Biltmore Estate

A pair of stately lions guarded the entrance to Biltmore. Ryan and Jenny pose before him.

Greetings from Tennessee

I'm blogging today from Ryan's house in Tennessee. Aren't computers wonderful? We are having such a great time. Yesterday we got up at six to meet Ginger at the Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Then we traveled two hours over to Ashville, North Carolina to visit the Biltmore Estate. It is the former home of George Vanderbilt, heir of railroad money, who built this home modeled after the French chateaus when he was a bachelor at 27. It is the size of a castle and each room was decorated for Christmas with multiple trees and period toys. My favorite room is the conservatory with it's high glass ceiling, tropical plants, and pots of white poinsettias. It took us two hours to go through the house with its four floors of rooms plus a basement with a swimming pool, bowling alley, cook's quarters, kitchens, pantries, and even two rooms for floral decorating. Afterwards we went to the estate winery where we had lunch at the Bistro there. Our appetizers were artichoke dip with crositini and brie with cranberry chutney, green apple slices, and pecans. We ate mufalleta sandwiches and various kinds of pizzas. Then we shopped a little at Biltmore villiage. On the way home the weather got worse and we drove in the rain most of the way. Today it is threatening snow and nasty. I think we will stay inside most of the day.

JOY TO YOU THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON

Things to be joyful for:

1. Having a loving family and good friends...nothing can be better than knowing there are people who know all your flaws and accept and love you just the way you are..imperfections and all.

2. Wanting not...looking around and realizing that you have all you need.

3. Feeling contentment...just to sit still and be filled with happiness.

4. Realizing how lucky you are. ..so many are so much worse off this holiday season .

5. Having the freedoms that living in the United States allows.

Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas. All else is outward display--so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn't the holly, it isn't the snow. It isn't the tree not the firelight's glow. It's the warmth that comes to the hearts of men when the Christmas spirit returns again.

Happy Holidays

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Winter wonderland

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POND OPEN FOR SKATING

Isn't that sign adorable? Linda made it for me last year. I created a little vignette with ice skates and cotton snow on my baker's rack. I found some old black and white photos of me as a child in the snow and put them on display along with the ice skates. Most of my decorations this year are winter themed instead of Christmas oriented. Maybe I'll leave them up for awhile.

CHRISTMAS COOKIES

What is your favorite kind of Christmas cookie? Peanut Butter Blossoms are mine. Today I baked cookies to take down to Ryan's house on Thursday. Each year I knock myself out making many different kinds of cookies as treats. There are so many that we all get almost sick of eating so many sweets during the holiday season. The leftovers get put in the freezer since you can't give them away. (everyone else is sick of eating sweets too).

Nothing means more than family

Here is a picture of my family taken at Boiling Springs in November when we were down at Chris' visiting. Chris and Ryan are "cutting up" as usual. Scott is growing up so tall and is getting more handsome by the minute. Dan is a typical teenager. Jenny, my new daughter-in-law is so pretty and I enjoy having her in the famly. Don is my honey. We were getting ready to go to a TSO concert that day. We always enjoy being together.

BEST FRIENDS

Yrsa, Kay and I have been best friends since high school, 45 years ago. We've been through a lot together, the bad and the good. We've cried on each other's shoulders and howled with laughter at some of our antics. Today Kay had us out to see the new red couch she bought. The color is crimson and looks so nice in her living room.

Winter

Yeah, it worked! I am slowly learning how to get pictures from the web to my blog. This might make it a little more fun. I liked this picture because it reminded me of my childhood. We always loved to be out in the wintertime, regardless of the weather. I guess we didn't feel the cold back then. I grew up in such a super neighborhood. All the kids were friends and we couldn't wait for school to get over so we could get on our playclothes and run outside with our friends. There was a big hill behind our house and we went sledding there. Across from the elementary school there was a house back in the woods with a long paved driveway. We loved to sled there but at the end was the road. Then the tragic happened. A little boy slid onto the road and was killed by a car passing by. That ended our sledding there. I was so small at the time that it didn't have the huge impact on me that it had on my parents. I can't remember the last time I have seen kids out with their sleds. They don't seem to do that anymore.

