Jan28

The Royals in Philly-like a 3rd grade class trip

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royalvisit.JPG

It is almost like the same kinds of trips all us kids from the Philadelphia burbs would take in elementary school. One time we would visit Independence Hall and see the Liberty Bell (it’s been moved to another location). Then we went to the Academy of Nature Sciences or the Franklin Institute. My least favorite trip-riding ‘The Good Ship Lollipop’ down the Delaware River. It was a cold early spring day (if I remember correctly) and I got a little seasick.

So Charles and Camilla are hopping all over the city (video) seeing the sites, painting with kids, and maybe even trying a ‘Royal Philly cheesesteak’ (I’m trying to find the ingredients). They are staying at the Four Seasons. I believe they went to a concert at the Academy of Music (where I saw The Carpenters when I was 13 or 14) in honor of the Academy’s 150th anniversary. Tom Brokaw was the host. Brian told me the necklace Camilla had on was worth 25 million or some exuburant price. I still think she is one lucky lady-not so much for marrying Charles, but just because. ; ) I’d like to feel like ‘the upper crust’ of society just one time.

Jan27

Definitely cabin fever…

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…and hormones. It truly stinks to be my age, I’ll tell you. My weekend is a waste as I’m not up to par from lack of sleep. That happens a lot and it’s not unusual for us older chicks. I’m trying to get crafting on my mind. There’s something that is on my Kirigami calendar that I want to make, but do you think I can find my stash of watercolor paper? Do you believe in praying to St. Anthony to help you find something?

Brian was telling Sean he’s going to miss him when he goes to State College. It’s something I don’t want to think about until a month or so before it actually happens. If he keeps it up for 8 months, he’ll drive us both crazy.

Got a goodie in the mail-a camera case for our new camera from an eBay seller (good price). It’s a Samsonite and really nice-everything fits but it’s a bit weighty. Now I can go ‘walk it off’, whatever it is, at Longwood Gardens and other places around here. I don’t mind going alone sometimes. I figure if I go enough, I’ll get to know people at the gardens.
Darn-I forgot all about Photo Hunt this week. I may surprise ya later after my nap.
Back to looking…or sleeping.

St Anthony

St. Anthony of Padua
Patron Saint of Lost Items

Dianne, Dianne look around.
Something’s lost and must be found.
I’m praying that you find what you’re looking for.

Jan26

Brrrr…

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Not fit for man or beast in PA and much of the northeast today. It was a balmy 10 degrees this morning with a windchill factor of ‘pretty darn cold’. I felt bad that the guys had to go out in it.

The most exciting thing today for me was receiving Carol’s pretty Neighborhood Round Robin cross stitch project from the ice cold hands of the mailman (I had to sign for it and he had no heat in his truck). At the beginning of the project, I had gathered a bunch of designs and low and behold, a cottage and garden looked perfect for this one. I started on it tonight!

Brian’s new thing is bidding on eBay. He uses my account, so I have to make sure he pays on time and all. He had to get a money order tonight for a camera he won. I’ve been doing this since August, 1999 and he’s really never taken an interest in it before. I have a few things for sale, but need to add more. It’s good pocket money for me-sometimes.

Jan25

Giada’s recipe

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Between 10-1 most days, I ‘fish’ around in the freezer looking for something for dinner. I just happen to find a package of tilapia which is a tasty white fish. If you haven’t tried it and aren’t crazy about fishy, fish, this is a good choice. I pulled down a few cookbooks as I am trying to utilize my vast library a bit more and neither Rocco or Martha had tilapia recipes. Then I remembered that Giada (ja-da) DeLaurentiis did in the cookbook that I just received as a Christmas gift. So I’m trying it tonight. It calls for chopped up sardines (Bri happened to have a can-I’m still up in the air about if I really want to use some, maybe a smidgen). The rest of the ingredients are citrusy.

Update-Couldn’t do the anchovies-too weird looking. They were for the sauce. Giada also wanted you to fry the fish. I baked it and poured the sauce over top. I think next time I would reserve some of the sauce for serving. Also had baby carrots and Couscous.

We’re looking to have snow squalls or showers in a few hours. Just when my fellas are headed home. I wanted to go look at vacuums for mom (I’m taking stock in the Bissell company as she seems to blow one out every two years). I also wanted to pop a few items up for sale on eBay as it’s been over a month since I’ve done so. I found a few things in the ‘storage’ that Sean received at gifts that he never opened. I will give him the money toward his loan payment. Seems that he (or us) have to start paying it back before he’s not even out of college. Doesn’t seem fair, but there’s that new twist-just paying on the interest of the loan. Not that it’s new I guess-we are doing the same thing with our H.E.L. (abbrev so appropriate).

