one red sock

Moving!!!

2007-01-15T19:04:00.000-08:00

If yuns are lookin' for us, we be moved...come an visit us in our new blog-home...

http://redsockmama.blogspot.com/

See you there!

Jan and gang!

way behind...

2006-11-06T08:05:00.000-08:00

I know! I'm so far behind, there is no chance of ever getting caught up. Really, I have not been kidnapped, or in jail. I have not run away with the mailman, the milkman, or the cute clerk from 7-eleven. I have been busy. Here are a few of the things I've been doing:

Yeppers! Got me a new puppy. Her name is Linda Lou. She's an English Mastiff, she's now 11 months old and weighs in at about 95 pounds. She does need to put on a few pounds. Mastiffs are known for their gentle nature. She's a sweetie. They say she's a small boned mastiff and will probably end up being 135 to 150 pounds.

This isn't really a good photo, but since my size 8 shoe is included, it gives you an idea of how massive her head is!

To do

2006-07-10T19:06:00.000-07:00

This came from Lorette, the Knitting Doctor's blog.

Life's to do list - I've bolded those I've gotten around to:

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 10 provinces
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an illness that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone's life

This happens way too fast!

2006-07-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

After a fun filled 4th celebration yesterday, this morning I woke to the reality that life whizzes by way WAY too fast. Proof? This:

is what sat in the drive. Andy (left) and TJ, his best friend. Andy, as you know, graduated high school last month. On Monday, TJ graduated from Pittsburgh Techincal Institute (with honors) and now has a degree in Graphic Design. The next step is right around the corner for both of them...but first...

A few days with Chuck the jeep, the 'yaks and of course the bikes on the shores of Lake Erie. It was hard enough to think that Andy was old enough to be out of school...now this?

To my credit, I did not cry. I am proud and so happy to see them grab a bit of life by the ass that it makes it okay...

Now I'm off to boss Tony around. If all else fails...there is always the dog!

Happy Father's Day!

2006-06-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I will help my kids celebrate Father's Day by honoring their father, but a part of me will be remembering my father.

In August, it will be two years since we released the man we loved to his higher power and said our good byes. The last thing my father heard was my voice reminding him of those here who loved him and would miss him, and of those he loved that had gone before him. The last thing he felt was a kiss good bye and my hand squeezing his.

I should share memories, but where to start? I have many. Instead, I will share what I said at his memorial service. Those of you who were with us on that day, I thank you again for coming. Those of you that couldn't be there in the flesh, but read these words, please bear with me. Those of you who did not have the pleasure of his company, this is your chance to know the man I knew and loved as Dad.

Me and my father, Tony (May 11, 1925 - Aug 8, 2004), on my wedding day.

Memorial service for my father, August 15, 2004:

A few weeks ago, I sat with my family and watched the democratic nation convention. I sat and wondered just why John Kerry’s daughters were standing there, telling dumb stories about their father. Oh, I knew that they were there to help him get the nomination, but why the dumb stories? I wondered how they got the courage to tell them to all those people.

Today, I think I have the answer. They wanted us to see their father, not as a war hero, not as a politician, but as a man, a father, a personal hero. That’s why I chose to speak today. No, my father wasn’t a politician, although he fought in the war, he wasn’t a huge hero, but he was man, a father, my hero, and I do have a hamster story. No, he didn’t give it CPR, but he did tear down part of the bathroom wall to rescue one.

Those of you who knew him, even slightly, knew that he was a man of few words. A quiet man. He had so much to say, he was so intelligent, I sometimes wondered if the fact that he had eight sisters had something to do with it.

Even without words, he was a teacher. He taught by example. The most memorable of those lessons came when hewas trying to teach me how to parallel park. After ten minutes of trying to instruct me, he ordered me out of the car and directed me to sit on the side of the parking lot and watch him do it over and over. It must have worked, I can parallel park a school bus.

There were other things that we learned just by living with Daddy: Work hard. Act responsibly. Save a few pennies here and there. If you read the news paper first, put it back in order. Family is important. Almost anything can be fixed with enough duct tape, and most of all, help other people when you can.

This is the way most of us will remember him, helping people. I lost track of my cousin, Ed, twenty five years ago. Two years ago, I found an email address for him. I wrote and asked if he remembered me.

"Of course I remember you," he replied. "Uncle Tony’s daughter." He then went on to tell me how my father helped him get his first car running. I guess that’s how he remembered me, Uncle Tony who helped get his car on the road’s daughter. Humbling, but still a proud moment. Some of my most cherished memories are of the times I got to tag along while he helped family members.

There were things he did, over and over, that didn’t make sense when I was a teen and knew it all, but later in life, it sunk in...at least some of it. I now know why he checked the water and oil in my car each time I pulled in the driveway. I now understand why he used to drive past my house in Conway on his way home from Ambridge to Baden each night. I now see why he worked all those hours and always tried to put a few dollars away. I can even understand why he spent countless hours of his free time helping his family. I can only hope, in years to come, that we, my brother and I, and our children, can show that we studied under the master and have learned our lessons well.

Of course, like all fathers, he pulled a few fast ones on us. I’m proud to say that I did catch on...eventually. I now know the truth about Christmas and I know that the road doesn’t always go past one of his sister’s houses, no matter where you are going. I still don’t know how he always knew who had fresh cookies and hot coffee ready. Guess I never will.

My father loved his family, and we loved him.

My parents just celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. By that time, my father didn’t understand the concept, or remember that my mother was his wife. Over the years, huge chunks of his past were lost, he didn’t understand the relationships he had with any of us. He told me that he didn’t remember me living in his house and when I reminded him that he was my father, he asked how old I was. When I told him, he demanded I tell him how old he was. He didn’t believe me.

Undaunted, he forged new relationships with us. He didn’t remember that we were related, but it didn’t matter. He learned to love and enjoy the pack of wacky people who claimed to be his family.

When his memory loss became so severe that he didn’t remember marrying my mother or her name, he gave her the most incredible gift of all...he renamed her Hon and fell in love with her all over again.

It delighted us to watch him reach for her hand and kiss it, to see them share jokes that no one else understood. The last time that he was admitted to the hospital, they sent him for a CAT scan. It made the nurses’ day when they left my mother in the hall and closed the door between them and my father kept calling, "Hon! Hon!" and blowing her kisses.

You know, we have been losing my father, in bits and pieces, for ten years. We’ve been saying good bye to parts of him all along, but the shock of losing him is still profound. He loved us, was loved by us, and will be missed.

When I decided to speak today, I wondered if I would be able to do it. A friend of mine assured me that God would give me the strength to do what I had to do. Although our heavenly father has given me the ability to stand here and speak, I’ll not be greedy, just thankful. I hope now you’ll see that my father was a hero too.

Thank you for coming to honor my father’s memory and for sharing our grief. By sharing it, you have lightened our burden...God bless you.

Happy Father's Day!

Lack of imagination?

2006-06-12T22:46:00.000-07:00

Are these my kids? When I was making dolls and teaching doll making classes, I thought I was queen of imagination. I thought my kids had it too...until this weekend!

Tell me that this isn't a definite lack of imagination:

Tony works on a golf course. He had Sunday off. What did he do? Took his father golfing. (Since they did not invite me, I have no recent photos of Tony golfing, so here's my favorite old one...you know how mothers are, can't stop showing you photos of their babies-here's mine!

Know what Andy does for a living? He works in a kayak shop. Guess what he did on Sunday, his day off?

Yeppers...he went kayaking! The big difference was that they dragged me along to take photos...lots of photos!

That's Andy again. They keep trading boats, so I have to look for the yellow (this week) helmet.

Above: My adopted kids: TJ (Andy's tall bike friend) with the yellow boat. In the blue boat is Kailyn, Andy's girlfriend and in the water is Jon, Andy's co-worker who is half fish, I swear!

The hike down to the stream was tricky for me, at best. I kept telling the kids that if I lost my cane, they would have to carry me back up the hill. Needless to say, they were careful, they watched over my cane more than they watched over me!

Even though I have this thing about sticking my feet into a kayak (you can't see them, it flips me out!), I had a wonderful time on dry land. The kids are great, the stream is beautiful and I'm sure they will ask me (and my camera) to go another time.

Sunday is "'rents" day here on the hill. Mark's father and my mother have standing dinner invitations for Sunday afternoon. Both Mom and Dad were here when I got home. I was instructed to get dinner ready...QUICKLY...they were starving. After a fast dinner of whole chickens on the grill and grilled fresh pineapple, they ate and ran. Just in time, too. After an early start and all that fresh air, I was ready to check my eye lids for light leaks.

We did it!

2006-06-08T04:12:00.000-07:00

Put yesterday down as one of the most stressful one of the year.

Strike that...make it one of the stressful ones of the decade.

Come to think of it, I have been preparing for that day for years and years. About 15 of them, to be exact. That's the day I stood on my porch on Pillow Street with my toddlers, watching the neighbor kids going off on their first day of school. I was crying, knowing that the day that my boys went to school and then graduated was coming way too fast.

Yesterday it came. Andy graduated from high school.

I cried.

True to Andy's imagine, his mode of transportation was unique. His best friend, TJ, came to accompany him to the school:

Yes, they cause plenty of commotion when they ride those tall bikes!

The weather was perfect - we heard thunder in the distance, but there was a breeze in the stadium. The graduating class was nearly 600. With nearly 4500 spectators, they marched them into the stadium in a line that seemed never ending. Of course, my tears started to flow with the first notes of Pomp and Circumstances and continued to flow through out the entire ceremony!

I can't believe how efficiently the entire ceremony went. There were the appropriate number of speeches with the required number of jokes. They got those kids announced, seated and out the door again in about 90 minutes.

Afterwards, everyone took advantage of the beautiful evening sun for photo opportunities.

Best friends for years, Andy and TJ. Yes, we took photos of Andy with his proud parents. Why am I not showing them? I told you, I cried from the first Pomp of the first Circumstance!

Andy couldn't wait to ditch his cap and gown and came out of the school ready to roll:

Afterwards, Andy and TJ prepared to leave...

And as they rode off into the sunset, we, the proud parents watched.

We made it! Three out of four done and graduated. We'll do this again next year, Chapter 4. Makes a mom proud!

If you want me, I'll be weeding the shady garden while patting myself on the back.

YaaaaaaaaHoooooooooooHooooooooooo!

It's yesterday once more...

2006-05-30T06:10:00.000-07:00

I'm really not sure what the song really said, or who sang it. Maybe it was the Carpenters? I just know that the jist of the song was that it's yesterday again. I was there this weekend: Aunties' Day, 2006.

For those who haven't been around for a year, click HERE for the entry for Aunties' Day, 2005.

This year, we had MORE us us (not nearly all of us, there are too many!). New people, My cousin's daughter, Valerie, and her two great sons, Nicholas and Anthony. Val, you are doing something right, or is it wrong? They were comfortable and happy in a group of old aunties!

This year, Maria brought her entire family. Her son, Vince, who in my memory was only five years old, was talking about COLLEGE! Can you believe, he drives? He's a sweet heart. Come to think of it, so are her girls. What a family!