TIS THE SEASON FOR GIFTING

tHIS is the season for the hunt for just the right present. The disadvantage to living in a small rural town is that the shopping is so limited. If you are content to buy everything at Walmart you will have no trouble shopping in Bradford. But there is a whole world outside with wonderful things to buy so yesterday Don and I went to Erie (about 90 miles away) for the day. We shopped in stores that you can't find around here...Best Buy, Lowes, Macy's, Gander Mountain, etc. Since it a Saturday in December there were lots of crowds everywhere you went. The lines at the counters were long and getting to a place where you could see an item was difficult. The traffic was also bad. Next time I'll remember to go on a week day when I don't have to put up with all of that. We did well with our shopping and even bought ourselves a Christmas present...a Garmin. That's a GPS locater for our car. Now I will be able to find all the malls in all the ciities. LOL We ate a Smokey Bones, a rib restaurant, for lunch.

Random questions

Were you named after anyone? Yes, my mom said I was named after a friend of hers

When was the last time you cried? Last Saturday I woke up with the saddest feeling. I was missing my dad who passed away last February. This wil be the first Christmas of my life without him.
What is the first thing you notice about people? Their mood

Red or pink? Definitely red. I went through a pink phase once and hated it.

What is the last thing you ate? Sugar free chocolate frozen pop

What music are you listening to? Trans Siberian Orchestra's christmas music. We went to a concert of theirs at Hershey in November. Amazing pyrotechnics and laser lights.

What kind of movies do you like? I love a movie that makes you think, surprises you, is visually stimulating, has a twist ending, and resolves.

What book are you reading now? I just finished a book on identity theft. Pretty scary.

Rolling Stones or the Beatles? Even though I remember swimming in a river while attending summer school at Clarion University listening to "I can't get no...satisfaction" I love the Beatles better.

What is the farthest you have ever been from home? Frankfurt, Germany

So you have a special talent? I like to be creative..decorate, make arrangements and vingnettes, play the piano.

Where were you born? Elberton, Georgia

Hugs or kisses? Definitely kisses.

What is your favorite smell? I like the fall scents...cinnamon, pumpkin spice, tuscan scents

BRRRR

Put on your gloves and scarf because it's still cold out today. I walked this morning with my coffee friends. Thankfully we walk inside the fitness center at the University of Pittsburgh. Sometimes I think I'm crazy for getting up every morning so early and going out in the frigid weather. But then I think that is a good thing because not only do I exercise every day but I also socialize with my friends.

When I got home from coffee, there sat Don with a bleak look on his face. He was planning on going deer hunting with a friend a few hours south of here. After he loaded up his truck with all his hunting gear he discovered his truck wouldn't start. He looked under the truck and a pool of gasoline lay in the snow. He had a gas leak. Into each life some rain must fall. He took the van today. He will have to take it to the garage to have it fixed. He used to be able to fix anything on four wheels, but in his later life he gets dizzy and sick at his stomach every time he lays on his back under a car.

At our house we try to take the bad with the good. We know life isn't perfect and there are going to be those days when things don't go right. Life is like that. We have so much good in our life that we are thankful for it all. When something like this happens,we just say "It could have been worse".

What, no tree?

Every year we put our tall tree in the living room. When we build the addition I knew that the perfect place for the Christmas tree this year would be right in front of the large back window. But when it came time to put up the tree I decided to put a topiary tree in a golden urn on my library table. It fits perfectly. I took down my curtains for give the room a more open feeling. I also brought in some of my blue and white china.

The computer is up and running! Hurrah!!

The new Verizon connection is finally working on my computer. After talking to a fellow in India one day, a girl from the Phillipines another..it took a good old American girl from Verizon (who just happened to be a grown-up neighbor girl from down the street ) to visit the house and tell us that the phone line from the modem to the box needed replaced. After that now I can get a signal that is stong and won't go away on me like it has been doing this week. Hopefully all my computer issues are solved.

The snow was so beautiful this morning and was glistening. I had to take this shot of the bench. Several deer wandered down into our yard last night (as we could tell my their tracks in the snow). They went over and sniffed the three pumpkins that I had thrown up behind the shed. Don is going to break them open and give the deer a treat for tonight.
Isn't Mr. Snowman darling? My father made it for me a few years ago. He was so clever with his woodworking. He would see an idea in a magazine and make a copy for all of his daughters. Last year he made us a wooden tabletop sled. I cherish the items in my house that were crafted by his hand.

Little Chicago

These are two of the "old fashioned" stores on Kennedy Street that were created for the movie "Little Chicago". Filiming continued over the weekend despite some unforgiving weather.

