Life in Pennsylvania

Where the hell have I been you ask??

2011-04-04T06:52:00.000-04:00

The more free time one has the less time they actually have. Wait, does that make sense? I never seem to get over to this blog anymore. As you can see, it's been 6 months. Maybe I don't have anything to say anymore. I don't believe that for a minute.
I've been knitting like a crazy person. Things I will probably never wear. Not sure why that is.

This is a summer cardi that does not go with the dress at all but Lucy wanted to take a pic of me in it. I made this sample for the yarn shop. Yes those are pink feathers in my hair. Clip in. I was going to a wedding shower. Yes I am still a freak.

Sunday, I will be going to my daughter in laws baby shower in Phila. She is flying up from Key West. My last post was the wedding weekend. She got pregnant 3 weeks after the wedding and they couldn't be happier. :) Neither could I, another grandson for me. She is due in July. I was in charge of the favors for the shower. I'll post a pic after the shower, just incase my DIL visits my blog. I will be off to KW soon to paint sea creatures on the nursery walls, any excuse to get to FL.

Bab's and I went for a week the end of Feb. Just the two of us for a well needed girls trip. We went to Ft Lauderdale and spent a week at Taylor's hotel. The Marriott @ Harbor Beach. We had a great, very relaxing week. Think we need to do that every year. It was so nice to see Taylor everyday for a week. I miss her. She has a new job at the Marriott. She is the Assistant Restaurant Manager of Riva.

Well, that's it for now...............

The Wedding Weekend

2010-09-29T12:58:00.000-04:00

MY SON IS GETTING MARRIED THIS WEEKEND!! So here I am in Key West awaiting the big day. I got here a week early to help out. I am going to need a vacation after this vacation. I started out almost going to the emergency room because I got OFF bug spray in my eyes. I was submerging my head in the bathroom sink filled with water with my eyes open. They burned so bad. So I survived.
I have been doing a ton of planting and transplanting. Digging. Getting cut up and polked from all the yucca and cactus. I look like a pin cushion with scratches. Really nice look with my dress. Oh well, not my day, no worries.

Owls

2010-07-27T11:29:00.000-04:00

So what is the word on owls all of a sudden? I see them everywhere. Little chachkeys, trinkets and jewelry. I had to jump on that band wagon so I created this not so little pendant. Next time I will stamp Whoo? at the bottom. Or is it hoo? Hoo knew? Anywho....I am cracking myself up. Here is a picture of the little guy.

July in Key West

2010-07-22T11:31:00.000-04:00

So my little vacation is almost over. I had a wonderful time but I wish we could have spent more time on the boat. The weather was beautiful but very windy. Got a lot of wedding things done but some are still pending. I decorated the buckets that the flower girls will be carrying, made the bathroom basket and met with someone for the rehearsal dinner. (still undecided) I also took pictures for the table numbers. No this isn't one of them...

This weekend

2010-07-08T03:58:00.000-04:00

Friday morning Summer and Jeff leave for Jeff's brothers wedding in the Bahamas. That means Ray and I have the 3 little darlings until Monday night. What to do all weekend is the question. Friday is Lucy's 7th birthday, we need to celebrate early because I am showing/selling my necklaces at the local yarn shop. Here is what Pam (the owner) sent out in an email:
And, we are most excited to unveil Naughty and Nice Knitting Necklaces by Susan Hall (nailedinny in Ravelry). These sassy handcrafted necklaces have sterling charms with a naughty or nice knitting message -- such as 'Purl Girl', or Pam's customized charm of 'yarn-love' and many more. Each silver charm is on a stretchy black cord (which can also be wrapped around your wrist and worn as a bracelet) and is hugged in place by two sterling silver beads. These make terrific gifts for your knitting friends, and the charm can also be added to your favorite charm bracelet. Susan will offer a $40 special price for her yarn-love friends (regular price $45). Susan will be at yarn-love at 7 pm on Friday, and is also happy to customize a charm with your own knitting message.

I am so very excited. Lucy is going to be my little helper. After Friday we have no plans. This can't be good.

Babs is coming for a visit Monday. We are taking a class at a nursery to make a bird bath. Should be a lot of fun. She is here until Thurs and so are Ray and I. Then it is off to Florida for 10 days to visit the older darlings, recover from the little darlings and firm up wedding plans.