Last year, after spending the day with these people, I didn't think my heart could sing any louder. When my father died, I was certain that I lost my connection to this side of my family, but the hugs and love that flows (like a bunch of old flower children!) makes you want to roll over and wag your tail like a happy puppy.

This year, driving away with my mother and Aunt Kate in the car, I realize that I have been blessed with the most incredible women in my life. No wonder my father loved his sisters so much.

I remembered that when I gave his eulogy, I listed the things my father taught me as true. Number one was that no matter where you were going, with a little creativity, all roads went past at least one sister's house, and that was usually the one that had the freshest cookies. My dad was a pretty smart man!

I also remembered that I had to pack a lifetime of Auntie Days with my own sister into one year. We did a whilrlwind tour of memories, emotions and hugs of a lifetime into the last year of her life.

We're fragile. Knowing that any one of us could be gone in a heartbeat, gone like a puff of smoke, is frightening...but oh so empowering. We understand the value of a minute...we carpised our diem...we grabbed the moment by the @$$.

Love you Aunties! Love you cousins! Until next time, God bless!

Now for the photos. I told you that Vincent was a great kid...he provided uswith these:

Aunt Kate...who knows all there is to know about Rachel Ray!

Maria, Linda, Peggy (who never changes!) and Aunt Francie, Linda's mom.

Aunt Helen (the baby of the family and Maria's mom) with Kristen, her grand daughter.

Susan, the force behind Aunties' Day. It just couldn't happen without her. She keeps track of everyone, takes care of most of us, and slaps us silly when we need it. She's both a continuance of her mother (Aunt Aggie) and a newer version of Aunt Helen. As long as we have Sue, we'll be family!

And now...this is Jan...peace out!

I know, I know!

2006-05-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

I know I should be blogging, but honestly, I've been busy...foot surgery, the prom, Andy's upcoming graduation PLUS both boys starting new jobs...who has time to blog, or better yet, who wants a written record of proof that they have no life?

Back soon, I promise!

But for now, here's the guys...

Andy and Kailyn...prom night!

Tony, the golfer, just before haircut #3!

Amsterdamian?

2006-05-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

You Belong in Amsterdam A little old fashioned, a little modern - you're the best of both worlds. And so is Amsterdam.
Whether you want to be a squatter graffiti artist or a great novelist, Amsterdam has all that you want in Europe (in one small city).

What European City Do You Belong In?

Boy + bikes + welding machine=

2006-02-28T23:30:00.000-08:00

Yes, today's question...boy+bikes+welding machine=

Still can't guess? Here's another hint:

Okay...last hint...

Hmmm...so you've never seen a double decker bike? Neither have I...until I saw this one in my drive.

Way to go, Andy!

Look what I can do!

2006-02-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

Get ready to ooooh and ahhhhhhh! Look what I finally learned to do:

Need to get closer?

Yes! Finally, I learned to entrelac! I tried it before, a million times. I tried it a billion this week...finally I read somewhere that it's like turning the heel of a sock...you don't try to make sense of it, you just do it! After reading a buggaboolillian tutorials, I went HERE and found the best tutorial I found yet. Check it out. Can you do it???

I'm tagging you!

2006-02-08T07:38:00.000-08:00

Ha! Got you...I've been tagged by Karyn and now I'm tagging you. If you are here, consider yourself tagged!

Four jobs you have had in your life:

Exercise instructor, wedding photographer, school bus driver, school photographer.

Four movies you could watch over and over:

Forrest Gump, ET, Sleepless in Seattle (my late sister was in the crowd of the New Years Eve party), It's a Wonderful Life.

Four places you have lived:

Pittsburgh, Seattle, Niles Ohio, Rochester, NY.

Four TV shows you love to watch:

Today Show, 30 Minute Meals, Something on the biography channel, Weather Channel. Can you tell I really don't watch TV?

Four websites you visit daily:

Times On Line, my hometown newspaper, eBAy, and a bazillion blogs!

Four places you'd rather be right now:

Seattle, Ganonoque, Ontario; In bed or Italy or both...

Four bloggers you are tagging:

You and you and you and you!

The cat food burglar!

2006-02-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

Face it, I live in a very old house...so old, in fact, the main beam of one section is a tree. I kid you not, back in the mid 1800's (1842 to be exact), they did not call Lowe's or Home DeePot and ask for a beam to be delivered. They just find a tall and straight tree, wack it down, cut off most of the branches and build a house on top of it.

If you go down into our basement through a trap door in our laundry room:

(no, our house is not that dirty...the picture was taken the day we put in an offer...over 2 years ago), and I mean YOU...I was down there once, saw the ice trough and the crawl spaces and the 5' high ceilings and that was enough for me, you can peek into the crawl space and see the tree. I'm not going back down there.

Now, getting back to the story...we are not in the boonies, but we have an acre with tons of mature trees, ground ivy and mice. Our first summer in this house, we had a flock(flock?) of baby mice who got lost on their way from the pantry to the bathroom almost every night.

Luckily, Andy had a girlfriend who would shoo them into a corner and lift them gently and take them out on the patio and let them go.

Come to think of it, maybe we had one mouse who came in daily for a snack and a ride out of town in Christy's hand? I don't know.

Back to the story...We have two cats. Although they love to find mice, they rarely inflict fatal injuries. Usually they end up fighting each other for the mouse and the mouse gets tired of waiting for them and leaves. We also seem to go through huge amounts of cat food.

Since we also have a very fat and lazy dog, I started feeding our cats on a high shelf so our lazy dog did not become a fatter dog.

I wondered for a while if those pampered mice were feasting on our cat food while the cats were looking for mice. Today, when Tony came home from school, he sat down next to Race Car and we may have figured out just where some of the missing cat food went. Could it be here?

I wonder...

Next on my list tonight...guilt. Look at this:

and this

and even this

250,000+ fans converge in Pittsburgh today to show affection and admiration for 'our' Steelers. Do you see my son, one of the most dedicated fans?

No...do you know why? I wouldn't let him miss school. Although my personality has gone from an A++++++ to a B+, I still have my anal elements. Going to school is one. Good thing we don't home school, I'd never let the kids leave the house!

When Tony came home today and said there were 250,000 people there, I admitted I would have liked to have gone. He agreed...said it was a chance of a life time. Now what do I do? Should I feel guilty (Mom gave me lessons, I can do it!) or hope to cheer the Steelers on to win again next year...when I know better?

New Game: Can you spot the idiot?

2006-02-06T23:17:00.000-08:00

This morning, after listening for an hour or so for a snow delay, we realized that when our school announced on Friday that Monday was not a holiday, they were serious, my kids got ready to head off to school.

Twenty minutes later, I looked out the window and saw this:

Can you spot the idiot?

How about now?

And now? Of course I can, I gave birth to it!

Yes, that is Tony who refuses to ride the bus or get his license. He says it's fun to ride in the snow...

What? You don't think he's a little (ahem) different? How about this:

We were trying to decide what kind of windows we wanted for this HOTH. We knew what we wanted them to do, we wanted them to operate smoothly, keep heat loss to a minimum, yada, yada, yada...we just couldn't decide how we wanted them to look! We drove miles and miles, looked at old house after old house and narrowed it down to two or three. We came home and Mark duplicated the design on our window with masking tape. This is my favorite, a copy of an old house in town.

This is Tony's choice:

Need I say more?

Since when is a B+ better than an A?

2006-02-06T21:59:00.000-08:00

When it's the score on my personality test...

You Have A Type B+ PersonalityB+ You're a pro at going with the flow You love to kick back and take in everything life has to offer A total joy to be around, people crave your stability. While you're totally laid back, you can have bouts of hyperactivity. Get into a project you love, and you won't stop until it's done You're passionate - just selective about your passionsDo You Have a Type A Personality? I'm getting better and better!

Farting dogs and broken promises...

2006-01-26T22:46:00.000-08:00

Aha! Now that I have your attention, you might be wondering just where the farting dogs come into play. Well, the dog belonged to my friend Jill, and I have no idea what became of it...Maybe we all need to jog over to Jill's Blog and ask? On second thought...knowing Jill and her family, maybe it's better not to ask...

I know I made a resolution to blog more often, and a secondary resolution to blog in the morning so I don't fall asleep in the middle of a post. I had wonderful intentions and I'm going to blame it all on Andy, my middle son.

Andy was the most pleasant child on earth. He smiled all the time, was polite and affectionate and his eyes closed promptly at 9 PM every night and opened about 6:30 AM every day. After the first week of life, he never kept us awake at night.

Now, 19 years later, he's working in a machine shop several nights a week until 10:30. He loves his job. Every work night, I try to sit up and wait for him. Every night, about 10, I pretend that I'm going to go up to bed and read until he comes home. Most nights, I don't even hear him come up the drive in his Jeep. Every night, I hear his Doc Marten's clumping up the stairs toward our room (Yes, I was the one that fell in love with that pine staircase and thought anyone who might suggest carpeting was insane!)...I can feel him standing next to our bed, and as soon as anyone stirs, he asks, "Did I wake you?"

Answer yes, answer no, it matters not. Eye contact is not necessary. All you have to do is change your breathing pattern and he sits on the edge of the bed and begins talking...

In minutes, we know what machine he worked on tonight, what the tolerances were (1/1000 inch?), how many parts were made, what they had for dinner and how cold the drive was home. He then wishes us good night and heads for the shower, leaving us to resume the rest that old parents like us needs...

Mark can do it, but I'm not so good at going back to sleep...so here I am...

Now whatcha wanna talk about?

I was really planning to talk about all the people in blogland that I 'know' and watch...about Laura's upcoming baby (and maybe a new house), or LynnH and her Color Joy...I love those words, color brings me much joy. I've always maintained that my favorite color is plaid!

Have you heard about Stephanie's (aka Yarn Harlot) new concrete floor? Are you sending healing vibes to Joan's husband and Bliss' precious dog? Did you spew coffee on the screen when you heard what Jill's daughter said? Do you feel as though these people are a part of your family? Do you worry when they don't post?

Am I nuts or what???

On the other side of the coin, I thought you'd like to see what's on my knitting needles these days...

Project #1...a size 2, top down raglan sweater. No clue where it will go when it's done. I started it as a k with my darling daughter, but I passed her at the starting line...but it's fun and mindless knitting.

My Irish hiking scarf from Hello Yarns, and a cabled hat from a pattern by Judy Gibson all made of Wool Ease. I was going to give it to my oldest son's SO for Christmas, but it just didn't happen.

Now you gotta have sox...lots of sox...and here's the current pair on the needles. I think it's Magic Stripe, and they are certainly for ME!

Last but certainly not least...

Clogs from FiberTrends! These still need the outer sole, and they certainly need felted, but they are Kool Aid dyed. I'm not sure where they are going once they are done, I have several people on my list who claim they are for them...

Well, hope this hasn't put you to sleep...but it certainly did the trick for me...I'm off to dream land. Sweet dreams to you!

I don't like my dog better than I like my kids!