A scene from Little Chicago was filmed Saturday night on Chestnut street wherein three men were gunned down in front of the "Bradford Men's Club". Many Bradfordians braved the below freezing temperatures to watch the filming. Crew members for the gangster movie "Little Chicago" set off a fiery fake explosion in a home at 10 Howard St. Monday night amidst a very real snowstorm.After several takes and multiple hours of preparation in blizzard-like conditions, an actor successfully lobbed an "explosive package" - which in reality was filled with potatoes - into a half-open window at the house, giving the "bombs away" cue for special effects experts.
In the scene, Bradford native Buddy Crappio's character was driven up to the target house by an accomplice in a 1920s vehicle. Crappio exited the car, threw the bomb and got back in the car for a hasty retreat.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Just yesterday Don hung our old wooden sled

in the breezeway. I got the idea from Jan Williams a florist in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Every year when I visit my sister Linda we always make it a point to go into her shop to see what new ideas she has. THere are some people who just have a special knack for that kind of thing. WEll, the storm is over for today, the roads are plowed, my presents go wrapped, and the crock pot barbequed pork is ready to eat. All in all, it has been a great day.

Did I say beautiful?

It just keeps on snowing! Yesterday it snowed all day, but today is a major winter snowstorm. It keeps coming down faster and faster and the plows can't keep up with it. I went out today as I always do in the morning to workout, but I had to drive so slow because the roads weren't adequately plowed and I had to keep the tires in the ruts. Don got out the snowblower and cleaned off the driveway, but at this rate he might have to do it again before the day is over. This will be a great day to just stay in. I have presents to wrap and decorating to finish. It's so nice to just look out the window.

Snow is here again

Isn't it beautiful! The snowstorm that came today really got me in a holiday mood. Everyone wants a white Christmas. Right? My to-do list is filled with holiday preparations...addressing cards, completing the door decorations...along with the mundane, such as getting the oil changed in the car. I think I'll be doing more of my shopping online this year since it is such an easy way to do it. Later today I'll inventory the presents I have already bought and try to get them wrapped. Seeing the snow reminds me of when my dad bought an ice rink for us...yes, he did. It was plastic sided and he put it on our concrete patio. Then he filled it up with water. When it froze we put on our skates and thought that it was the best present ever! Such happy childhood memories we had. Don always talks about the neighborhood boys going tobogganing on a hill near his house. They would steal oil (remember we lived in the oil capital of the world) and make homemade lanterns which they would set at various places as they climbed the hill with the toboggan. Then they would use the light to slide down the hill all evening. We really knew how to have fun when we were children! What is your favorite childhood memory? Leave a comment and tell me.

It's a boy!

Ryan and Jenny make the cutest couple. How happy I am to have a girl in the family finally. She's such a super person and a great addition to the family. This picture was taken in November when we were all down to Chris' house for Ryan's birthday. Jenny is pregnant in this picture although you really couldn't tell too much then. Now she is beginning to pop out and they have found out that they are having a boy! It is the first child for both of them and they have waited a long time to become parents. They will make the best mommy and daddy because they are great with kids. Jenny is a second grade teacher and Ryan works with kids and aquatics. Their humerous attitude and calm nature will see them through any of the experiences they will have. I am so thrilled to become a grandma again!

Like lightening!

I fnally feel like I am in the new computer age. I got a DSL fast line. And is it ever fast! This makes working and playing on the computer so much fun. No more waiting and waiting for a page to come in. This works like magic. speaking of magic that is how I had to hook onto the computer. Michelle from the Phillipines actually took control of my computer remotely and helped me get all hooked up to Verizon. That was a lot easier than muddling through it with the guy from India yesterday that I couldn't understand. Now I will be able to keep up my blog each day....when I get time. I'd like to challenge myself to post one entry per day. I don't really have a pic for today so I'll use one of my old ones from this summer. This is the sisters at Cape Cod.

Soccer mom (grandmom)

On Saturday I had a chance to go to my grandson's soccer game in Boiling springs, PA. He is a defender and he never let the ball get passed him. He ran all over the field and played his position so well. Many scores were diverted because Dan controlled the ball and got it away from the players. I was so proud of him!