Today's project

2010-06-24T07:05:00.000-04:00

I forgot that yesterday was my mom's birthday. Happy Birthday Rita. She will be gone 4 years Labor Day weekend.
I was awake and out of bed this morning at 3am. Ray is out of town and the tv was still on. Why 3, why not 5. So I started the coffee, checked email, said good morning to a high school friend who was on FB (she doesn't sleep either) and then headed to the basement to start sewing. That has been my newest love. I made to strapless tops/dresses for under $6. I can't decide whether or not to hem them into sun dresses or tops. Maybe one of each. I found the fabric at Joann's and bought a yard of each. Last week I found a pattern online, I modified it and made Lucy a bathing suit cover up out of an old Hershey's tee shirt. The top is rooshed with the top thread being thread and the bobbin being elastic thread. After you sew as many lines of it as you want you take the steam from the iron (don't let it touch the elastic) and it puckers right up.
Check it out...

Biking it

2010-06-23T15:43:00.000-04:00

So a few weeks ago my sister in law Alon and her family came to my nephew Jared's 4th annual suicide prevention walk. With her she brought a bike for Lucy. (Lucy's bike broke last summer) Has anyone ever had a bike break?? Exactly! Anyway it was a great bike that Alon sent for Lucy. A mountain bike. There was only one problem, not for me but for Lucy, it was a boy's bike. There was no way that I could take the bike apart and paint it. Well, I could do that but would NEVER be able to get it back together. So I had a brain storm. See for yourself...............Look what Duck tape can do.

June Already??

2010-06-09T13:18:00.000-04:00

Where does all the time go? How does one work full time and get anything done? I guess we find the time. I have been retired for over a year and a half and I wonder where that time went to. I find myself busy doing something or other each day. I started sewing again and found a new love for my machine. I took a rag quilt class and the teacher was awesome, showing me hints and tricks about sewing and cutting out material. I made another quilt for Lucy after the classroom quilt and when it wasn't big enough (I thought I was making a lap quilt) for the bottom of Lucy's bed I made another one and sewed them together. It was really a lot of fun and picking out fabric is fun too. My problem is a little ADD maybe. Everything I see I want to make. My supplies are mounting.
My basement looks like work stations and a craft store. Yarn, knitting needles, crochet hooks and books in one section. A table that doubles as a polymer clay station and glass painting. The other side of the table is where Babs sits when she visits or where I sit to glue gems onto bowls, silverware etc. Hooked onto that table is the sewing table which also doubles as a yarn winder. Then there is the counter top that houses the tee shirt press, silver hammering and texturing and the material cutting. In front of the window is my newest soldering station. You can just imagine the heaven I am in when I walk down the stairs. Not sure which project I will be working on. I have been listening to books on my ipod while I work. Have listened to some really good ones! I will post pictures of the basement mess and some of my projects when I return home. I am sitting on the boat in a little creek with friends from Sodus. We meet up with them whenever they are on the Chesapeake Bay. They are on their way to NY now. (they live aboard their boat and have for the past 2 years) It is a raining cool day but tomorrow is suppose to be a beautiful, hot, 89 degrees, so that is when I will work on my dark, dark tan.
Well that about wraps it up for now.
Susan

My new found love

2010-04-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

Wow, January 12th was the last time I wrote. What is happening to me?? I know, gardening, painting, polymer claying, t-shirting, jewelry making, knitting, crocheting, gluing, ebay, and my new love hand stamping jewelry. Just in time for mothers day. I am making this short but wanted to show you my new creation with Sterling silver blanks. I am selling these, customized with whatever you want on them. Grandchildren, children, pets, quotes etc. I only have a sample of 2 of them so far. Right now I am working on 10 grandchildren on 2 circles. A large one in the back and smaller circle in the front so you can read all the names. They come on a 16 1/2" black rubber cord but I can put them on a sterling ball chain. The base price is $30. That includes One charm with as many names as I can fit on, the black cord, fresh water pearl and 2 beads. Just email me with your order details and I will be in touch. My sister wears a single heart charm with her son Jared's name on it. I bought it for her from Margaret Sullivan (the jeweler I did business with in New Mexico) for a lot more than $30 and it was for just the charm. They make a great gift for a new mother, pet lover, grandmother, a special date to remember.