2006-01-26T09:12:00.000-08:00

Last night, Mark was spending the night with his father and Andy was at work. Tony and I went shopping, had dinner out and came home to watch TV.

I have a short attention span, so I wandered around the house, looking for things to do. Tony lay on the love seat in the living room and must have fallen asleep.

Next thing I heard, he was sputtering and grouching. I peeked in and this is what I saw:

Apparently Arnie wanted to lay on the love seat (he hates cold floors) and Tony didn't move in time...

Nope, my dog is not spoiled!

Jill has one, so I have to have one too!

2006-01-25T10:37:00.000-08:00

Who is Jill? Why she's my identical twin born in different years to different parents in different states, of course. Whatever fun thing she finds for her blog, I have to have one too...so here is mine:

No, it's not how we voted...it's the states I've seen - some I wish I had not!

By looking at the big spaces between states I've seen, can you tell I hate long car trips and prefer to fly?

Resolution/conclusion

2006-01-25T05:48:00.000-08:00

I've come to the conclusion that I have to make the resolution that I have to post in the morning so I don't fall asleep in the middle, as I have been doing. Right now, instead of posting something new, I'll go back and finish my last one...deal?

Check it out!

Oh...and just to amuse you...here's today's photo (Andy):

Windows: you can see right through them!

2006-01-22T00:38:00.000-08:00

Well, after Friday's sleepless night...

"Sleepless?" you ask.

"You bet your bippy," I reply.

"Why?"

"It's Mark's fault," I reply.

And it is...Mark and I decided, after much deliberation, that our next labor of love/major expenditure/gift to the house goddess would be new windows for the house on the hill (HotH).

For those of you who don't remember, HotH is a 163 year old brick colonial that sits high on the hill, surrounding the new kids on the block, or those darling little houses that were built on much of the farm about 50 years ago.

Now, I am not naive enough to think that window shopping is a breeze...or that it could be done in a day...but the things I didn't know could fill a dumpster!

As in the past, my major concern was financial. Could we afford this? Now, in this age of simplicity, they throw many new twists and turns into the decision making process: First, you answer a million questions...wood or vinyl? What color? What kind of glass, insulating properties...and last but least, how many panes?

I had my heart set on double hung with six panes on top, six on bottom, but when we went out looking at windows in houses, it seems that EVERYONE and his uncle have those windows, from mobile homes to 100 year old houses...I wanted something outstanding...

So we shop on...

Gee Whiz!

2006-01-20T22:56:00.000-08:00

How in the world does one get out of habits so easily? I really want to keep this blog going, if not for the few readers I had captivated in the past, but for me to help keep track of my life. I stink at it!

Today was the last day of the semester for the kids. Andy has now, or will on Wednesday when they go back to school, begun his last semester of high school. Wonder if he is sad? I hate to ask him...I can't handle the eye rolling...can't they understand that they will always be my babies?

Tony and I drove around today, looking at windows. No, not window shopping, but looking at how people replace the windows on their old houses...There is a house in Lyndora that is/was the twin of our house, or was before those ultimate renovations began. It's still very close and they have the 12 pane windows-in bad shape, but still wonderful.

I made up my mind that those are what I wanted. We got one price today...about $500 each, uninstalled! Considering we need 17 of those and three casement windows, I don't think we'll be heading for top of the line any time soon, or at least not all at once. Wow! Very old houses are like very young lovers...very expensive to keep!

Tomorrow is chore day around here. Andy works half a day and I'm sure he had things to do after that...but I'll capture him and force him to do something to earn his keep.

Sunday is a big day for us...Tony has a hockey game in the morning, he and Mark are determined to hit a couple buckets of balls at the indoor driving range, we're invited to a Steelers' party in the afternoon and then the kids have two more days off.

It will be nice to go to someone else's house for the football game. I usually host the Sunday activities. Mark's sister will host this week...yippee!

But it's bedtime now...but before I go, for your viewing pleasure...here's my mother, Christmas Eve, with all our stockings...

Sweet dreams!

Quick! Sing, dance, pray!

2006-01-12T19:55:00.000-08:00

Woo hoo! I'm not to sure what I did to piss off the A-O-Hell Gods, but when I accused a merchant of not responding to a request for information, they insisted that they responded and were waiting for my response to their response...

I dug through my 'spam' file and found out that EVERY-STINKING e-mail I got from Yahoo was sitting there, hoping I'd find them before AOL deleted them. (Hi Jacque!)

What did I miss? Tons of stuff, but most of all, I missed an email from my friend Cheryl, who has been my friend since we were about 10 years old. She told me that her brother, who went to school with my late sister, was undergoing heart surgery last Monday.

Last Monday? Holy breadsticks...I didn't pray for Tommy before his surgery, but I hope to heck that the gentleman upstairs knows and understands that my general prayers for that day included all those special people out there who need prayers and he credited just a titch of the special care to him. I'm also praying in retrospect, especially until I can get in touch with Cheryl to find out how he's doing.

Join me in prayer...if we pray loud enough, maybe sing a song of praise or two, maybe we can make a difference! I know, you are wondering where the dance part comes into play...well, it couldn't hurt, could it? Just keep it clean!

I heard on the radio this morning that this, from January 11 to February 10, is the dead of winter. This is when we can expect those bone chilling freezing temps. Okay...so why did I drop Tony off at the golf course today after he rode his bike to and from school? Why did Andy come home from work to night at 9:30 with the doors off his jeep? Why was it 59 on my thermometer today? Why did I turn off the furnace? 'splain that to me?

I haven't given up on winter yet, though. I'm still hoping to look out my kitchen window and see the snow falling at least one more time this year, maybe 2...I didn't even get to sled ride down the front hill this year.

Andy came home from work early tonight, Mark is spending the night with his father...another guys night out. He claims that his ankle is feeling better, but he's limping as though it's not.

I'm working on moving this ol' blog to blog spot...it should happen in the next few weeks...I promise to let everyone know before I do. Once the move is complete, I hope to get back to the daily blog with my thoughts a little more organized...so much goes on at the hilltop mansion that I have to put post-it notes on my desk to remember it all...

But for now, I'm going to make my boys some hot chocolate and give them big hugs and send them to bed...and NO, even though they are 19 and 17, they are not too old for that!

Until tomorrow!

Peace...

Just call me Race Car.

2006-01-06T23:23:00.000-08:00

I came down the stairs this morning and found Race Car, my fat cat, squeezed into a box so small that he couldn't even reach out and scratch his head...later today, I tried to get into a pair of jeans that were so tight that if I farted, they would have exploded...that darn fat cat and I have much in common!

Today was errand day, but this time it was so strange. I drove, Mark was the navigator and Arnie (the wonderdog) was the back seat driver. Ever try to find the most efficent way to run a myriad of errands with a fat dog and a lame husband? Not fun...

Tony was our guest chief this evening and treated us to his own special taco dinner. I'm not a big taco eater, but since I didn't have to cook...it was great!

Last stop of the day...Barnes and Noble to find books/mags/information on Florida and/or Mexico...we're hell bent on a southern vacation this spring which will be a huge change from our traditional fall vaca up north.

Peace,

Confession to make...

2006-01-05T20:37:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make: I think I love my husband...Shocking? You bet your bum!

Today I heard him tell his father that he's going to try to get into his office for a few hours tomorrow (He's been home all week-doctor's orders...and of course the fact that he can't drive a stick while on crutches.) and I almost cried...I got to like having him home with me!

Crutches? Yes, crutches...it's how he brought in the new year, as the only sober patient in the ER...of course, it was only 12:45AM...

Sorry about last night's post...I fell asleep at the computer. I can tell that if I don't sign off now, that I'll do the same tonight...

Maybe this weekend, when my family will be around to entertain each other, I'll finish my Christmas/New Year story...

Until then,

Peace!

I am really back! Honest!!!

2006-01-04T23:55:00.000-08:00

I made my resolution...I would start posting again on 1-1-06. Well, I'm late...so bite me!

Why did I stop posting? Life was getting out of control. The kids were busy (both boys lost their jobs when the bike shop went belly up. Andy accepted a job with Dick's Sporting Goods (which he hated) and was quickly lured away by a machine shop owned by a former bike shop customer.

Tony accepted things philosophically...he bought two dozen donuts on the day the bike shop closed and called it his retirement dinner. He is still job hunting, but since he hasn't run out of money yet, he's doing okay, still playing inline hockey for his school team and making his mother burst with pride when he was chosen for the allstar team.

Life got busy with things that were not worth writing or reading about. Of course, there were good times...lots of them...

Christmas '04 was a nightmare. I decided that Christmas '05 would either be better, or not celebrated at all. Guess everyone in my family felt the same way...this was the most fun we've had at Christmas since Santa sprinkled "Snore-no-More" (glitter) on Mark and we watched him sparkle all day!

who was I?

2005-11-28T19:19:00.000-08:00

Arty Kid Whether you were a drama freak or an emo poet, you definitely were expressive and unique.

You're probably a little less weird these days - but even more talented! Who Were You In High School?

So I'm a Traditional Princess...whoopie.

2005-11-22T00:09:00.000-08:00

The Traditional Princess You are generous, graceful, and practical with both
feet planted firmly on the ground. You tend to
be a little on the old-fashioned side. You
value home, hearth, and family life and love to
be of service to others. Role Models: Snow White, Maid Marian You are most likely to: Discover a hidden talent
for spinning straw into gold.

What Kind of Princess are You? - Beautiful Artwork (Original Music is BACK!!!)
brought to you by Quizilla

And she's baaaaack!

2005-09-28T05:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've been back since Sunday night, but I'm old...and it took me forever to get back to speed. I used to hit the ground running...but this time, it took me a while to remember what to do next! Ah, those fond memories of coming home from a week or ten days of camping with the boys, backing the van up to the basement doors and tossing the laundry bags down next to the washer. It used to be a family tradition: We'd camp for ten days, come home on Sunday night, I'd do 10 or 15 loads of laundry, clean out the camper and the van, reload and on Wednesday the boys and I would leave for a camping trip with friends.

I couldn't do that now if I tried!

This year started out easier: for financial reasons, as well as emotional peace of mind, we decided to explore the possibility of taking Mark's Honda to Canada instead of my Jeep. Not only does he get more than twice the mileage than I do, but his '02 Honda is ten years newer, has only 80,000 miles compared to the 160,000 on my jeep, and it has a CD player.

We started off thinking we could make it with a soft side roof top carrier as well as filling the cavernous trunk.

Then we discovered those space saver bags!!! Since we have to take pillows, down conforters and towels, those bags changed the way we traveled...for a bit...

I did have to promise Mark that if he cut back the amount of clothing he took by 50%, I would do laundry half way through the trip. That's when we realized that everything would fit in the trunk...

For my own peace of mind, I asked that we take the roof top carrier...just in case the bags failed and popped the trunk lid open half way home. I had visions of dirty laundry and goose feathers spilling out of the car as we headed south.

Going to Canada is a two day trip (coming home takes one). We stop mid-way for an overnight visit with Mark's aunt and uncle in Geneva, New York. After Aunt Ruth serves us a magnificent dinner, we settle in for a night of card playing.