I sure miss my father

It's been six months since my dad passed away. Losing him was the one of the most heartbreaking event of my lifetime. I miss his smile. It lit up the room. I miss his voice and his stories and jokes. I miss not having him to talk to. I miss the envelopes that arrived in the mail with a short letter or maybe a picture of one of his projects. I miss seeing him. It is hard. I feel the loss of a great man.

Where had the time gone?

It's the middle of August and I haven't posted on this blog since April. My last blog was rather mournful, if you ask me. Needless to say, I'm over it all. I had my eye surgery and now in september I will be having a cataract removed and then I should get my sight back. It has been a great summer.

It was a very bad year

I just need to say this. I have had a rough year and a half. Just when i think things are going to get better, they don't. I have tried all the positive self talk and the optimistic thinking I can muster, but I must admit that I have just about had it! Maybe just getting this off my chest will help. Here is the list of the awful things that have happened to me. Don's father was diagnosed with lung cancer and died last March. In April I started having trouble swallowing and choking on food. In May I had surgery on my head for basal cell carcinoma spending a bad summer healing. In August I had a blood disorder where my blood wouldn't clot and went through extensive testing for that which turned out to be the natural state for my body. In November Don's mother passed and in January my father fell and went into a coma and passed. Then I had a cyst in my eye from the stress which has led to a hole in the retina which now has to have an operation. The year hasn't been all bad. There were highlights. My son's marriage and putting on our addition were such happy times. I'm ready to let the good times roll.

The Family Room

The Family room is almost finished. It began on Memorial DAy 2006 and now there is only the threshold to the dining room that needs to be put in. Don has done all the work himself and it looks awesome.

Can Spring be on the way?

It is March and the snow still covers the ground. It seems more like January. It is this time of year when I yearn for green grass. I think it is knowing that other places are having weather that is similar to our summers (60-70 degrees) that makes me look out at the whiteness with yearning. It's wearing the leather gloves in the morning and the boots that just gets me. I try to be patient because this is not at all unusual for Bradford to have snow in March. I just need some sunshine now. I think I've got cabin fever.

new computer

Over the weekend we got a new computer with Windows Vista. It seems that lately, maybe because of my age, I'm not fond of change. I used to be so excited to learn new things and try out new adventures. But my life this year has been so full of change that I think I would like to keep the status quo. I do like this new computer, however. I'm trying it out and I want to begin to blog again. I haven't actually had time to do this for awhile.

a Wonderful Wedding

What a wonderful wedding! Ryan and Jennifer exchanged vows on October 21 in Tennessee. The day was sunny and the leaves were just beginning to turn. The Mountain Valley Chapel was the perfect setting for such an elegant wedding. I am so happy for both of them. They honeymooned in Cozamel, Mexico where they snorkled and Ryan went scuba diving.

Three Sisters

Here we are...the three of us. Everytime we are together we renew our love for each other. We can't wait for the opportunity to visit together even though it is only a few times a year. This time it was at Linda's house to help her with her garage sale. We celebrated our Septmeber birthdays. Linda made a pumpkin roll which we enjoyed eating. Dad made us the witch's shoes which say..if the shoe fits...! Of course, there was the obligatory shopping trip. I had great luck finding curtain material for my new bathroom in the addition. I found a curtain rod, a brushed nickle waste paper basket, and a nickle soap pump. I have a design in mind for the bathroom and can't wait until I can get it all together. I also visited with Chris and the boys. It was so much fun to hear Dan play in the band and see Scott with his new bird. I love going down to stay with them for a weekend.

I'll never watch another movie set in San Francisco without thinking of the great vacation I just go back from. Joan Mansour, Lisa Zurat, and Linda Rook..coffee buddies of mine...and I went for 6 days to California. Our first day was spent doing all the touristy things like riding the cable car and taking a tour of the city, going to Fisherman's Wharf and Boden's sourdough bakery. The second day we took a bus trip to Carmel and Monterrey where we were drive by Pebble Beach Golf course on the 17 mile drive. The next day Linda's son Ron came and took us to a Monet exhibit at the art museum, had a great experience eating Vietnamese food at the Slanted Door, rode the ferry to Sausalito shopped, and bought our take out dinner at the Ferry Building. The last day we took a bus to Napa Valley and rode the Gourmet train through the valley observing all the vineyards and eating a fabulous meal. We had the best time!

