is hanging in our family room.
Several years ago, I use to stencil ‘Welcome’ signs on slates for a local businesswoman. I think I did at least 300 of them using store bought stencils of her choosing. Linda would let us buy a few from her for our own stenciling. This lily one was made over 12 years ago. It’s a layered stencil, meaning the leaves are a stencil that are put down first and other layers are added. I should say, all the slates got a coat of the ecru acrylic paint first. We were told to follow the natural edges of the slate, which I did here. This is an okay design for someone who never made a stencil before, let alone a layered one. My inspiration was an old botany book (gee, wonder where that is?) I only made a few more as gifts and then turned my attention to cross stitch. I won’t tell you how the lady closed down her business-well I should-so you never do it-hold a meeting to insult people’s stenciling and then close down! She did it to mine-I had added a spray of foam to waves in the ocean and made seashells a bit pinker. That’s me and they looked fine. Plus I had done 100s of them already! She made another stencil lady cry (the poor thing couldn’t even copy or blend well, but she really tried). One stencil lady, who followed the stencils to a ‘t’ got kudos. She also spent way too much time on them for what she got paid-IMHO.Let’s say she was a good copier.
It’s really not too hard to do and if you ever try it, make the design your own with your own special touches! : )
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If anyone would like to read ‘The Secret Lives of Bees’, which is coming out in movie form soon, I have a copy I just finished. Let me know.
Yes, I’m quoting Governor Palin from the debate tonight. She seems like a genuine person who is a good speaker. I happen to be a big Biden fan, enough said.
Anyway-thanks for those who have answered my ‘top of the head’ questions (I promise there will be more). They are things I wonder about, especially the religion and politics one. That happens to drive me crazy personally with a spouse who always votes one way. I’d be an Independent if I could.
So, my little ma was in the outpatient pavilion at the hospital from 8:30 this morning until 3:45 this afternoon. Seems she had an air bubble in her eye and they had to wait for that to dissolve or something. I called at 11:15 and she hadn’t been in surgery. Called three more times and finally was able to pick her up at 3:45. She had a monster headache, but tea and a damp cloth helped and she even let out a little snore snort at one time. I went down to a favorite restaurant for takeout which she only nibbled on, so at least she has a nice meal in the frig for tomorrow. She only ate some bread and applesauce while I was there. I hope she doesn’t get floaters in that eye too.
So that was my day, full of stress and worry. Glad she’ll never have to have that kind of surgery again.
Yeah-Sean is coming home for the first time in a month tomorrow!
….the cataracts are gone! Well, that may be so for my mom in a few hours. She’s getting her left eye done tomorrow morning. Seems she went on a crafty shopping spree this afternoon at JoAnn’s as she needed more yarn. I had gotten her interested in crocheting again and she’s doing a triple crochet stitch afghan for my niece. I had seen some pretty wavy pink yarn in a box that she said she was getting rid of it. I brought it back here and started the afghan. She got the hang of the stitch and she’s doing good with it! This pleases me to no end. I have to go around 12:30 to pick her up and will probably stop to get some lunch first. Wish her well…your vibes really help!
I was a cleaning fool today. Did the kitchen floor, some of the hardwood floors and vacuumed. Yep, paid for all that activity with sore spots in my back. I guess I need to get it checked out, though it doesn’t hurt everyday and doesn’t keep me awake. I hate to think it’s arthritis, but it’s a possibility.
I was trying to think of some questions for you guys. Here’s a few to start with and please answer if you want. It’s a survey for me!
When you upload photos, do you keep them on your computer, print them out or store them in a place like Flickr?
I keep them on the computer briefly, but upload to Flickr. I also burn them on a disc. I haven’t printed out photos for a year!
Is your husband or significant other the same religion and political party as you?
We are the same religion, but different political parties. Sean chose what I follow.
Do you ever cross bridges to see friends or family?
We do cross over the Brandywine River to see our parents who live in different areas.
Have you eaten liver in the last 5 years?
No way! When I worked at a daycare center in 1979, they had liver about once a month. The kids hated it and I couldn’t eat it. What a waste of money. If you want kids to have iron, there are other things they can eat. However, my mom, uncle and late grandmom ate it all the time!
I’ll have to remember to schedule my yearly appts on Tuesdays, as I was in and out of the doctor’s office in 30 minutes-there weren’t any other people in the waiting room! The young woman who checked me out heard about things that were bothering me like the tingling from my back to my front, etc. I wrote stuff down. Got the script for a mammogram. Seems if you get a benign on the biopsy, it’s like starting from scratch again. I’ll have to schedule that. (I hope you caught Oprah today. Christina Applegate was on and talked about early detection as she was only 36 when she found out she had breast cancer. 70% of women who get breast cancer don’t have a family history. So be aware of any change in your breasts, even if you aren’t 40+)
I went in a few stores on the way home- a Hallmark store and then Walmart. I wanted to look at the Halloween things in the Hallmark and got my niece the cute singing ‘trembling toads’ decoration in the black cauldron special for this year and reduced in price there. My brother and his family absolutely love Halloween. That’s why we all head there each year.
I also got Sean a birthday card that almost made me cry in the store, but when I tried to read it to his dad, I was a blubbering fool. It mentions about the first heartbeat of his to growing up to be a fine man who is my friend too. That’s how I feel about him too.