Andy is not a card player, so he decided to wander down to the local Wal-Mart for entertainment. Taking leave of his senses, he bought this:

It's a 1/6 scale, radio controlled, four wheel drive,rock crawler. If you are having trouble visualizing what 1/2 scale looks like, imagine that the box was so big, it almost didn't fit in the trunk of the Honda. Out came the soft sided carrier and into it went the "Crawler" and down the road we went!

Our first glimpse of 'the river' was from the bridge spanning the US and Canada. We were so excited to see a ship on the main channel and I tried to snap a photo of it by sticking my camera out the sun roof:

Is that not cool?

We were so excited to see Patricia and Sandro, owners of River Queen Houseboating! This was our fourth fall trip and Mark had been corresponding with Patricia for over a year before we finally got there. They are not old friends, they are family now!

Whoopsie...will have to continue this later...please check back later today...It's good to be home!

Cheryl, the Luddite no more!

2005-09-17T03:27:00.000-07:00

I gotta tell you this before I go...

Cheryl and I have been friends since about 5th grade...twenty odd years ago, she moved to Texas and we lost touch. I missed her!

Once I got my computer (years and years ago), I tried almost everything to find her (you know how easy it is to find people when you are online). Nothing...nada...just couldn't find her, even though I searched all those sites...

One day, about 3 years ago, I found an email address for her sister-in-law, who had gone to school with my sister.

I wrote, and she not only answered, but gave me Cheryl's phone number. I called and found out that not only was she still in Texas, but that all the times I was in that wonderful state, we were very close to each other.

I also found out that her Technoligical advancement stopped with the colored TV. Not only was she not online, but she didn't even use a microwave! Yeppers, the domestic diva of the home ec classes that I failed, had no clue...

It didn't stop us...we managed to giggle our way, long distance...for the past three years. We have shared all the good and bad...and I love that woman...even though she was a luddite...

Last week, she announced (with great pride) that she had finally gotten the courage to touch a computer...not only that...she liked it!

Yesterday, she called to share all kinds of wonderful quilting sites she had found!

Today I am going to send her an email and invite her to come and visit my home on the internet...

So...if you see an eccentric, bohemian luddite of the femail persuasion wandering around...just turn her around and send her back to Texas!

Welcome, Cheryl!

Now I'm really going...see you next week!

Today's the day...

2005-09-17T01:38:00.000-07:00

Yes...today is it! Finally...the big day! Canada, look out, here we come!

It's been a long year, full of ups and downs, but the light at the end of the tunnel was always that trip, our fourth, on the River Queen. Sandro and Patricia have become cherished friends of ours!

Since I'll be gone another week, I thought you'd like to see what I'll be seeing...here's a few high lights of last year's trip:

The River Queen...here she's docked in Gananoque at the public dock. She's 38 feet of home to us!

The annual guys on the rock in Alex Bay photo. I have a whole collection of the three guys on this rock...the first was taken when Tony was 3. Lots of great memories!

A new rock photo...the guys on our new favorite island, Mermaid Island. Our favorite changes from year to year...day to day. Mermaid was great, we spent several nights on her.

It's not all fun and games. Navigating the boat through those islands is pretty tricky. In addition to fishing, kayaking, biking, chilling...the boys had to learn to read those navigational charts, plan our route and then get us there. We have had several hair-raising moments.

But then always got us there. Whoever said three heads were better than one was most likely riding on the River Queen!

Of course, we made sacrifices...imagine how hard it was to look at those sunrises...

...and sunsets...

No wonder some of us felt the urge to check our eyelids for light leaks!

Of course, we'll fish...

and dip our toes in the crystal clear but freezing water...

maybe we'll ride our bikes like Andy...

Of course, Mark will act like a dork...he always does...here he's put on on a show for one of the many tour boats that pass us every day.

But most of all, we'll just have fun...and in a week...we'll come home, rested, tired and certainly happy.

See you then!

Wazzup with dat?

2005-09-16T10:04:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, I have not been silent. My "Identical twin born to different parents in different years in different states and who doesn't look at all like me." sister, Jill (Another Quilt Block Another Day), has been doing enough talking (and saying just what I would have said) for both of us. If you want to know what I was thinking but was too lazy to type, go HERE and read what Jill said for me while I was busy zzzzzzzzzz-ing:

Sheesh...other than the napping and the ranting and raving...you've missed so much! Grab a cuppa and come on in and sit down...let's catch up!

Mark and Andy have been working on the new boat. The original plans were to get it finished to take it to Canada on our vacation. This is what it looks like now:

Since we leave for Canada in the morning, guess it isn't ready, right?

Oh, and while you were gone, Andy turned 19!

And both boys, accompanied by two friends, did a 90+ mile bike ride around NYC on 9-11!

That's John, Bill, Tony and Andy!

Tony rides again!

Today, for the last time.

2005-08-30T05:46:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling a bit weepy...today, for the last time, we had this:

and this:

Yes, today was Andy's last first day of school. He's a senior now. Where has time gone? I remember the first day of school in 1990. I cried then too. No, my boys weren't in school, but I was anticipating the day that did come...quickly, and now here we are, a junior and a senior, running from Mom as she requests that first day of school photo.

When we lived in our old house, we had a woman who lived across the street. Each first day, Mary would come out to watch the kids leave. She would comment on how big they were getting and then go back inside her house. She never spoke again until the following September.

Oh...what a trip down memory lane I'll take today!

It's good to be queen.

2005-08-26T05:05:00.000-07:00

This is me walking down the stairs this morning:

It's not easy doing a self portrait that early in the morning, but trust me, you do not want to see me, pre coffee and contacts, wearing my pajamas, socks and slippers. Believe me: I am queen and it feels damn good.

From time to time, things fall into place in my life...all my fears and doubts melt away. All things I believed to be true and right prove to be just so. I am queen.

Of course, there is some degree of self arse kicking involved, but that's just life. Anyone watch Oprah yesterday? Greg B (can't remember his last name), author of He's Just Not That Into You was on. Loved it except for the times I was kicking myself in the behiney because I didn't put those words on paper and write the book myself when I had the revelation.

During the show, I called my friend Joy, who is smart, educated, pretty, funny, interesting and wasting her time with a man who is just not into her. She was crying, not out of sadness as much as out of relief. She said she felt like she had been suffering from a strange disease for years and feared the worst. Now she had a diagnosis. He was just not that into her! I think she'll live. I'm going to lend her my crown this afternoon.

Life clicked into place. All those unresolved relationships in the past, my first marriage that I let end without fighting back, all that crap going on during my single years can be explained with the statement, he just wasn't that into me.

This should be manditory for all single people, men and women. Women need to memorize the vital signs, men need to know we know and vice versa...

We are women, hear us roar!

What's that? you don't have a tiara to wear down the stairs in the morning? Get one! Get them for your daughters too. My daughter has one (a gift from her ever loving mom) that she wears when she cleans on Saturdays. I have been known to wear mine to the bank or the grocery store. When people stare at me, I explain: I am queen.

Some women get it. They smile. Others don't. They move away. The way I see it is this: you can either be queenor you can not. You can choose, but why wouldn't you be?

My royal coffee perks. Today is my baby's 17th birthday. We will celebrate, but most of all, I will hug him. He's one of the loves of my life. I have many, but after all, I am queen.

I will edit this entry later to include a photo of Tony on his special day. For now, I will have coffee and work on the sign for above my kitchen door. It will read: The Queen Lives Here!

Peace!

Jan

Oh geeze, where do I start?

2005-08-25T05:05:00.000-07:00

Let's start with the weekend:

What appears to be a big, burned spot in my front yard is just that...a big, burned spot in my front yard.

We have/had a nest of yellow jackets on the front hill. Mark was stung on Sunday morning. On Sunday night, recalling the old, tried and true method of eradicating them, wait until they re-enter the nest at night and then pour kerosene on them and light them. Easy enough?

Point 1: we only had gasoline

Point 2: Mark asked Tony to help him

Point 3: Tony said yes

So Mark, the boy genius that he is, lit a paper towel and handed it to Tony BEFORE he poured the gasoline. Paper towels burn fast, you know...

So when the flames licked at Tony's fingers, he threw the towel. Mark, in yet another moment of insanity, tried to deflect it (it would not have hit him) with the hand holding the gas can. The gas that sloshed out when he swung it, caught on fire. Mark threw the gas can down the hill.

You know the sound that gas set on fire makes? Boosh?

The bees? I haven't seen them. I think they died laughing. I know our neighbors did.

Now for the rest of my life:

Today's bounty!

What I WAS knitting.

As far as I got on my next doll.

What I'm reading and have been reading for three weeks.

As you can see, I'm in a blah. The kids are going back to school, We will be going on vacation in a month, I'm hoping to leave for Texas in two months. I can't get moving. I can't get motivated. I pick things up and can't get moving.

Someone kick me?

If you're happy and you know it...

2005-08-23T05:43:00.000-07:00

How can you be in a bad mood when your grandson points out this:

in your mixing bowl in the morning? Doesn't it look like a smile?

What next?

2005-08-19T03:46:00.000-07:00

Well, if the past two days have been any indication of things to come, I am going back to bed and pull the covers over my head.

Wednesday, Andy went to help a friend. This sweet man just got out of the hospital that day and needed some yard work done. Andy went to his house after work. We didn't expect him to come home until 8, so when he pulled up at 6, we thought something was wrong.

How true. While using the electric hedge clippers, he managed to cut through his fingernail and into his finger.

G-r-oooo-s-s! Mark looked at it, decided that nothing could be done other than clean it and wait for the loose part to detach and fall off.

Note: I did not want to look. I can face any crisis. If YOU came to me with your hand in a basket, I'd know what to do and do it without hesitation. When it is one of my kids, chances are you'll have to push my head between my knees before giving him medical attention.

I did look and we made a trip to the drug store (ever notice that even if you have a fully stocked first aid kit, you always need something?), this time for a metal finger protector and Sponge Bob bandaids.

Once done, I heard Mark ask Andy what a '9 foot, tunnel hull, wooden boat' was. Andy didn't know, but once he realized it was an ad in the paper, he was on the phone. Within 90 minutes, he was the proud owner of yet another boat...this one was indeed 9 feet long.

Add that to our fleet. We now possess a 23 foot sailboat that is currently at the marina, several (and I don't remember how many, it changes from day to day) kayaks, a row boat and a wind surfer. I guess we sold a canoe, but I don't remember when.

It's cute and it has a history. It was designed and built by the seller in the mid or early 80's. When they met to do the paperwork, the man brought along a copy of the plans he typed, photo copied and sold. He also brought along clippings from Popular Mechanics, Boat World and a German magazine, complete with photos of THIS boat!

It's now in our garage. It was too dark last night when they brought it home to photograph, but I'll be sure to get one today.

Not to be outdone, Tony came home from work last night with a new mountain bike...

As I said before...what next?

Is this what back yards are for?