MOM

This is a picture of my second mom, Rose, and her daughter Charlotte. Not everyone is lucky enough to get a second family, but Don and I were embraced by the Lashers and feel like we beong to them. Don's dad Paul passed away this year but we were so fortunate to know him for 5 years. The love this family has is a bond that everyone should possess. It is a very special family and we hold them close to our hearts.

JOURNAL PROMPTS

Who do you love unconditionally? My husband, my children and grandchildren, my sisters
What does being loved unconditionally mean to you? someone knows you so well, but likes you anyway
Have you ever been loved unconditionally? By whom? My husband, my sisters
What nourishes you? husband's attention, friend's understanding, talking to my children, being with my sisters
In what way do you indulge yourself? I buy jewelry
In what way do you wish you could indulge yourself?Buying best sellers instead of getting them at the library
List three ways in which you could make that indulgence happen (even if they seem far-fetched now). Join a book club, choose to spend my money on books, go to a book store more often
Do you remember the phone number of the house you grew up in? 362-2770
Do you remember the phone number of your first boyfriend or girlfriend? no
What fragments of your past stay with you even though they seem insignificant? memories of my childhood neighborhood
Do you prefer to collect and save things or live sparsely? I'm a collector
Are you a night owl or a morning person or something in between? I am an afternoon person Do you know when this habit began in your life? I've always felt sleepy at ten o'clock.Do you think people’s sleep patterns are really a part of who they are (like hair color) or can be changed with circumstances?I think cercumstances dictate how and when you sleep.
If you could share a deep soul kiss with someone today, who would it be? Don, of course
Is your love life today what you thought it would be when you were younger? I met Don when I was 16. We have gone through many changes but it is all I thought it would be and more Is it better or worse? Why? What would you change? How could you bring about that change?It keeps getting better. THe only thing I would change is making more time to be together and enjoying each other.
Who loves more – you or your partner? (If you don’t currently have a partner, address the question to your last serious relationship.I think we love equally.
What is more important to success; intelligence or good manners? I think good manners are very important.
Who makes you laugh? RyanWhat about that person touches you and allows you to open yourself up to them in that way?Ryan has a great sense of humor and always tries to be positie.
Name three adjectives that describe your mother. sweet, caring, great cook
Name three adjectives that describe your father. steady, creative, curious
Of the above six adjectives, which, if any, do you feel apply to you. Do you think they are related to your relationship with your parents, or something you developed separately from them. creative, curious about the world, caring...my parents had a great deal to do with shaping the kind of person I have become.

CANOEING ON THE RIVER

On Wednesday we went to visit our friends, Aline and Jerry, who were vacationing at Cook Forest. What a fantastic day we had. The weather was absolutely perfect in the mid 70's. It was a super day to go canoeing on the Clarion river. We were taken upstream about four miles and canoed back down. The river is very shallow and had a slow current. There were a few rocks to steer around and a few ripples but nothing trecherous. I loved paddling the canoe and enjoying the beautiful scenery on the river. Afterwards Aline fixed us a spaghetti dinner and we made a campfire. Their log cabin was really nice. What a nice way to spend a summer day!

WE HAVE LIGHT!

It was a big day when Don flipped the switch and we had electricity to our new addition. Each little project makes the room more livable and it looks more like a room. I couldn't resist putting a piece of fabric at the window just to see what a valance would look like there. It is still so rough that it is hard to visualize how the final room will come out. I'm sure that we will spend all our time in this room when it is done.

FOUR THINGS

Things you may not have known about me.....
A) Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Teaching
2. College library
3. babysitting
4. bookeeper at a pharmacy

B) Four movies I would watch over and over:1. American Graffiti
2. Four seasons3. Somewhere in Time
4. The Sixth Sense

C) Four places I have lived:1. Bradford, PA2. Savannah, Georgia
3. elberton, Georgia4. DuBois, Pa

D) Four TV shows I love to watch:1. Everwood2. Oprah3. Anything on Home and Garden
4. West Wing (how I"ll miss it!)

E) Four places I have been on vacation:1. Paris
2. The south of France, Provence
3. Denmark 4. Cape Cod
F) Four places I visit on the Internet:1. Wish Jar Journal
2. lately, anything involving digital scrapbooking
3. amazon
4. decorating magazines & articles
G) Four of my favorite foods:1. lately, anything at Panera bread
2. pasta
3. chocolate
4. picnic foods

H) Four places where I would rather be right now:1. dining with friends in Provence
2. a family vacation in Florida
3. at a great Broadway play
4. Sitting around a campfire with grandkids

A DAY AT ALLEGANY STATE PARK

It has been a long time since I went over to Allegany State Park even though it's very close to our house. When I was a kid we went often at night to feed the deer and raccoons marshmallows. Now it's against the law to do that.