Hope you are all doing well after a long winter. Keep in touch!! Miss you girlies and all of our chats! It just isn't the same here in good old PA.

love Susan

Rate My Space

2010-02-12T21:57:00.000-05:00

Sometime ago I posted that link on rate my space. I think it was right after I did the dining room. See what happens when you don't have a job and nothing to do.

Wait till you see my craft videos. I'll be adding those soon

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-12T19:13:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!! I can't believe I have been in my house over a year already. Which also means I have been unemployed (retired) just as long. I really thought I would be bored out of my mind but that has not been an issue at all. I start my day off the same everyday, rising way to early and skyping (video chat) with Barbara, sometimes starting as early as 4am. Why are we both up at the same time?? We have done all of our Christmas projects together over the computer. We both have to carry our computers to the basement (craft area) so we don't wake anyone up with the laughter and our BIG mouths. Hard to believe, I know. We did get tons of things done during these early hours. We even baked cookies together. After several hours of that, I go to the gym for various different classes, where the instructor kicks my a**. I drag myself home and whine about it. After the shower the day belongs to me.........................

I have been knitting and crocheting like a crazy person. Little Harrison has 4 pair of new booties and a couple hats. I knitted Jackson a wrist band with a beaded skull on it, which Jeff thinks is toooo girly. Next up is an American Girl Doll Sweater. Lucy loves her AG dolls.

I babysit Harrison on Wednesdays while Summer works for a couple of hours. She just started back to work last week. I will try to remember to take some pics of this very happy baby and post them.

Kyle and Kelly bought me a Macbook for Christmas and I have taken 2 workshops to try to find my way around. The classes are held at the Apple store in Lancaster, which is about 40 minutes away. I don't mind the drive and the mall is beautiful. You all know I just love these workshops and will

be teaching them soon. lol

I would love to hear from you with what you have been up to.

ps: My dad and KitKat are doing great.

My Poor Cat

2009-10-08T06:04:00.000-04:00

Well, I told you I would be adding a video. I am trying to learn how to use this editing program but it is really hard and the longer I go between edits I have to start all over. Anyway......................Here it is:

1st look at my Halloween Cat

2009-10-05T09:01:00.000-04:00

here is KitKat's new crocheted sweater. He is not happy about it but he sure does look adorable! I trapped him in the powder room so he wouldn't run away from me. That plate on the floor holds his water dish . I will be posting the video I took of him later.

our first adventure

2009-09-29T14:36:00.000-04:00

I have a new granny grandson!!

2009-09-21T20:56:00.000-04:00

Well, lets see.......I wrote this entire story once already, last week and when I added pics I lost the text. So here is my second attempt.
Summer and Jeff had their baby boy on Thursday, Sept. 17 at 824 am. She was due the end of Oct but was scheduled for a c-section on Oct 12th. Her babies just can't stay put for the entire 40 weeks. Her gestation period for this baby was 35 weeks 2 days. Harrison Michael Farmen weighed in at 5lbs 2oz and was 17 inches long. Teeny. He is very sweet. Summers water broke and she called us at 445am. Believe it or not, I was still asleep. She still had a c-section and came home from the hospital on Sunday afternoon. They are both doing great. I drove them to the doctor today for a check up. Harrison is gaining and doing great. Thursday, Lucy has her doctors appointment and Harrison has a biliruben recheck. Summer can't drive for about 1-2 weeks so it looks like I will have more tales to tell........................lol

ShirtADay - Selling a new t-shirt every day

2009-09-17T06:32:00.000-04:00

ShirtADay - Selling a new t-shirt every day

I love Taylor Swift!! Now I love the President for saying that! I will make and wear this t shirt so fast!!

My Key West Backyard

2009-09-16T06:16:00.000-04:00

This is our backyard in Key West. Pretty nice huh? Who needs a pool? Now, what you can't see is all the white trash that lives around us. It is coming along though. This was the first day in the water, 3 hours. Charlie, the iguana, was relaxing behind us on land. I kept swimming over and making him nervous.
The second day I swam alone. Taylor had just gotten her tree tattoo finished so she couldn't get it wet. I just swam around while several iguanas dove in and swam from one side of the canal to the other. It was a perfect day.
I am home now and it is suppose to rain with a high of 70. It was fun while it lasted.

