Snow Day

It came in like a lion...

 On the birthday of a lamb...

Happy 85th Birthday to my Dad. 

 



Mail Call!

The month of letters challenge.  I did it!  I didn’t announce that I had joined because usually the more I blab on about something the less likely I am to actually do it.  DRD is nodding his head as he reads this for certain.  I still haven’t started to figure out Photoshop, I didn’t do One Little Word as I had intended, and you don’t even want to hear about the fabulous blanket I was going to make one of Dan’s friends a couple years back!  

Well, I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge!  I wasn’t perfect.  There were days when two letters were mailed, there were days when two letters were written.  But it was fun.  One person wrote to me during the challenge and I wrote back.  Of the 24 letters I wrote a handful of people acknowledged receiving the note, though I didn’t have that as a real expectation.     

The most interesting letter I wrote was to someone I had been in search of for close to 30 years.  Could it be kismet that I finally found her during this month?  My Mom once commented years and years ago that maybe she didn’t want to be found, and had left the part of her life that had included us behind.  So with that thought I hope that the letter wasn’t an intrusion. (And that it actually went to the right person!) 

It was nice to take an opportunity to tell some people how much they really mean to me.  I sent birthday wishes I may not have otherwise (not my strong suit), and touched base with a few friends I’ve been out of touch with. 

I took a leap (couldn’t resist) and found success! 

Happy February 29^th all!

Ten on Tuesday

Oh Hollywood!  The Academy Awards!  The dresses, the drama, the heels, the jewels, what’s not to love?  This week we’re talking about what we thought of the Oscars or what movies we’d like to see.  I’ll give you a little of both… 

1.     Billy Crystal.  I don’t know if it’s your thing or not but I enjoy him.  He’s entertaining, funny and based on previous attempts…they can’t seem to do any better than Billy!

2.    The Red Carpet.  I love seeing the dresses and the couples. And, I thought the Sasha Baron Cohen stunt was ridiculous.

      3.    Carl the seat filler!  He was adorable and what a fun gig. Loved that blue tuxedo!

4.    J-Lo, Octavia, Meryl and Angie.  Though Angie could use a sandwich. And now…the leg.

5.    I think Brad Pitt needs a haircut.

6.    Robin Roberts.  Loved her as a host and her dress was dazzling.

Movies I’m looking forward to seeing…

7.    Hugo

8.    The Artist.  My 85 year old Dad went kicking and screaming with my brother and ended up finding it completely enjoyable. 

9.    The Hunger Games.

10.   Something I take from all of your lists today!

Happy Ten on Tuesday

Hope

 TGIF Friends! 

This unremarkable photo of a building under construction may not represent much to you.  But to me, this represents HOPE!  You see, I absolutely despise grocery shopping.  We call it grossery shopping.  It's not that I necessarily dislike the activity itself, it's the regularity of it.  The fact that it looms over me every week. When. Am. I. Going. To. Shop. DRD is a dream and comes with me.  We have a system and it doesn't take too long. But it's always there.  Today is Friday and....there is shopping to be done. And there will be other people in the store, ugh.  

This building is the new Price Chopper slated to open in "Summer 2012".  It is 100 yards from my place of employment.  100 beautiful yards. It's not out of the way, it's on the way!  On the way home, on the way to pick up something at lunch.  Even on the way in! 

So I'm hoping that this store is everything I want it to be.  One thing for sure - it's big. 

And I'm certain the prices will be great!  No one will be standing in the middle of the aisle talking!  People will move up and down the aisles in proper fashion (like driving on the road people!!), the bakery will be exceptional and...the baggers will be perfect!

I can hardly wait. 

So here's to skipping in this front door.  My new home away from home.  My happy place. Keep your fingers crossed and have a great weekend!

Fifty Three

Good Afternoon!  How was your weekend?  Mine was fabulous, thank-you. Let's recap! 

Friday night with some cousins.  Wine, laughs and lots of chit chat.  A couple of them hadn't seen each other in two years plus. 

Cousin, cousin pseudo-sister to me, me, long time cousin friend who is sister of Cousin!

Got that? :-) 

I stayed at the old homestead and got to run around with these monkeys again.

After lunching with my Aunt (mother of pseudo-sister cousin) I headed home. The USPS was good to me.  Feeling very fortunate and loved this birthday.   

The official day was Sunday.  A little breakfast with family and a February treat. It was warm enough to sit on the porch and knit. That sun beaming in was just what my soul needed. 



The additional visit from my bro',

wonderful meal cooked by DRD and skype session with TLP gave a 53 year old girl with a hint of the mid-winter doldrums exactly what she needed!  Thanks everyone!!! 

Ten On Tuesday - Chocolate Edition!

Happy Valentines Day!

Todays Ten On Tuesday is Top 10 Favorite Chocolate Treats.  I am a chocolate lover, but I can control myself.  I will eat 1 or 2 of these lovelies over next few days and will savor the delicious carmel, dark chocolate and cashew...which leads us to

#1...Priscilla Dark Chocolate Turtles.  Hands down my favorite chocolate candy.

And to DRD I say thank-you very much!!!!

2. Chocolate brownie sundae. 

3.  Chocolate Cream Pie.

4. Oreo cookies. I eat one every night around 9:00.

5.  Chocolate Mousse.  I use the recipe in Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything.

6. Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies.

7.  Hershey with almond in any state - bar, chunk or kiss.

8. Any of the fancy dark chocolate bars. 

9.  Dutch Kitchen chocolate cake with butter cream frosting.

10.  A fudgicle.  Haven't had one in years!

Ten on Tuesday

 

Today Carole has us listing 10 things we can see from our favorite knitting spot.  Though I do knit on the porch and on the deck, a lot in the car and sometimes at my desk, my favorite knitting spot is my chair.  Some once asked me if I really had a recliner that I sat in, to which I replied yes…why wouldn’t I?  I love it, it has a fabulous dog-sleeping-in-front-of-hearth motif on it and it happens to be right next to DRD’s chair.  That is exactly where I like to be!

So looking straight on from my chair I can see…

1.    The television. And yes, at the end of a long day or Saturday morning, the TV and some knitting are just what I need.

2.    The bookcase that houses lots of great family pictures and wonderful books.

     3.    A little bit of the porch.

4.    At times, DRD and DGD sitting in their respective spots. 

If I look up…

5.     My knitting books.

6.    The shelf that travels around the room and houses all the knick knacks and things collected. Lots of memories and smiles available if you look up there and think a bit.

7.    Dust or a cobweb. J

And  if I look to the left or to the right…

8.     The kitchen and often DRD standing at the counter reading the paper.

9.    The table in between the chairs which holds the water, wine and remotes.

10.  The knitting!  The active and not so active projects, the needles, more books and patterns stacked.  The area that needs to be attended to!