Chris, Dan, Scott, Don and I had a great time on Saturday climbing on Thunder Rocks, visiting the Stone Tower, and playing bocce ball and frisbee on the lawn at Redhouse.

It's wonderful to spend time with my son and grandsons!

Here's what I like to daydream about

Here's a little daydreaming activity. What would I like to do just for fun. Ideas without censorship.
Become an artist, paint, draw, use color, paint outdoors, frame my artwork.
Be a photographer. Use the digital camera and photo programs to enhance my work.
Float down a river in an inner tube.

Go to New England, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket.

Take more time to listen to music and play the piano and keyboard.
Get in the car and start driving...destination unknown. Just go for a few days without plans and stop whenever the mood hits and stay as long as I care to.
Take a fantastic vacation with my husband, just the two of us alone.
Walk on the beach in the early morning.

Visit a large library and spend all day looking at decorating books.

Do something passionately..enjoying myself totally.

SUMMER WIND CRUISE

Picture this: Cruising Lake Chautauqua on a dinner cruise boat called the Summer Wind.
Enjoying the great company of all my old, old friends from our sorority, Beta Sigma Phi.

A simple but absolutely delicious meal of roast beef, potatoes, pasta, salad, and carrot cake.

A breathtaking sunset and a full golden moon which gradually turned to silver.

Standing on the top deck with the cool wind blowing while moving gently in the water.

Dancing and singing to a Neil Diamond singer, clapping and shouting and having a ball.

Ending it all with a remarkable rendition of "coming to America" when everyone stood up for America and sang along.

This was a perfect night!

A French Country Kitchen

This is a picture of my kitchen, one of my favorite rooms in my house.

Rooster in the Kitchen

Mr. Rooster finally made it into my kitchen. When I first redecorated over five years ago I wanted a French Country theme using roosters. But I restrained myself using fruit as a theme instead. But this weekend in my travels to Boiling Springs to visit my grandchildren and son I went shopping at Michael's and couldn't help but purchase this lovely ceramic rooster and tin vase. It makes a great addition to my kitchen since my chadelier has a rooster on it too.

I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday.

Random musings with given prompts
I feel contented.
I am a thinking person.
I am wearing a cool top without a bra..too hot!
I hate people who drone on and on about mundane things.
My best friend is supportive and has a listening heart.
I am becoming more interested in digital photography.
The song that I'm playing is Bruce Springstein's Seager Sessions.
My favorite vacation place is Provence, France.
I want more patience.
I am making an effort to become more organized in my life.
I want to pick up my watercolor brush more often.
I try hard to be there for people when they need me.
My fear is being alone.
My hopes are that my family will always have peace and prosperitiy.
I enjoy having a great time, laughing, and playing.
When I get older I want to remain active.
I'm trying to decide on a decorating scheme for the new addition.
the leisure book I'm reading is Fannie Flagg's When I get to Heaven.
Little luxuries of mine are pretty teacups, soft pillows, good cd's.
One of my weaknesses is trying to hurry too much.
My favorite tv shows are Everwood, Er, Survivor
A person I adore is my wonderful husband, Don..
a place I would go in heartbeat is Paris.
I love the way the hills look in autumn.
A vexation of mine is having to file.
My favorite time of day is warm mornings on the porch swing.
One thing I can't be happy without is my sisters.

The best things about life are talking to my family and friends and being with them.

HOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?

These are the hazy, lazy days of summer, the first day of August. All winter I peered outside my living room picture window and dreamed of something other than snow and cold. Now the days are here. In Bradford we live for weather like this to be able to enjoy the outdoors. But this heat spell has driven everyone indoors. It's time to turn on the air and read.
I remember when we traveled to Georgia each July to visit my mother's family. In those days we didn't have air conditioning in the car. How we envied the big cars sailing past with their windows rolled up. We sweltered with all the windows down which were only letting oven temperature air blow on our faces. One time we had just had it with the heat and stopped at a Snake and Monkey farm that we thought might be air conditioned. It wasn't and I have a mental picture of my mother standing in front of a large fan trying to cool off.
Another hot memory was when we were helping dad break up housekeeping after my mother died. The air conditioner broke and Georgia was pretty hot. My sisters and I dove into a park pool after a day of sweating. That water felt so cool I can still remember it.