Live from Key West

2009-09-14T07:58:00.000-04:00

Well, I took this nice unexpected trip to FL to do some motherly duties. When the children call, we run, right?? That's our job. My pleasure I say. Now, if Summer can just cooperate and not have the baby while I'm gone, life will be good. I bought a one way ticket so I am not sure when I will be returning to PA. That is the beauty of unemployment.
The weather here is beautiful. HOT! When it does rain it rains at the right time. Yesterday, Taylor and I decided to get noodles and float in the canal. As we were jumping in it started to pour. No worries, it was actually refreshing because the canal was like bath water. It rained for a little while but we just swam around. Only in FL. Today looks beautiful, not a cloud in the sky. I plan on getting out there on my raft today and getting a dark, dark tan. Taylor is not sure she can join me today because she got a new tattoo yesterday and she might not be able to get it wet. I will google that. Pictures to come when I get home..............

The Nail Boutique Isn't Nails Anymore

2009-09-04T11:29:00.000-04:00

Well, I had several requests for pictures and prices of the things I've been posting on facebook so here they are.........
I have had an Etsy shop for a few months and have sold a few things.
Check it out:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7395188

Help I can't turn off my brain..........

2009-09-04T06:54:00.000-04:00

So it was 3:30 am today. I managed to stay in bed that long. I was dieing to get up at 1230, then again at 115, then 230, then 300 and finally at 330 I said WTF and got up, made the coffee and headed to the laboratory!! I got a request to make key chains for 2 children with their name on it so that's what I did. Then made a funky heart ring in purple. After that I glued stones onto a tall covered vase that I am going to use to hold jawbreakers. Tired you ask......not yet. Besides, I can sleep in the car on the 2 hour drive to the boat, wait, is there anything I can do in the car? Listen to my book on ipod and make something. Some ladie told Barbara that once she stopped doing crafts she could sleep better and got rid of all the stress in her life. hmmmmmmmmmmm, she's probably right. My head just spins with ideas or just spins..........
I will end this with that thought and I will post pictures later!

1st day of school

2009-08-31T13:13:00.001-04:00

My Garden, well my tomatoes.....

2009-08-27T06:25:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I planted these 6 plants way tooooooo close. I will remember that for next year! But they are Jersey tomatoes and they are sweet!

So what do you do with all your tomatoes you say??? Google it!
Sliced tomatoes and pesto is D-licious!
Tomato salad with fresh basil and onions.
Homemade tomato sauce.....Yummy!! This I got from the internet and all I used for flavor was olive oil, salt and pepper and garlic, and lots of it. Then I poured it over linguini. Comments from Ray included GREAT, comments from my dad, it's not really that thick. Is he ever happy?? "Your mothers sauce was always thicker" Well, she never made homemade did she, I replied. And he isn't getting her sauce any time soon!
Coming up, zucchini...........I am going to make stuffed zucchini from the recipe in the newspaper. They call for ground chicken. Stay tuned.....................

This is what happens when a 6 year uses your camera...

2009-08-26T06:31:00.000-04:00

Lucy and Summer
Summer and Ray
Me
Nice Ray
Lucy and I

Just some pics............

2009-08-25T05:27:00.000-04:00

On the phone with Babs!
Sailing, while getting a dark dark tan!
I had to hold on to the ladder for dear life. We were sailing but I needed to get wet because it was way too hot!