2005-08-18T09:06:00.000-07:00

Last night Mark wandered into the back yard and came out bearing gifts:

No, that is not a cherry tomato, it's just ... stunted?

This is the second tomato and pepper we've harvested. The first tomato was eaten (by me) in one bite. The pepper went to my FIL. Oh...the work of a farmer is never done.

PS...I ate the tomato with eggs...mmmmm!

At least someone likes them!

2005-08-17T05:56:00.000-07:00

While waiting for me to ship her out to her new owners, Carolina was sitting on the table, just minding her own business. I walked into the room to see this:

I guess Race Car really, really likes her!

Let's Hear it for the Girls!

2005-08-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

Well, they made it home yesterday, proudly wearing their red ribbons and handing me over the check...for $4 total. Yes, each one of the girls earned the tidy sum of $2.

Come and meet them:

Here's Belinda. You may remember meeting her when she was in the process of getting her hair done.

She sure looks different in her hand knit sweater and coordinated knickers, not to mention her smart accessories, doesn't she? Guess that's the only knitting seen on this blog in a while...

Here's Carolina, she's painted muslin, something I haven't done very often. It's fun, but takes time and the results aren't always what I want. She's cute, though.

And here's a close up of her face. She does have a sweet expression, something you don't find on my dolls very often!

Yesterday was one of those days. Mark's brother and one of his sisters did help with his dad so Mark was able to do some family things. This is the first weekend we've had in I can't remember how many. Friday night he took me out to dinner. Saturday night he went golfing with Tony and yesterday he and Andy went to Erie for a Jeep rally.

I did end up going to the outlet mall with Tony...he loves to shop! After 2394729347 stores, I did manage to find a potato ricer, something that has been on my wish list for years.

We had a great family dinner together. Today is back to normal. Mark is staying with his father tonight and tomorrow. On Wednesday, his sister is supposed to come in from New Jersey for a few days, so he'll get to come home.

Tonight dinner will be late since Tony works until 8...but it's just the three of us.

I'm fruity?

2005-08-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

My name is Jan and I'm addicted to taking those dumb quizzes:
What color of sock yarn do you prefer?
brought to you by Quizilla

I've lost my ability to multi-task?!?

2005-08-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, who knows what this is?

I'll give you a hint...it's in my kitchen...the bubbles are CASCADING...

If you guessed that it's what happens when you are obsessing about your irresponsible sisters-in-law and your hen pecked brother-in-law and worrying about how close to the max stress level your DH can handle without a second heart attack before the age of 48 while you are cleaning the kitchen, you are close.

If you guess that this is what happens when you fill the dishwasher with soft scrub (with bleach) instead of Cascade liquid (the bottles were side by side), an honest mistake:

See?

Guess that proves that I have not worked on a doll or knitted anything in days. Race Car, the newest cat, did dismantle a sock the other day...

I'm not as wierd as Jill?

2005-08-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

You Are 20% WeirdNot enough to scare other people... But sometimes you scare yourself.How Weird Are You?

two red ribbons and a deep fried pickle!

2005-08-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

I know, it's been forever and sixteen minutes since I put anything decent into this blog...but it's not for trying! Monday's entry was done in two stages, I had to have a little cry about missing' my daddy in between, and the final part has gone missing! Fear not, I'll figure out what I did wrong and fix it!

Last night was strange...very strange. Both boys worked until 8, so Mark and I sat here and ate dinner on the patio...alone. Now in our younger days, a few hours alone and a meal would have rendered us tired as all get out because we'd end up having to go upstairs for a nap, but last night, with our new level of maturity, we just read the paper. No sense getting all sweaty.

When the boys came home, we decided to toss some food down their gullets, shower them quickly and make a family outing of going to the Butler Farm Show to see the horses, chickens and pigs, sample some of the heart burn inducing food and of course, see how Mama's dolls made out in the judging.

Yes, at 4:21 on Sunday, I stood in line (deadline was 5:00) to enter two cloth dolls of my very own design. Now in this land where sewing is what they call mending your jeans and replacin' buttons and tractor parking and hog raising are considered womanly arts, I didn't expect the judges to look upon dolls, ugly ones at that, favorably. They didn't. Well, they did, but they didn't know that Manfreds only do blue. I got two red ribbons.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy...it could have been worse, but now I'll drive myself crazy trying to figure out what I didn't do right, or what i did do wrong...after all, last time I entered, five years ago, I did take the blue.

My family was proud. Mark even got upset because one of my dolls was displayed on the bottom shelf, not showing her face. Cute.

Since we ate before leaving home, our food purchases were very limited, but I just had to try the deep fried dill pickles. I was amazed...I am not even all that crazy about 'raw' ones, but the deep fried were very good. Tony says we'll have to try them at home some day. After the pickles, though, we decided not to go for the deep fried Oreos or Ding Dongs...just lost my courage.

Mark was home for a few hours this afternoon and then went to spend the night with his father. Dad had a very bad day yesterday and constant dental problems make it even worse. Mark has already announced that he will be there tonight and tomorrow night (I made a salmon loaf and sent it down for Mark to cook tomorrow), but he will not be able to spend the weekend. Someone else will have to do it (but they will most likely say that Dad didn't want them to stay).

After watching Mark in tears of frustration this weekend, I am proud to say that he wrote to his five siblings and asked them to help. He can't assume all of Dad's emotional and physical needs. I can't wait to see what happens. The last person who spoke their mind to that group was me...that was two years ago and half of them never spoke to me again.

And now...without further ado...I'll share a few doll related photos and then wander into the kitchen in hopes of finding a cup of decaf. Remember I love yuns...

Jan!

Belinda, who won a red ribbon, getting her hair done.

Oh, everyone asks, so I'll tell you: they are all made from Kunin Felt!

Maureen, who did not get to go to the farm show, shows off her blue ribbon for Prostate Cancer Awareness.

Flutter has been around for years. Her primary job is to swat at the dust bunnies, but Princess keeps an eye on her!

2005-08-08T05:21:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, I sood on the side lines, cheering Tony's hockey team onto victory. They won the championship in a cliff hanger. We cheered, we laughed, we took pictures as they posed with their trophies and then I came home to say good bye to my friend and mentor and yes, my first love, my father.

I can't believe it's been a year since he died. I can't believe he died. I'm sure that if I turn my head quickly, I'll catch him standing in the shadows, watching to make sure I set the emergency brake in my car or turned off the lights and locked the doors. As much as he watched over me, I can't believe that he finally trusted me enough to leave me alone.

It's not as though it were sudden or unexpected. He left, in bits and pieces, over the last ten years of his life. My father suffered from a form of dementia

Some times you have to look to find the miracles!

2005-07-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

There are miracles in our lives every day...sometimes they just don't look like miracles to us...but then think of angels...the ones in my life don't have feathery wings and wear long flowing robes. How about yours?

Today's number one miracle is the celebration of six months without even a puff on a cigarette. No cheating, not a smidgen! Now THAT's a miracle.

The second miracle of the day is that Mark called. He is bringing his father for dinner. Dad isn't feeling well and wants to leave for home shortly after we eat.

Considering that a week ago we thought Dad would never come home of the hospital, that's a miracle!

Am I blessed or what?

Just so you know...

2005-07-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. Things have been hectic here.

On Tuesday, the doctors said they were going to discharge Mark's father the next day. Dad indicated that he did not want to go home, that he would rather go to a nursing home.

We arranged a meeting for Wednesday morning with the social worker. By time I got there at 9, the doctor said that he was not ready for a nursing home, but could not stay at home alone. I guess that's where Mark comes in.

He'll stay there during the week. One of the other six kids will have to come through on the weekend, that's up to them.

For us...we don't know if we are coming or going, and to be honest, it doesn't seem to make any difference. We're just hanging on...

When you haven't done anything, it's difficult to show photos of it...so here's one of my old time favorites. Enjoy!

circa 1990

hockey mama!

2005-07-24T20:03:00.000-07:00

Did I spend most of this weekend at a hockey tournament? You bet I did!

This summer, Tony joined a traveling league. Although they did play a tournament in Pittsburgh, the rest of their games were in other states. This weekend, they played a Pittsburgh tournament.

So I got to go and watch most of the games...okay, 3 out of 5?

On Saturday, I watched one game before heading to the hospital to visit my father in law. On Sunday, I was the designated parent. I attended both games, so I had the priviledge of watching one game where they won, 9-0. My son had the only penalties. If he were not my son, but instead oppositions, there are days when I think I'd take my child and go home.

They lost the second game, 10? - 1, and Tony got the only goal for his team. They finished second but got these darling trophies:

to add to this award

he got in Virginia, and these:

for the season...Can you tell we are, among other things, a hockey family and are proud?

What's in the box?

2005-07-22T05:41:00.000-07:00

Well...this looks like a nice, innocent shoe box, doesn't it?

What's inside?

All the socks I've completed in the past six weeks, give or take a few days...

A nice pair of men's socks, a Christmas gift, so I can't tell who they are for. These are made of Magic Stripe!

Another pair, for a man on my gift list...these are made of Lanna Grossa. I love this yarn, the ball is squishy and the yarn knits easily.

Here's a pair of shorties, my boys love them, in Knit Picks' simple stripe, colorway storm. The color isn't true on my monitor, the grays match better. The bluish stripe is really lavendar. It's gorgeous! Also, did you know that Knit Picks now has solids in sock yarn? I'm soooo excited!

These remind me of sherbert, but I can't remember the yarn. I'll have to go and dig up my knitting journal so I can pass on the name of the yarn and care instructions to the recipient. These are for a woman on my gift list!

Another pair of Magic Stripe. I think I have a whole cedar chest full of this yarn. I've found out that if I don't do the entire cuff in ribbing, they lose their shape, but they are easy care! As you can see, I hate tucking in those ends. I usually leave them all until last minute and then do them all at once!

The socks nobody loves...A perfect example of how the Magic Stripe seems to sag...I should have ribbed the entire cuff. Live and learn!

Why you should never wear hand knit socks inside your hockey skates...this is ONE afternoon of heavy duty skating. I should be flattered that he loves his socks so much, but now I really do have to learn to darn socks. Anyone have the url of a good tutorial?

So...that's what's in my sock box. What's in yours?

Christmas in July?

2005-07-21T15:37:00.000-07:00

Check this out:

Know what that is? How about this?

No, we didn't start a chicken farm, those are Tony's latest eBay treasure...golf balls! If you've ever wondered what 500 golf balls looks like, wonder no more.

They say it's simple pleasures for simple minds...and this was certainly a pleasure for Tony. The auction was for used balls, but many looked brand new. Lots of them had advertising on them, Tony especially loved the 'Tony the Tiger' one, wondered if the Enron one was a collectors' item, and chose a few favorites that he'll keep with his other treasures.

So many times, when we do eBay auctions, we meet the best people. This one was no exception. A feedback score of over 400 with a 100% rating. He had a death in the family which made the shipment late and he took the time to tell us?!? You don't see that happening much these days. He also took time to READ, let alone answer my emails, and questions...and everyone who knows me knows I talk a lot ! Damn! Makes you want to ask for their mothers' email addresses so you can thank them for raisin' them right!