I wanted to get some cute cropped pants I saw in a magazine in the doctor’s office that were sold at Walmart, but when I got there, one of the sales gals said they didn’t get Metros in this year. I founds some others. Also wanted some spray paint to freshen up my art desk.
I’ve been cooking more from scratch, thanks to Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food magazine. Last night we had pork and broccoli stir fry which was good, but I’d have to tweak the size of the meat cubes (I cut them too large) and the sauce. Tonight I had herb encrusted Salmon (both recipes from the Sept issue-I think it’s #55) and it was delicious! Also made the tomato and white bean salad. It called for cannellini beans and all I had was butterbeans. They are good too. Bri enjoyed the dinners, plus I am serving some heart healthy meals too. Goes to show I like new recipes, especially if they are quick to get together. That magazine is wonderful.
Campbell Tomato soup candle, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.
While looking through the Dollar General Store (so it’s not the 10¢ store), I was checking out their reduced items and found this candle for 60¢. Campbell’s Soup is located in Camden, NJ, a stone’s throw from Philly, so this is a novelty item. I’m thinking a bit Andy Warholish too. He was also from PA. It smells vaguely of tomatoes.
Not much new on the home front. Headed to the ‘lady’ doctor tomorrow. That makes me a bit nervous as I went through so much with the mammograms, etc last year. I guess I have problems like any lady my age. It’s not an easy age, no way. Think of me and send good vibes.
Bambi:Mama said ‘roses are delish’, so these Rose of Sharon must be too! I already ate the little roses on the other side of the yard!
(photographer Brian through the dining room window-cropped by yours truly)
And look who else was hungry:
From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby
Sarah Palin and her daughter Willow ordered cheesesteaks in South Philadelphia Saturday.PHILADELPHIA (CNN) – Sarah Palin partook in an established political ritual on Saturday night when she headed to Tony Luke’s in south Philadelphia to order a pair of cheesesteaks with cheese whiz and onions.
But as the kitchen sizzled and orders were barked out, Palin found herself talking politics, calling McCain’s debate performance “awesome” and taking questions from a voter about the hunt for terrorists in Pakistan.
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No food shopping…yet…probably Monday. It started pouring, so I scrounged around and made spaghetti and meatballs.
Yesterday, Bri and I took my mom home after 3.5 days. We had waited for 3 hours for brother #2 to show up to get her. He hadn’t been here for years. Actually, I can say that about all 3 of my brothers. They know they don’t have to be invited to come here. Mom called about 3 times and he finally answered and said he was peeved at her for something she said. I was going to take her by myself, but Bri came along and drove. He’s been really stressed out about his dad and kept playing with my air conditioner. If you recall, it didn’t work for the hottest months of the summer and I told him to leave it off or on. Geez.
Once we got to mom’s house, we did little chores for her that haven’t been done for months. Remember, I have two brothers that live a few miles away and mom’s SIL Bri (who lives 23 miles away) had to do these things that took minutes to fix. He replaced the belt on her vacuum that hasn’t worked for months. I ran the vacuum and what it got up was nasty. My brother had the nerve to do a mold test in her house, yet he wouldn’t replace the belt on her vacuum. And Bri fixed 2 lights for mom! She just had eye surgery on the 11th and is seeing major floaters. I think she needs to see around her kitchen! Plus the lamp post wasn’t working. I’ve replaced the bulb a few times and it still didn’t work. One reason her friend fell and hurt himself! I guess when Bri was flipping circuits/fuses, he flipped it back on as mom said it was on last night. Unbelievable. I can see why she gets really depressed as her own sons don’t keep her in check. I can’t say stuff to them about helping either or they’ll get mad. They say they don’t like being ‘used’, but tell me, does helping your elderly mom categorize being used? Do any other women out there find their parents depend on them more than your brothers? And why are they acting this way? Not having a dad around caused them to treat their mom so poorly? I thought it was girls who suffered more from not having dads (electra complex). Sorry, venting.
Bri and I did go to Ruby’s for a burger and then the bookstore. We watched Penn State win their 5th football game and wondered where Sean was in the crowd of 109,000.
I haven’t been to the store in 10 days-gasp-so need to head in that direction soon.
We’re always excited when a local team wins-especially for the second year in a row. It was neat that the guys went to see a game in person this year. I haven’t really followed them that much for a few years, but I think I know who all the players are now. ; )
Anyway-Yippee!!! Yo Philllies! Congrats!!
Not only was Paul Newman a great actor (my favorite of his was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), he really loved kids and raised over 200 million dollars for his Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for sick kids. I thought his salad dressing and chocolates were pretty good. How cool was it to see a man his age racing cars-he started at age 70!
This website says it best:
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Honors the Life and Legacy of its Beloved Founder Paul Newman
He was a man of extraordinary generosity, vision, creativity and compassion. His selfless commitment to the welfare of children living with serious illnesses has been inspirational to people around the world. Twenty years ago, Paul Newman founded The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, the first in what has grown to become the world’s largest family of camps serving children with serious illnesses. The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is part of his living legacy, and for that we remain forever grateful. His leadership and spirit can never be replaced, but he has left us with a clear course for the future.Paul’s dream lives on in the joy, magic and healing power of Camp. What an extraordinary privilege to have shared his friendship and affection.
We’ll miss you Mr. Blue eyes.
Collages & Creative Goodness 