The summer is almost over

2009-08-24T12:07:00.000-04:00

Well, I did it again. Waited way toooooo long to post and now I forgot what I've been up to all summer. If you are a friend of mine on facebook you know every move I've made from day to day, hour to hour. If you are not a friend of mine on facebook, find me Susan Miller Hall and send me a friend request.
We have been sailing almost every weekend. The weather has been great and it has been fun checking out some of our old sailing haunts from over 25 years ago. Sailing the Chesapeake Bay is a lot different from Lake Ontario. It is very shallow here and you have to watch the depth sounder at all times.
We were in Key West for about 10 days in July. Talk about hot! It was mini lobster season for 2 days and we went out once. Never again will I go then. A week after mini season, lobster season opens. Who wants to be out there with all those boats for 2 days?? We got a lot done around the house as usual, this time tearing down the sea wall and old, not so safe, dock. It looks much better and is much more functional. We are planning another trip at Christmas time.
Summer will be 32 weeks pregnant tomorrow. She has a scheduled c-section for Oct 12th but we are still keeping our fingers crossed that she will make it that long. Jackson and Lucy can't wait to have a new little brother. They start school on Monday so maybe Summer will get a little break and maybe relax, SURE!!
I have been busy in my gardens. When the fall gets here I will be really busy moving everything around. I was going to Lowes almost every day to buy clearance plants. I got some great deals. Some of the plants were 10 cents each. I can't squeeze another plant in but that doesn't stop me. I went today and got hens and chicks for 74 cents a container, I had to buy all 6 pots. It looks like I have lived here for years. Barbara came to visit in June and went home with a car load. She says Macedon Lowes doesn't mark down like my Lowes.
My dad is doing great!! Well he doesn't think so but he is! He goes to the gym 5 days a week and walks on the treadmill for an hour each time. I couldn't do that...boring!! The cat is also doing good. He seems to be very happy and pretty much just hangs around the house when we let him out. His hunting ground was across the street but they are building over there now and have cleared the lot, so no more dead presents for me! I had to stop feeding the birds because he was plucking them out of the air!! That would be a kodak moment for sure!
Well, that is about it for now. I am sure I have a lot more but the priming of Summer's kitchen drawers are calling me. I'll fill you in during my next update.

2009-06-18T08:45:00.000-04:00

At Anchor!

2009-06-18T07:51:00.001-04:00

front sod and gardens
sod and patio.
Deck. Lime green back door. Front door is also lime green.

2009-06-18T07:07:00.000-04:00

NO more blonde. I made these 2 t-shirts and poodle skirts for a party that Gaby's (on the left) sister was having. Amber called me the morning of the party to ask me to make the girls skirts.

the Patio I made. I planted irish moss in between the rocks. I have since added more.
Planting ferns in the back garden that I dug up from Summer's house.

knitting needles

2009-06-18T07:04:00.001-04:00

Why do I wait so long??????

2009-06-18T06:04:00.000-04:00

April 20th was my last post? What was I thinking? A friend of mine, who has a blog, because she is sailing around the east coast, living on her boat with her husband told me to write a little every few days and it wouldn't be so over whelming. Well, that was 2 weeks ago and you see I jumped right on that. Who can keep up? What with facebook and twitter who has the time?I was up at 4 am today and let the cat out, made coffee, hung 2 empty picture frames(I did remove the price tags) and did a little surfing. I heard this screeching outside, dropped everything a ran out in the pouring rain to look around. Nothing. Ran in the garage to find my soaking wet cat shaking like a leaf. I scooped him up and ran upstairs to towel dry, scrub him off, only to find him bleeding from his front and bag paws. As I tried to examine him, not only did he bite me (I'm not afraid of him, whats a little biting), but my clean white sweatshirt is now covered with MUD. Now I am doing laundry. The poor little thing. Needless to say he is in for the day! I am hoping this will not be another $400 extravaganza!
So let me fill you in on what has been going on here in PA.
We found a marina in Bouley's Quarters, MD on the Middle River for the boat. It is a very big and friendly marina. It is 1/4 mile walk on the pier just to get to the boat. It is also very rocky. I mean the motion of the boat while at the marina. My first few times on the boat I thought I was going to get sick. I am much better now. We took the boat out of the slip and took our first sail 2 weeks ago. It was great to be back on the Chesapeake Bay. I can't wait to start crabbing and fishing. We met our friends from Sodus, mentioned above, for the weekend. They are now headed north for a visit with Jim's mom in Long Island. We are going sailing again this weekend, if it ever stops raining.
The end of May I got a new front lawn (sod) and seeded back yard. The rain is helping that and all of my new plants but not good for sailing. It is so funny to hear everyone here complain about the weather everyday. Let them try Rochester right? In my last post I showed a pic of the wall we built with Barbara and Tony. Since then Ray and I have added more rocks and I have planted tons of things back there that I get at Lowes in their garden clearance. Yes, they do have one. I can buy perennials for about 50 cents, shrubs for $2 and annuals for 10 cents. They just need some TLC, and I have all the time in the world for that. I did build a limestone patio next to the deck and have a fountain on it for the birds. With all this rain they don't need it, but it looks cute.
My dad is doing great, he just doesn't know it! He had joined the gym (not mine) and was going everyday. He told me the class wasn't good but he liked the tredmill. His membership ended and he was going to join another gym but has not.
The grandchildren are out of school for the summer and looking forward to time in their pool. Summer is doing good and is now 22 weeks. She is having a boy and Lucy comes up with some crazy name every day. I see them a lot and know why I needed to be closer. I haven't been to FL since Kyle's birthday. We are going the end of July for mini lobster season. It is a 2 day event right before the offical lobster season begins. People come from all over to catch lobster. 6 per licensed person. I want to bring them home this year.
I have kept busy with all of my craft projects. I have been knitting and crocheting, making polymer clay things and now beaded salad bowls and utensils. Why, when I see something must I say to myself, oh I can make that?? Then I need all the supplies and somewhere to store them
I am sure there is much more to tell but I don't want you to get bored of reading so I promise I will be back sooner.