Below is our dessert tonight-Raspberry Chocolate Mousse from a package (bought at a store called World Market which is online too).
Raspberry Chocolate Mousse

Jan25

Grrrr…hey…it’s $7!

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You know that big powerball game that was 240 million dollars Wednesday night? We matched 3 out of 5, but not the blasted powerball! And one of them was my lucky number-19 (for obvious reasons-my b/d).

I edited my original post. I thought it was $21, but Bri already cashed in the ticket and it was only $7…bummer. Someone in Missouri has a very thick wallet today.

Jan24

Weird things about me

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I saw this on the Nature Trail blog in my sidebar and ‘around town’. This is difficult, what is weird to me may be normal to other people! LOL

1. I have a thing about avoiding germs as I got sick so much when I worked in a daycare center. I’m not crazy about shaking hands or using public restrooms-but what’s a girl to do? I swear I got that nurovirus from a bathroom at Value City.

2. Sometimes I get grossed out when handling raw meat. When it’s finished cooking and all-I still think about it in it’s packaging from the store. I got sick a few times when I was expecting Sean when trying to handle raw meat.

3. Not too crazy about seeing other people get injections or seeing them bleed. I can handle getting an injection. Not crazy about having a bad cut. I use to get bad nosebleeds when I was a kid.

4.I have 100s of books but I’ll be darned if I have read them more than once (mostly non-fiction). I have to have them and parting with them is like parting with a friend.

5. We still have lots of Sean’s old toys in the basement-we hoard big time.

6. I can remember lots of details from photos from even 40 odd years ago. I remember things my brothers (mostly) have forgotten about our childhood.

Not too weird, correct?

Jan24

My Egyptian Zodiac sign

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nabbed from Feather Stitching…

  Satis
    Peace-loving and tolerant, receptive to wealth, analytical and science-minded, tender towards those who are not ignorant, can sometimes be angry.  Colors: male: deep red, female: deep blue
Compatible Signs: Amon-Ra, Set
Dates: Jan 1 – Jan 7, Jun 19 – Jun 28, Sep 1 – Sep 7, Nov 18 – Nov 26  Role: Goddess who protected the sources of the Nile and goddess of the cataract at the border of Egypt and Nubia
Appearance: A woman wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt with antelope horns on the sides.
Sacred animal: antelopeWhat is Your Egyptian Zodiac Sign?
Designed by CyberWarlock of Warlock’s Quizzles and Quandaries
 
Jan24

Artichokes and Persimmons

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I am learning so much from the Rachael Ray show! Yesterday a doctor was on and talked of the benefits of the above foods for your cholesterol. I like artichoke hearts the best. My dinner last night had a few in it. I have a triglycerides issue and fish oil repeats on me. Now I don’t think I’ve ever had persimmons. I bet there is persimmons jam? Do you believe the average American eats 156 pounds of sugar a year! Wow-that is terrible. It’s hidden in so many foods.

I changed my blog style as I was looking for one with tabs at the top for addition pages. I think this style is even more organized. Wish my house was that way-everything where it should be or in see-through plastic boxes stacked alphabetically and labeled. I was in ‘the room’ that I want to craft in-OMG what a disaster. I have so much to go through. I have to sanitize the room as it’s the one that gets water in it when we have too much rain. I think I’ll get Brian to the Home Depot to get a new light fixture to start off with. At the same time he can get a new toilet to replace the 47 yr old ‘water waster’ we have upstairs. Wish me luck!
PersimmonsArtichokes

Jan23

Aphorisms

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 My Uncle Larry sent these along in an email:

Aphorism (noun) Usually pithy & familiar statement expressing an observation or principle generally accepted as wise or true.

1. The nicest thing about the future is that it always starts tomorrow.
2. Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.
3. If you don’t have a sense of humor, you probably don’t have any sense at all.
4. Seat belts are not as confining as wheelchairs.
5. A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you’re in deep water.
6. How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?
7. Business conventions are important because they demonstrate how many people a company can operate without.
8. Why is it that at class reunions you feel younger than everyone else looks?
9. Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job.
10. No one has more driving ambition than the boy who wants to buy a car.
11. There are no new sins; the old ones just get more publicity.
12. There are worse things than getting a call for a wrong number at 4am. Like this: It could be a right number.
13. Think about this: No one ever says “It’s only a game.” when their team is winning.
14. I’ve reached the age where the happy hour is a nap.
15. Be careful reading the fine print. There’s no way you’re going to like it.
16. The trouble with bucket seats is that not everybody has the same size bucket.
17. Do you realize that in about 40 years, we’ll have thousands of OLD LADIES running around with tattoos? (And RAP music will be the Golden Oldies!)
18. Money can’t buy happiness — but somehow it’s more comfortable to cry in a Corvette than in a Yugo.
19. After 50, if you don’t wake up aching in every joint, you are probably dead.