THE ADDITION

This is the latest picture of our family room addition onto the back of our house. Don just finished enclosing under the eaves, painting, and putting on the gutters and downspouts. It looks terrific!

Eclairassez

While my sister, Linda, was visiting we talked about how too many possessions can be a problem in our lives. Especially when you know you have something, but can't find it. We both agreed that we need to simplify our lives and pare down. I have been on that mission since I retired four+ years ago. I've done well to not buy as much and bring it into the house. I've also cleaned and organized and tried to find a place for everything. I still have a long way to go, since I've been a collector for years. Linda and I wanted a sign that said "Simplify" just as a reminder. I know you can buy a wooden sign like that at a lot of stores that sell crafts. But I told her that if we really were true to the concept we would make our own sign. So we foraged through some left over wood scraps from the addition and found a rectangular piece for both of us. But leave it to us not to do it simple. We looked up the phrase "Lighten up"and translated it into French....Eclairassez. We put this on our sign with a stenciled fleur-de-lis on each side. Eclairassez can mean lighten up your possessions, but it can also mean lighten up your spirit, don't take life so seriously. Or, as we laughed, it could mean "Eat more eclairs!!"

OVER THE HILL

Happy 40th Birthday to Don's brother, Tiger! We celebrated his milestone at Charlotte and Don's house at Treasure Lake in DuBois. After a delicious meal of grilled chicken, salad, and potatoes Charlotte brought out chocolate cupcakes with small black candles in the shape of letters which spelled "over the hill". Tiger got a kick out of them and the baseball cap which had a flashing red light, a horn, and some buttons that said "slow moving". Charlotte really knows how to make a day special with her thoughtfullness. Her ability to give to others makes her very high thought of by everyone who knows her. It's always fun to be around her and her husband, Don because of the laughter and happy times. We are so lucky to have them as family.

WHERE'S SLICK?

This former Bradford mascot is a rarity. Slick, the oil drop that won't stop till Bradford's on top, is nowhere to be found. An APB has been put out for him and a reward posted. Be On the Lookout!

ZIPPO-CASE SWAP MEET

What a cold, rainy, miserable day it was on Saturday, the second day of the Zippo-Case Swap meet. My sister, Linda, and I were grateful on Friday to have a good spot near the outside of the huge tent and happy for the breeze which kept the high temperatures from annoying us. But the next day the torrential downpours forced us to move our table nearer to the center of the tent. The long rain caused puddling and people were walking through inches of water. Linda had brought some knives and lighters to sell and luckily just the right buyer came along in the afternoon. It was probably our first, and our last, swap meet.

Jitterbug

This random word was suggested to journal about by the Muse Newsletter. I can't but smile when I think of the word jitterbug. There are many images that come to mind from my teenage years. I grew up in the 50's and 60's and dancing was one of my favorite activities. I recall rushing home from junior high in time to go to my friend Carole's house in time for American Bandstand. For an hour and a half we would watch the latest dances and imitate them. On the weekends I went to The Stable (YWCA) to dance with the boys who would brave walking all the way across the gym to ask me to dance. I can picture in my mind the time I went with friends to Alleghany State Park and danced to "SPlish, Splash" in their rec building. But my favorite of all my jitterbug memories was when I danced with my mother in our basement during one of the famous parties she would throw. That memory brings a tear to my eye, since I lost my mother over 5 years ago. I will always associate jitterbugging with pleasant times.

They've got forever written all over them.

Ryan just recently met Jenny, the girl of his dreams. The words "love at first sight" were written for these two. Introduced through friends they immediately were attracted to each other. Everything about them seemed to click--their interests, their goals, their sense of humor. They knew from the start that it was meant to be. When Ryan brought Jenny to Bradford to "meet the parents" he also took her to his favorite haunt, Rimrock, to purpose. He choose a beautiful rectangular cut diamond which Jenny loved. Now they are busy planning a wedding in Tennessee for October 21.

Let Me Tell You About Sisters

I have been blessed to have two of the most remarkable sisters in the world. The joy we get by just being together is indescribable. We call our vists the "sister fix" because it cures all our woes. Let me tell you about their best qualities.