WORK WORK WORK

2009-04-20T05:47:00.000-04:00

Barbara and Tony came for a real whirl wind, too short visit. They arrived here at 4:15 on Friday and we were all digging and planting by 4:30. She and Tony dug up all the plants that I had stored in a holding cell at her house, that she insisted I remove from Folkside Lane before I moved. I tried to fight her on it but she told me I would be sorry if I didn't take them with me. Believe me, she was right, again! I had only a couple of gardens ready when they arrived but by Saturday afternoon, I had gardens all around the house, including a new veggie garden and a rock wall garden too. It looks like I have lived here for years, except I don't have any grass yet. Maybe this week. My plants and trees were soooooo happy to see me and hear my voice, not to mention so very warm! It was 80 degrees here Saturday and all the just starting buds on my things are twice the size. I kid you not. I am so glad that Babs would not take no for an answer and made me dig up things to get me started here. I am sure my neighbors must think I am out of my mind but they would have found that out sooner or later.
The rock wall was a big project with a lot of laughs. I happen to live in the sink hole capital of the country. I am sure most of you remember that when they dug for my house they hit a sink hole. Anyway, the land here is filled with beautiful limestone. When they dig the houses, they have to break up the limestone and dump it. There are several piles of it, that we can get to by car, so we made several trips in Tony's painting van and put them 2 at a time in a wheelbarrow then up the back yard hill to their new home. I still need more of them to stack but at least hauss Tony got the big ones out of the way. Ray and I can manage the smaller ones, I think. Then I will have it filled in with top soil and plant perennials that I am growing from seed in the basement. Can you say Suzy Martha Stewart??

My Latest Project

2009-04-13T10:30:00.000-04:00

So.............Three weeks ago I take a tiling class at Home Depot. I wanted a glass back splash in my kitchen and wanted to learn how to tile. Nothing to it! The class was an hour long and very informative. When I got all the information I needed I got out of there and was ready to tackle my job. The problem was that all the tile I liked had to be ordered which doesn't go well with my anal, obsessive, ADHD personality. I put that job on the back burner and got into polymer clay, which by the way is doing well on ebay.
Last Thurs and Fri I was in NJ for my nephews memorial, can you believe it's been 3 years?? On Fri my sister took me to a tile place and I found just what I wanted IN STOCK!! My dad and I left to come back to PA Fri and that night I went and got my tiling supplies and Sat morning go the job done. Well part 1 done. Part 2 done on Sunday. And that's how that is done. Well, kinda.....
I had a great time doing the tiling on Sat but Sunday's grout day wasn't as easy as I thought. The BLACK grout is messy and black. My poor hands will never be the same. I couldn't use the tool I bought for putting the grout on because the area I was tiling was too small for the large tool. I used a sponge and got my fingers and fingernails yucky! Then I left the grout on the tiles too long and Ray Hall and I spent 2 hours scrubbing. My dad kept telling me to tape off the woodwork and cabinets but nahhhhhhhh, that would take too much time. This morning I repainted the window. It needed another coat anyway. Well, you be the judge of this little baby....