On the downside of life, they just admitted Mark's father into the hospital. He was so tired last night he told Mark that if he did't feel any better, he'd call the doctor today and ask for an appointment.

He called and they told him they had no openings until tomorrow. When Mark found out, he called and told them that it was an emergency. They took him in today.

He's extremely anemic, so exhausted he can barely walk. The cancer has spread to his spine, shoulders, ribs, lungs and liver and possibly kidneys. How he manged to keep it all together for the trip to New York and Canada is a mystery, we don't know how, but we do know why. It was his last hurrah. If you pray, please put in a good word for Pap Dave...he needs it!

And now...while the boys are at work, I'm going to tiptoe into the garage and pull out all the pink golf balls for myself, make a killer salad and chill on the patio.

Peace!

It's been a hard day's night...

2005-07-20T05:10:00.000-07:00

Can you guess what we did yesterday?

Here's my first hint:

If you guessed a water logged cell phone drying out...you are on the right track. If you couldn't guess, here's another hint:

Now if you guessed that this is a waterlogged glove and golf bag and a few mud encrusted clubs, you're getting warmer. Can you figure out what happened? If you thought I fell in the lake, you are wrong...try one more hint:

Last hint...I'll never leave home without it!

My comment: That was the longest nine holes I've ever played. I can't believe how heavy rain filled clothes are...how much farther it is to the club house in the rain than it is on a cool, dry day...and how much I realized I'm getting old.

Yesterday's revalation: I can ACT like a golfer, but I cannot THINK like one...'nuff said 'bout that.

The weary traveler has come home! They came pulling in on Monday afternoon, tired and happy. As my father-in-law said, "They can't take that trip away from us!"

I did give Mark the camera, but neglected to tell him that he has to stay still while taking pictures...therefore the only clear ones were OF him, not BY him:

Left to right: Mark, Mark's great uncle, John (who is 92 and still traveling around the world) and my father-in-law (and John's nephew), David.

Along with a good visit with his sisters and uncle, Mark and my father-in-law explored the town where he spent summers with his grandparents, even finding their home.

They found the town cemetary and located the grave markers of Mark's great-great-grandfather.

They drove across the Thousand Island Bridge

into Ivy Lea and met Sandro, the proprietor of RiverQueenHouseboating. We rent a houseboat from them for a week each fall and they have become dear friends to us.

Each year, we take our cell phones so that we can report in to my father-in-law. He takes the trip with us, in spirit only, and has mentioned many times that he'd love to see the boats and theislands that we dock on.

This year, the river goddess was with them. One of the boats had come in a day early and Sandro, who is a doll, invited them to take a quick jaunt around the islands. Mark was able to show his father Georgina, Constance and a few of our other favorites. A heart felt thank you goes out to Sandro and Patricia!

Just one more day?

2005-07-17T23:08:00.000-07:00

Mark and life as we knew it, will return tomorrow. Give me one more day? I promise to return with hugs, kisses and tales of my adventures.

Until then...Here's what we were doing 15 years ago...

sooo busy

2005-07-16T05:55:00.000-07:00

I'm single parenting this weekend, so not much time to ponder and post...I'm wondering how I did it alone for all those years?

Until life gets normal...enjoy my boys...This one is at Rose Point Park Campground, New Castle, PA, July, 1989!

And even smaller things

2005-07-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

No NEW pictures for a while, just a trip down memory lane at the end. DH and his father left for LaFargeville, NY at 6 this morning.

First stop was Erie where they met DH's sister and brother-in-law. They are spending the summer, or most of it, on their yacht (we are the very poor relatives). They had breakfast.

The next time we heard from them, my FIL had just found the grave marker of HIS great-grandfather. Since my parents were both first generation Americans, that fascinates me.

They found Mark's great grandparents' homes, the houses of his great uncles and had dinner at the Thousand Island Inn in Clayton, NY, one of my favorite towns. We always have to spend at least a day there when we are on our houseboat trip each fall.

They called again to say that they had the best dinner of their lives at the Inn tonight. Dad had duck, Mark had grouper. They had walked down to the ice cream parlor and got a cone and were sitting on the front porch of the inn watching the boats go past.

Tomorrow they will ride over the Thousand Island Bridge, the one that my father-in-law once rode a bicycle over. It's so high (ships go under it) that it takes my breath away.

Once in Canada, they will probably go to see the marina and hopefully the house boats that we rent in the fall.

I don't know who is more choked up, Mark or Dad. Both know that this is their last trip together. Dad is simply completing the circle.

Oh the other hand...my boys are now in the garage, talking. It makes my heart sing to watch them together, or hear them talk. Today Andy got off work early but he went back to the bike shop becaue Tony was buying a road bike and he wanted to help him choose accessories and help fit him with a helmet.

They came home in the jeep and after the necessary ooh's and ahhh's, they went on a ride together. Friends...it does make me proud.

Me? I'm going to bed. I hit up the used book store today and found a whole stack of books that I need to read...and I didn't knit a thing today!

Bicycling buddies, summer 1989

Sweet dreams

Small things...

2005-07-13T22:51:00.000-07:00

I was on my way to bed when I thought I'd stop and share my joy: there is nothing to take the place of friends...

We had a late dinner tonight. Tony worked from open until 4, Andy went in to work at noon and worked until close. I decided to make Andy's favorite meal, meatloaf, and hold dinner until he got home.

Mark and Tony decided to go shopping, mall hopping, to look for shorts and summer clothes on clearance. I just got out of the tub when all three of them came climbing the driveway with...a new set of golf clubs for my birthday!

My birthday isn't until Sunday, but since Mark and his dad are leaving in the morning, they decided to celebrate early.

We all trooped out back to try Tony's driving net and although I did hit a few balls over the garage roof, I did really well.

After we finally came inside to eat, Mark cleaned up the kitchen while I checked the laundry status. He went to bed and I sat in the living room to read for a few quiet minutes when I heard someone hooting and hollering in the driveway.

It was Meg and Debbie. All our kids grew up together, Meg and Deb were angels as parent volunteers any time I had a special project going on at the school...Our kids swam together on the swim team, bowled on the Saturday morning league...they feel like family.

Deb's husband has lung cancer. He just had another set back and must undergo another round of chemo. It's been rough, but Deb has the most beautiful and comforting faith. It not only comforts her, but those around her as well. As a friend, I've always been so proud of her.

Meg's two oldest boys were part of our 'extended family' and then she added two girls to the melee. She's a cancer survivor herself, so she always seems to give us hope and yet ground us.

Sounds dreadfully dull, but tonight we sat on the patio and giggled, hooted, howled and had such a good time that I hated to see them leave. Even the boys enjoyed it, but Andy gave me a stern, "Do you know what time it is?" when I finally walked in the door...at 12:53!

I'm feeling mighty rich tonight!

Points to Ponder

2005-07-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

When Mark and I married, twenty years ago, I moved to the small town that he had adopted as his own several years earlier.

To aclimate myself, I began reading the local newspaper from cover to cover every night. I left nothing unread, front page, police reports, births and obits..which lead to the in memorium columns.

In this small town of 16,000, the obituaries were few, maybe a handful a day, but since the loyalty to this town and the multi generations that live and work here, the memorials go on, year after year, many with photographs.

After a few years, I realized I recognized many by the pictures published with the letters and poems. Some, like Bernie Sue, were children when they died. Her picture of a smiling fourth grader is there every year. How about the couple, married 50+ years, who died two weeks apart or the family of four with two young children who were all killed instantly by a drunk driver?

I remember the circumstances of many of the more recent, I knew some of them. Each year, in early November, his birthday and on Christmas Eve, the anniversary of his tragic death, I steel myself before turning to the memorial page because I know I'll see photos of my oldest son's friend, Donnie.

I find some comfort in the familiarity. After twenty years, I join the families of those dearly departed in mourning. I find myself greeting them silently and offering prayers that they are at rest, in peace and that they will be waiting to greet those who loved them and mourn them, in the hereafter.

I'm sure I'll recognize them as friends I never knew. Wonder if they will know me?

still life

2005-07-12T18:54:00.000-07:00

Safe Sox

2005-07-12T04:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, even the orange sock buckles up when we go out!

As you can see, progress on the orange sock is slow. Part of it is because the yarn is hard to work with but most of all, it's because I've gotten that urge to purge, a must to dust, and a farkle to sparkle again. It's purely weather related, I'm sure.

I used to abhor talking on the phone...then along came cordless phones. Now I can do all sorts of things. Yesterday my friend Nancy called. Frantic for something to do, I washed two kitchen windows from the inside. They didn't look all that wonderful, so I went out and washed them from the outside. Wow!

Window cleaner in hand, I went to the back entrance and did the windows there, the powder room mirror, upstairs to the bathroom where I did the mirror as well...on to my bedroom, my studio and then I stopped...or so I thought...

Next thing I knew, I was dusting! Yesterday, my 161st day without cigarettes (not even a little cheat), I realized that I don't really like the smell of lemon pledge. I think it was one of the few things I could smell, so I thought it was pleasant. Not!

I started ripping the room apart, finding a few things to list on eBay (but that takes soooo much time), a few things for Goodwill, and a lot to trash. I polished the table and got the urge to quit right then and there and create...but I resisted.

Today I'll wash the curtains for that room, sweep and mop the floor and I'll be ready to go...and considering Mark and his father leave Thursday morning for their adventure-north...well, who knows?

Andy had some problems with his contacts yesterday and his eye was all red and swollen again. I'm wondering if his hygiene is impeccable when it comes to those things. I know that I wasn't always diligent about washing my hands or cleaning out the lens case...I'd be just as happy if he didn't wear his contacts.

Andy was off yesteray, Tony is off today. He said not to wake him until 10. We have JR, but Tony plans to have him out on the golf course by noon until it's time for him to go to the dentist at 4. I have no problem with that, lol.

Tonight we have a board meeting for hockey parents. We're mediating an issue in the elementary league. It's too dumb to consider including here...unless itcomes to blows tonight, consider it done.

And I'm outta here!

*poof*

And more of the same...

2005-07-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

It seems as though we were busy all day yesterday, but yet, nothing important happened...it was the same old, same old...or was it?

Andy left very early to do the Tour of Crawford, a 60 mile charity bike ride. He left us THE RED JEEP. Mark, Tony and I decided to head for the flea market. We all had our agenda: I wanted plants at killer prices, Tony wanted golf balls and Mark wanted to eat.

Mark had a hot dog and popcorn, Tony found a few golf balls at good, but not excellent, prices and I found a plant stand for the yard. Mark, on the other hand, bought a Brinkman charcoal smoker. For the rest of the morning, we wondered how to get it home. I did suggest putting the plant stand on my head...but we managed. Those jeeps hold more than you think!

obituary bingo

2005-07-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

Add three sisters whose average age is 75+, a visitors' book from their father's funeral in 1960 and what do you get? Obituary bingo!

Don't get me wrong, I am not being disrespectful, I am being joyful. To witness such a thing was food for my starving heart. I came away a renewed woman.