*honest, but not hurtful *No worried about keeping tabs or taking turns, but doesn't take advantage of you or take you for granted *sincerely shares in your successes without being competitive *accepting of your faults and insecurities *loves you for your actions as well as your intentions *loyal *loves you no matter what * can laugh with you and not just at you *trustworthy with even the things you hold closest *no matter how much time passes or how far away you live you can call or visit and it seems like you've never been apart *you can be in the same car and be ok with silence *forgiving *someone you can laugh with. someone you can cry with. *listens, not just with their ears, but with their hearts and then remembers.

Up On The Roof

What a hot time to be roofing. Don got up early today to start before the heat of the day would drive him indoors. The roof of the addition and the back of the house are almost finished now. Don's "thing-to-do" list is extremely long. He will do most of the work on the addition family room himself including plumbing for the powder room and heat and electricity. It is good that he is so versatile and talented. He often claims that he had to learn how to do everything from scratch as he didn't have anyone to teach him. He learned well!

Me

I was looking for a picture of me to add to my profile and realized that because I am a usually the photographer that I have very few pictures of myself. I've colored my hair red which I love and wish I had done many years ago. This picture is pre-red, about 5 years ago. This was taken on the porch of a restaurant when we celbrated by retirement from teaching. Things to know about me:

1. I love my family. I love to be with them, talk to them, interact with them.

2. I love the arts. Any artistic endeavor or musical selection will tickle my fancy.

3. I loved teaching. I put all my creative effort into being the best teacher I could be.

4. Simple things make me the happiest. Sometimes the way the sun shines through the window and illuminates the arrangement of my French tray that I made myself with menus from my trip to Provence, a vase of yellow tulips, and a marble apple make me smile.

5. I like to keep busy. Every day is filled with "doing". I get up each day to exercise, meet my friends for tea, do housekeeping chores and use the computer.

6. I love to read. I'm a voracious reader and will read all genres. I love best sellers and self help books. I am currently listening to a book on tape called..simplify your life.

Find Something Each Day that makes you Joyful

I am looking for as much joy in my life as I can find. It doesn't take a lot to put a smile on my face and my joy last night occured as I was winding down for bedtime. I turned on PBS and to my surprise there was a Bruce Springtein concert on. Now I never was a Bruce fan before. His gravely voice and sometimes guttural muttering didn't appeal to me. But one day on CMT I caught some of his special called The Seeger Sessions. Bruce and company went to a house in the country and proceeded to create this acoustic folk album in just a few days. The songs were familiar, such as Erie Canal and We Shall Overcome. But there were new (to me) songs like Pay Me My Money Down. The music was so well done with solos from the band that just were fantastic. I liked it so much that I immediately ordered the Cd/dvd from amazon. So when I saw the special on tv last night I just had to watch it. How full of joy was my heart to see this amazing concert. What I really loved about it was that Bruce and the band did not copy the identical album played in the same way, but added many variations to the music. And he took time to give a little background about each song and added new ones. I thoroughly enjoyed the program even though it took me way past my bedtime. What a joy!

End of a busy week

It's good to be home, but there is a lot to catch up on. Today was a visiting day. Aline and Jerry came by with their new little puppy. Don spent time up on the roof. Chris came up to help him shingle.

Celebrating the Fourth of July with family

What a super vacation Don and I had! The fourth of July weekend at my sister's Lake house near Roanoke, Virginia was a time for family to be together. My son, Chris, and his two boys, Danny and Scott, were there along with his girlfriend, Suzy and her daughter, Kelly. My younger son Ryan came over from Tennessee with his new fiance, Jenny. Diane's family...daughter Becky and son in law, Jeff, son Josh and wife Caron, husband Jeff were there. My sister Linda also came from Virginia. My dad, who is 87, was there also. It was very hot, almost 100, but we had the lake to swim in and a nice cool house to be in. The boys played pool and poker and the girls enjoyed chatting and being together. My sore back caused a lot of pain so I was lowkey all weekend. On the fourth we traveled over to Tennessee to visit with Ryan and Jen for a few days. It was great to be with them. They make a darlling couple and I went with Jenny to see her wedding dress. We also picked out the centerpieces for their reception. They will be glass pillar candle holders with a ring of fall berries around them. How beautiful they will look on the tables. I was so happy to be a small part of their planning. I also saw their wedding rings. I know they will be a very happy couple.