House,cat, etc UPDATE

2009-03-22T19:22:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!! I sure do miss you girls and all of our chats. No one listens to me go on and on here. Sooooo, while I have your undivided attention I will go on and on...I am chomping at the bit to get outside and work on my gardens. Tomorrow the landscaper is coming to talk about sod for the front yard. It is all dirt still. They will seed but the neighbors say not to get their grass because it is full of weeds. I have a lot of my plants at Barbara's but since it is still winter in NY it might be a while before I did them out. Yesterday I filled my window boxes. You know, the ones I stole off my old house. It has really brightened up the front of the house and is so springy. Is that a word?
We are blowing into town on Wed. to get the boat ready for shipment. Looks like it might arrive in Maryland the beginning of April. We found a new marina on the Chesapeake Bay and we are looking forward to sailing and crabbing in our old stomping grounds.
Summer is feeling good but has her complications, as usual. So far so good, she is now 10 weeks. The kids are very excited and Lucy wishes the baby was here now. My dad is good, looking for something wrong with him. I am trying to get him to join a senior center but he is dragging his feet. Not sure why, tomorrow he is going for a sleep study.
KitKat had his first run in with who knows what but surgery and $400 later, he is recovering just fine. He crys like a baby to go outside but the vet says not till his stitches are out. He has a cone around his neck and looks adorable. Wed stitches out and cone comes off. Remember the skunks in Fairport?? I caught and released 8 of them, left the trap out a little longer with no results so I packed up the trap and was sure they were all gone. Right? Wrong. Tony was over the house painting for the new owner and she asked him if I had problems with skunks. He almost choked. She told him she tought skunks were living under the deck. Needless to say, the release videos on Youtube are gone/deleted.
I've been doing some clay art switch plates like MacKenzie Childs for my kitchen. So much fun that I made a few extras and listed them on ebay to support my new love. They are a bit time consuming but I have a lot of that. I made different ones for the family room, polka dots for the dining room and fancy ones for the foyer. Can you say A.D.D.???
That's it for now................I will be back!!

Where did February go?????

2009-02-26T18:07:00.000-05:00

I just realized that I haven't posted in quite some time. Like the entire month of Feb. What a dull uneventful life I lead! Retirement is fun and I don't know where the days go. Everyday I wake up with somewhat of a plan and that really never happens. I have been going to the gym 5 out of 7 days a week. I figure if the people on Biggest Loser can work out for 8 hours a day I can do my part by going for an hour or so 5 days. I should be wasting away but nooooooo. I have met some ladies at the gym but all are young with kids in the daycare while they work out. I haven't told them that I hate kids. Speaking of kids, Summer and Jeff are expecting!! Wait, does she know?? We are all very excited and her due date is in Oct. I guess this move was really meant to be since her pregnancies are not a walk in the park, as you all know.
Jackson had his scheduled surgery a few weeks ago and is going to be going to rehab in another week or so. The surgery was to put a cath in his spine, to release medicine that will act somewhat like the botox, that he was getting in his legs to reduce his tone. It reduces his high tone in his legs, which reduces the pain and stiffness. The rehab will teach him how to use his muscles in his legs not his tone. There is a two year supply of the medication in him that the doctors can adjust from the outside. He was a real trooper thru the surgery, he had to lay still for 48 hours. His legs are much more relaxed and even his very tight right hand is not fisted and he can raise his right arm up over his head. Lucy stayed with Ray and I while Jax was in the hospital in Wilmington DE. She as you all know is a real piece of work. Oh yeah, we had the dog too. KitKat was not happy but Ollie was very good.

The Happy Kidnapped Kat

2009-01-23T16:42:00.000-05:00

I have gotten a lot of emails asking about the cat. Well, you will all be very happy to hear that he is doing great!! He has adjusted perfectly and comes and goes as he pleases. His favorite past time to to go across the street and hunt for moles. He has brought home about 4-5, 2 were still alive and when I let KitKat in the little mole escaped. My dad is like an overprotective new father. He is worried when KitKat is outside and keeps calling for him.

My kitchen and family room

2009-01-19T11:44:00.000-05:00

This is the kitchen from the foyer doorway.

This view is from corner of the family room. My dad is doing the morning crossword puzzle. Notice my little cubbie in the corner. That is where I spend a lot of my time. The door next to my chair is the basement. The 2 doors across from the stools are the power room and pantry.

This is the family room from the kitchen table. I have to vacuum that black rug every other day. yuck.

This is from the dining room. Next up, not sure.