Quickly: There were four cousins who grew up together. Linda who is 2 years older than I, Peggy and Susan who are a year older, and me. We were not the only cousins (there were probably 40 of them) but the ones closest in age.

The relationships were strained. Linda, Peggy and Susan's connection was that their mothers were sisters. I was my father who connected me to the tribe. My mother wasn't overly fond of the sisters, nor were they crazy about the woman who married their baby brother.

Fifty years later, after my father died, I felt my connection to the family was severed.

A week ago, when Susan called to ask me to bring my mother and Aunt Katy (the oldest living sibling of 12, she's 84) to her house, I agreed. Susan and her husband John live 2 hours from me, on the Juniata River.

The ride there was ... strange? Ever see the movie, Driving Miss Daisy?

When we got there, Peggy and Linda and Linda's mother were there too as well as Aunt Helen, the baby of the family with her husband Bill, and Maria, their daughter.

We started slowly. We come from the same place, but our lives were so different. Susan and John have two grown kids and are semi retired, living on the river and traveling. Linda and her husband Dick have been married forever and have no children. Peggy married at 46 to a much younger man and has never had children. Maria is young, skinny, gorgeous, smart, has wonderful kids (her daughter was there, she's about 12 and adorable)...but she's not part of the core group, so we can't let her inflate our scores.

Suddenly, I walked into the kitchen to hear Aunt Katie mention the name of a family friend - a name that I haven't heard in years.

"Dead," says Aunt Francie.

"Frank's sister, Phyllis," Aunt Katie goes on.

"Oh, dead too!" says Aunt Helen almost cheerfully.

What? Have I stumbled onto our own family version of Arsinec and Old Lace?

Then I find the reason for the roll call: the guest book from Grandpa's funeral.

In 1960, after the funeral,the book was given to my father, the youngest son. Why? We're not sure. When my mother was cleaning out my father's belongings after his death last year, she decided to return it to the family.

I returned to the deck. My cousins asked what the mothers were doing. I explained.

"Obituary bingo!" Susan's husband John exclaimed. When we're old we can play it too!

Can we? I hope we'll have time...you never know!

After laughing so hard our sides hurt, eating so much our bellies ached, hugging...oh how we hugged...and me realizing I do have a family...we left.

It was one of the days I'll write about forever...five cousins, one much younger, walking along the Juniata river on a warm summer day...

Susan, thank you from the bottom of my hunky heart...I do have a family!

And to Aunt Katy: Yes, I did nurse my son until he was four...but no, you are not too old to hear that...you are the perfect age. Tomorrow you won't remember it!

I apologise for the quality of the photo...we were having too much fun to remember our cameras!

From left...mom, Aunt Katy, the eldest, Aunt Helen, the baby, Aunt Francie!

Race car and me

2005-07-09T05:51:00.000-07:00

Meet the newest addition to our family:

Race Car!

Don't even ask. Race Car came to us much the same way Princess, the male cat did. Andy, my 18 year old softie found him.

With Princess, someone dropped a litter off behind the bike shop, with Race Car, the owner's son and daughter-in-law were moving and couldn't take him with them.

Between Pincess, Arnie and Race Car...it was a long evening.

Sock Progress? Check out Franklin the sock gnome:

When I first put the sock on his head this morning, it came down and covered his beard! The knitting is hard on the hands (cotton ease), so the progress is slow. I know that I'd never use this yarn again, but it's making Tony very happy and will be perfect for what he needs.

Today's a quickie...I'm going on a mom-n-me adventure. My cousin Susan called me last week and asked me to bring Mom and Aunt Kate (who is 84) to her house to visit with Aunt Helen. Mind you, all these aunts are my father's sisters and I don't think there is much love lost between Mom and the two of them. It's a two hour drive, Mom will certainly begin to feel stressed out, insecure, and that's when she lashes out and takes it all out on me.

Short trip, loooooooong day.

If I"m not arrested for dropping two little old ladies off on the side of the road, I'll report in tomorrow.

Dinner is served!

2005-07-08T03:53:00.000-07:00

Darn Gnomes...as soon as you do for one, the rest insist you do for them. Meet Aubrey, Franklin's father...and while you're at it, check out my sock progress. Keep in mind, Aubrey is the dad...he's much taller!!

Last night, everyone was busy. Andy worked until 8, Tony went golfing and Mark just needed time to chill. I decided to hand Mark cheese and crackers and hold off dinner until 8, when Andy would come home.

As soon as we were all in the same place (Andy worked 20 minutes late), I ran in to put on water for the pasta. As soon as it was on, we got unexpected company.

One of Mark's friends from high school dropped by. We sat down to visit and by time he left and I 'threw' dinner on the table, it was 10:25 PM! We were so tired that Andy never made it to bed. He dropped on the couch and was still there when I came down this morning.

I'm off to get a haircut. Tomorrow is old hens' day. I'm driving my mother and my 80+ year old aunt to Bedford to visit my cousin and another aunt. This should be fun...Jill, want to come along???LOLOLOLOL

Be nice...

Why I gotta love him

2005-07-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

In March, Mark and I celebrated our 20th anniversary. It was a second marriage for both of us, I had two teenagers from my first marriage. He had none.

I am seven years older than he is. I was a baby when I had my first child, so probably the reason I didn't marry him first is that he was in kindergarten.

We came from opposite sides of the track. His father was an executive, mine a blue collar worker. Their six kids were pretty close, the three kids in our family were like three only children.

I know his mother was not happy about it, just as my mother was so tickled that to this day, he can do no wrong. As time went on, I fell in love with his parents and grandmother as much as I did with him. When his mother lay dying, five years ago, caring for her was a true labor of love for me.

Mark's Dad was lost without his wife. They were a close couple, he the main breadwinner, she the care taker. A month or so after her death, Mark and his dad began taking computer classes one night a week, having dinner out, and then Mark would spend the night with him. Guys' night out.

Two years ago, Dad's prostate cancer spread to his bones and bone marrow. He had good days, bad days and pain. Even though they no longer took classes, Mark would spend at least one night a week with his father. It was their night, the highlight of their week.

Last summer, even though he felt good, his time was running low. He said he would love to visit his sisters in upstate NY. Mark made a few phone calls and arranged for them to meet at Aunt Ruth's house in Geneva, NY. It was an eventful packed four days, Aunt Ruth is an organizer. Dad and Mark, Ruth and Carl and Dad's other sister Anne and her husband, rode on a mail boat on one of the fingerlakes, saw an air show, a pagent about the Mormon Church and played cards until the week hours.

Note: Marks family is from Upstate NY. Dad grew up in the Thousand Island's region, the same place we vacation every year.

Fast forward a year. Dad has had a rough year. The cancer is spreading rapidly, he's in pain and is exhausted much of the time. As usual, Mark spends his night with him, but occasionally, Dad feels too tired and sick to go out to eat. Mark cooks for him at home. Anne and Ruth have come to visit twice, more or less to say good bye, but he's done well enough that they planned yet another adventure north.

Ruth, the planner, has arranged for them to meet at her house, with an additional guest: Dad's Uncle John, who is 91, a world traveler and still going strong. Mark and Dad were going to leave on Friday, the 15th and come home the following Monday.

Last week, when Dad was feeling perky, he asked if they could leave a day early and go farther north than Geneva, to LaFargeville, where he grew up. He wants to see his grandmother's house, the islands and other places he never though he'd see again.

Mark promised. Then, this week, Dad was having a really rough time. He doubted that he would get to make the trip. Mark said it was his choice, but they could do as much, or as little, as he was able. Last night, over dinner out, they decided to go for the whole thing.

Mark just called. He made reservations for the two of them at Thousand Islands Inn in Clayton. When Mark told the owner the reason for the trip, the owner said she was from LaFargeville and remembered both of Dad's uncles and their wives.

Now Dad thinks he knows her family. He thinks her father was the town doctor. Sick or not, he's making this trip. Mark said Dad pulled out his original birth certificate to take along, just in case they could go to Ganonoque to see the houseboats we rent each September.

They will discuss this trip many times over the next few days. Each morning at 7:30, Mark calls his dad. Each night on his way home, he calls again to talk about the day. Amost every night, Dad calls us to remind us about educational shows in the history channel, and Mark calls to remind him that all he has to do is call and he'll be there.

I can only hope that my boys inherit some of these genes...I'm sure they can see why I gotta love this man...even though there are days when I'm not sure I like him!

Dad and Aunt Ruth, Mail boat on Lake Skaneateles, July 2004

prozac for socks?

2005-07-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

I"ll admit...I've viewed those other bloggers' sock adventures and sighed...my socks have no adventure to share...no excitement in their lives. I felt their pain. I could understand why they were depressed.

When you are a sock, you are on the bottom of the heap. The excitement in your life depends on others. You cannot make your own. I felt bad. Consider...the only excitement in my life, or my sock's life is downright dirty:

Last night, I went to bed with tears in my eyes. I wished there were something I could do to brighten up my sock's day.

This morning, when I came downstairs, Franklin, my gnome, was looking depressed as well. He hasn't had an adventure for quite some time...(do you think I"m living with a bunch of whiners???).

I killed two birds with one stone:

Yes, this is a different sock than the one in previous days. I have TWO (yes, two, dammit) different socks going at one. It is rare, but the first pair, at 12 spi, 15 rpi, was taking forever and I wanted to get to the good part of this pattern...completion!

So bite me!

The big difference!

2005-07-06T04:04:00.000-07:00

As previously stated, you'd think that for a person who has been journaling forever, the transition to blogging should be easy. My absense of days should prove that it is not. I have been consumed with turmoil. I was not sure how to proceed. I began to admire those whose lives were open books...

As you can see, Arnie and I are down in the dumps...bummed waaaaaaaaaay out

The problem? We are not men.

Oh, that's not to say that Arnie wasn't born a man, but his problems are similar. I was born without cohones, he was born without opposable thumbs. Translation: when life demands, we cannot A) Go golfing, B) Start the tractor and pretend you are working, C) Jump in your car and go to the lake and sail.

The problem: Our home, as beloved as it may be, is on top of a hill. All points are down. I'm beginning to think that the entire farm must have been a pig farm, since the soil is fertile and lush. All things, with the exception of these:

Mark's tomatoes, grow and produce so quickly you can hear them grow.

Thus the weeds on the shady perennial garden quickly overtook the perennials. Mark decided that all plants should be removed and river rock substituted. He got an estimate for the retaining wall and river rock: $3,000.

Now, I have not been penny pinching for years only to spend the proceeds on a truck load of rocks, darn it. I had no alternative solution, so I begged a little time to think while I pulled weeds and transplanted the perennials to other places on our property.

Permission granted.

First I got one of these:

Mine is a knock-off of the Weasel. It was only $19.99 at Home Depot and I was amazed at how nicely it worked. Since the heat was oppressive and the garden is about 750 square feet, like Rome, it wasn't completed in a day. I worked a few hours before the heat and a few hours in the evening, after the heat. I would say that I worked my buns off, but at last glimpse, they were still there!

On Thursday, Mark pretended that he saw nothing. On Friday, when I was out working before he left for work, he just got in his car and left without a word. That night, instead of helping me, he jumped on the tractor and cut grass up to the edge of the flower bed.

Saturday, it was much too hot to watch me work, so he jumped in his car and went sailing.

Sunday morning, just before the heat, he dragged Tony out of bed (6:30 AM) and they escaped by going golfing. Since this is a gardening entry, I will say that was the last straw.

I headed for the flea market, where I found a few more plants to add to the new beds (where I wrestled with ivy and replaced the soil). Coming home at noon, I planted as soon as the beds were in the shade and then went to my room for a healthy nap.

That night, I tendered my resignation as gardner. I no longer care what he does, as long as I get to golf while he does it.

Now...the big quandry, do I tell all my cyber friends and family about this? Hmmmm

Onward and upward, life does go on. Andy has nearly polished the paint off his new (to him - it's a '92) jeep: It does look wonderful:

The orange blotches are reflections...the paint looks magnificent. Here's another view:

On their way to work...together...

Yes, they work at the same bike shop. Oh and yes, that 'thing' getting dressed in the passenger seat is Tony, my baby. And yes, that is hair...and double yes, it's naturally curly.

Slacker no more!

2005-06-29T03:25:00.000-07:00

For a person who has been journaling for 40 years, the transition to blogging should have been easier. I blame it on the heat. We're back in the midst of brain melting heat.

It's warping all my brain waves! On Sunday night, after a trip to Wally World with Andy to buy him a new fan, I was sitting here, relaxing with a glass of Crystal Light lemonade, IMing with my one of my heroes, TrikerDave when Mark comes storming down the stairs, a 'deer in the headlight' look in his eyes.

"I can't stand it!" he cries as he storms past me, yanking open the door to the garage.

I calmed him down to find that the heat in the bedroom has reached the melting stage. He is on his way to the garage to find the window air to install in the bedroom.

Note: Our house, built 163 years ago, does not have central air. Last summer, our first in this humble abode, we had three bad days. Most of the summer, the cool breezes coming up the hill, kept us comfortable. Last winter, while researching a high efficiency furnace, we decided that the cost of adding whole house air, thousands of dollars and much reconstruction, was not cost efficient.

He looked so frazzled, I let him break my rule...Until that moment, the chances of gaining permission from me, the queen, to install a window air in any window on the front side of the house (appearances, appearances) was nil. Sunday night, I caved in.

I HATE air conditioning. It does strange things to my sinus cavities as well as my claustrophobia. I love windows open, air circulating. Closed bedroom doors are not for me. Sunday night was a test.

We closed the door and cranked up the air. Although the boys are 16 and 18, soon to be 17 and 19, I worried. What if they needed me and I couldn't hear them?

Unconfortable, I drift off to sleep...suddenly I am awakened by a loud and unfamiliar noise. Not taking time to try to identify it in my sleep befuddled state, I head for the door. Mark calls to me.

"I heard a noise!" I scream.

"Everything's okay," says he. "Come back to bed, it was just me, farting."

After reassuring me that it was not a bomb in the garage, or the 40 foot locust in the front yard falling, I came back to bed. As I drifted back to sleep, I heard him chuckle. It was a good one. A fart to remember. One that will be remembered fondly for years to come. Men!

On the sock front, the toe-up sock is coming along nicely. The only thing I hadn't considered was gauge. This wonderful yarn, Dancing by Knit Picks, is knitting up at 12 stitches and 14 rows per inch. These socks are going to take forever! I can't imagine knitting socks for the guys in this yearn, even though I'm sure they would love them. By the way...the yarn is on sale. I paid $3.99 per skein...it's now on their web site for $2.99! I'm still in awe of LynnH's toe up pattern. Check it out!!

We had some thunderstorms yesterday. Right after the sun went down, the temperature dropped a bit, just enough to feel like moving. I did a quick clean up of the house, dusting and sweeping, so things are pretty much 'company ready' for the day. My statement that the coffee's always on and the door's always open makes it a necessity. This morning I have nothing to do but amuse myself. Andy works, Tony has a 7:AM t-time (still too hot for me to golf) If it gets hot, I'll close myself up in the bedroom to read.

Let it snow!

2005-06-28T02:00:00.000-07:00

While the coffee is brewing, just thought I'd share a few of my favorite snow photos from last winter. Maybe they'll make me feel cooler.

Enjoy!

cooked liver

2005-06-26T04:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm up and at it early this fine Sunday morning. The reason? I'm certain that I heard the timer go off. My liver is cooked - it's that hot today!

What kind of Mom?

2005-06-25T06:35:00.000-07:00

What kind of mother...knows that her son is coming home with his new(to him) dream (his) car and doesn't check the batteries in the camera?

I heard the jeep coming up the driveway last night. I grabbed the camera and ran out the door, aiming it towards the driveway. Mark told me that if I was looking for my son, I had better turn around. Sure enough, he had turned off the driveway and drove through the yard, coming around the back of the house. It was too dark to get a decent photo and Andy was already out of the jeep when I got to him. I snapped one photo (as you can see) when the batteries in the camera went dead.

Bringing home your first Jeep is like getting married or bringing home a baby...a certain Kodak moment. Once it's over, it's OVER!

A good mother woud have had fresh batteries.

Darn you, LynnH

2005-06-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, just when my brain was full, I cop a peek at the pattern for toes up socks I got from LynnH at Color Joy. I was intrigued, I was mermerized, I was captivated, I was starting another pair of socks, this time toe up...this time at 1AM.

Oh I know, my buns are dragging today, but I really wanted to get something started with the new yarn, Dancing, that I got from Knit Picks. So far, I'm liking it, it's 41% cotton and reminds me a lot of the fortissima cotton yarn I bought last spring, but this isn't about the yarn, the GREAT serivce you get from Knit Picks, or my lack of sleep...it's about the Pattern!

I can't say enough. I thought, I believed, that I would never make a toe up sock. I'm toe-uppingly challenged. I wanted, I desired, I craved, the knowlege, but even with Queen Kahuna's book, I couldn't get it.

Seven seconds with Lynn's instructions and I have a lightbulb go off in my head and I'm off and running...and I now have a toe...and soon I'll have the 'up' to go with it.

wazzzzzup!

2005-06-23T06:44:00.000-07:00

It's another morning...and it's headed to becoming a hot one here. So much to think about, my brain is smoking. Yesterday's additions to things to ponder:

Mark took his father to the doctor. The doctor was firm, but kind. He didn't have to TELL Dad, merely remind him, that it's not gas, it's cancer. He also said that he didn't like his 'liver numbers' in his last blood work, but didn't elaborate. He gave him percocet for the pain. Even though we been in denial, it appears that Dad is moving along as they predicted.

Nice news: Bob and Diane (Mark's sister and BIL) called from their yacht docked in Erie. They were spending the week and had a guest: Harry, Bob's father. There has been some tension between them. Harry, who used to be a constant, has been missing in their activities. Harry's a sweetie, I was thrilled to hear he's back.

Tony worked 10.5 hours yesteray, but has today off. We're going golfing!

Andy, who will work 10.5 hours today, came home early last night. Mark and he went to the driving range. We're a golfing family!

Since he had to deal with his father, Mark took the day off yesterday. Second personal day this week. We're getting an idea of those 'golden years' that people talk about. I'm used to amusing myself, and have mastered that self discipline of having all the time in the world to do things (therefore getting nothing done). He's terrible at it. Although he had chores, he was bored. We ended up taking the dog to Memorial Park to walk in the stream (my car of course). I never saw the dog play in the water. He walks around for a while and then plops down, usually in water up to his chin, and rests a while. Must feel good!

Last night Arnie (the dog) was trying to climb the tree near the patio. He kept circling the tree, growling. Finally we heard a scolding from the tree. We have a raccoon, a very small one, that seems to be hanging out in one of the holes high up on the tree. Maybe that's why the squirrels haven't come back this spring?

I did manage to weave in the ends of two pair of socks and hand them over to the boys. Andy was tickled pink. He had clean clothes, he said, but no clean socks. It would enable him to put off doing laundry for one more day. I had cast on another pair in Regia (I think) on Tuesday, and they are moving along, anything to keep me busy!

And I'm off to find more coffee. We want to hit the links before it gets too hot!

I resemble that remark!

2005-06-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, let's get this straight. I'm old, I have a grand child and gray hair. My arse is sinking to greet the back of my knees. I have an AARP card. I also have a meager balance in my bank account. Make that two bank accounts with one meager balance that I move back and forth for exercise...

Yesterday morning I stopped at the bank.

(No personal, inside the bank service for me...I couldn't deal with the friendly faces, the smiles pasted on haphazzardly. I wanted anonymity!)

As I pulled up to the drive through (scraping the seat of Andy's bike on the overhang (Did I tell you about this already?). In response to the sickening screech, the teller at the window looks up and says into the microphone, "Be careful, you might injure your bike!"

After all the hustle bustle of checking on the bike (that retails for slightly more than my Jeep) mumbling the appropriate words of apology...yada, yada, yada, I retrieve the envelope containing Tony's cash from the tube. As I replace the container, I hear the chipper voice of the teller who is too young for my eldest son to date, saying brightly and for all withing ear shot to hear, "Thank you, Janet!"

"Janet?" Where does this young lady, and I use the term loosly, get off calling me by my first name? Where is respect? Where is etiquette? Where are her parents? Her superiors?

Then this morning Tony tells me that he was with his employer, a dignified and very sweet seventy year old man and heard the drive through teller call HIM by his first name.

What is this world coming to?

Off to my knitting. I finished the socks for Jamie (my darling son-in-law) yesterday. Today will be a toss up between Andy and Tony...depends on which one treats me better. Since Tony took me golfing last night - even though he made me walk the course - he's ahead in brownie points!

It's my second Monday this week!

2005-06-21T05:09:00.000-07:00

Good morning all! The coffee is almost hot, there is no more cream for a second cup, my grandson is on the way to spend the day with me (against both of our wishes) and the boys should be up and getting ready for work.

I should clarify the subject of this entry. It's not really the second Monday, it's the first Monday after the second Sunday...make more sense?

In a fit of ???something, Mark decided to take yesterday off. I'm thankful, since my Cherokee spent the day at Harry's garage (U-joints?) and there were errands to be run, kids to deliver here and there. To his credit, he did ask me to go golfing, but I think he was relieved when I declined. He went out to the boat and got the rudder (that he broke) and worked on it most of the day.

Note: since you are just getting to know us, Both boys, Andy (who is 18) and Tony (who is 16) are working at the Bike Shop this summer. Andy has worked for them since he was 14, loves biking, smoozing with customers and has natural mechanical ability. Tony, who is a natural athlete for all things non biking, just started this summer. Since he's only part time at the bike shop, he still referees at the hockey rink. Both boys do lawn maintence for regular customers. Everyone here has something important to do.

I cleaned out the file cabinet...

Whoopsie, my grandson is here...more later!