The Dining Room

2009-01-13T09:39:00.001-05:00

Today I am going to take you into the dining room and show you what I have been up to. Tony painted 3 of the walls black and left the 4th one painters white. After having a black room in my last house I knew I needed one here. Lynn suggested I do harlequin's and I loved the idea. I effing googled how to do it perfectly. Then I was walking around Lowe's and found Wall Pops in black circles, 13". They had 10 packages with 5 in each pack. I had to go to 2 more Lowe's to find the rest that I needed. Came home and my dad and I got busy. He was the helper, opening the packages and handing me the circles. I love it with my checkered table, diamond rug and swirl curtains. Next I made lamp shades, painted the bottom of the table and the china closet. I am now finished in there. Next stop.............family room, stay tuned.

One day at a time

2009-01-10T08:40:00.000-05:00

When I got into the new house I decided I was really going to be organized. Have everything have a place. Have me be able to find and see everything. So, I was online at HGTV.com and saw them use a over the door shoe holder to hold other things. Bingo I had an idea. I now have one on almost every door in the house. I started in my closet. It's a walk in, so I hung the shoe holder on the inside and rolled up my belts. Before my belts were in a shoe box in my closet. Barbara spent time one day rolling them and organizing them, but when I needed one and had to put it back it was just too much work so they became a pile of belts, mostly on the floor.
Next, I put one inside my linen closet, which is in the bathroom. What do you use that for you say?? q-tips,tooth past, deodorant, band-aids, flat irons...
Moving downstairs, hall closet.......gloves and scarves.
Pantry................ahhhhhhh spices. TaDa...ORGANIZED
Now there are some ideas..............get busy girls!

How happy are they to have us as neighbors!!!

2009-01-08T08:25:00.000-05:00

Look Patty, your little tree

2009-01-08T08:22:00.000-05:00

Week One

2009-01-08T08:17:00.000-05:00

The first month

2009-01-08T06:15:00.000-05:00

Where do I begin....................and I always wanted to write a book. HA! I can't even come up with a title for this post. First let me tell you how much I miss all of you and our visits. There is Nothing like girl talk and gossip. Let me begin with my life for the past 1 1/2 months. We left Fairport on Saturday, Nov. 22 after a long day of the movers loading the truck on Fri in a snow storm. Figures! One last blast of snow to remember Fairport. Haven't seen a drop since. YES! Anyway we took our neighbors cat and drove to NJ to live with Rays mom for the next 2 weeks. That worked out very well and KitKat adjusted nicely to not going outside. On the 9th of Dec. the movers showed up in Annville,PA and unloaded the truck. It was so nice to see my "stuff". That truck could not have fit one more thing in it. Thank God I sold as much as I did. Thanks to all you purchasers! I never saw so many boxes in my life. What the hell was I going to do with all this stuff. I moved from a 5 bedroom to a 3 bedroom, no LR or sunroom. But I did gain a loft. What the hell do you do with one of those....game room? Actually, Ray and I use the loft like an extension of our bedroom, a suite. So, Tues. after the movers leave and set up our bed we find the boxes and make our bed so we can spend our first night in the house. Finally. My father arrived on Fri. My sister and her husband came for the day Sat. He did some telephone and cable work and Kathy helped with some of the boxes. Now all the boxes in the rooms were unpacked, blinds installed in all the rooms except the family room and upstairs bathroom, they were still being made at the factory.
I won't bore you with all the unpacking details but will tell you that Tony came the following Tues. and painted every room. I tried to get Doug to come and do some crown molding but he was too busy. Probably working for you Nan!! Anyway, I found a 22 year old that did some work for the builder. A nice kid who did a great job the same time Tony was here. He did crown molding in the DR, FR, Kitchen, Foyer and Loft. Just beautiful! He also built shelves in the pantry and a ramp in the garage for Jacksons wheelchair. He was alittle taken back by me and willing to do anything I asked. He heard the way Tony and I spoke to each other and was nervous! It was really funny. I will end this post on that note, stop boring you with these little details and will post pictures. Let me mention that Barbara and Tony came for New Years. They arrived on Tues. night and left Sat. morning. Babs and I did a lot of shopping, a lot of mirror/picture hanging and a lot of organizing shelves in the basement that Ray and Tony built.
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Attention Jim Kay and Danny Long..................Show this to your wife!! lol