Tea for Two or Three

A great start to the weeked was tea at the Victorian Rose Tea Room in Millville, NJ. The outside was barely noticable but inside the decor was the nicest place we've explored yet. Imagine silver service, royal daulton china covered in roses and soft music playing in the background. Just the kind of things girls (of any age) would like. Raspberry spritzers to start. The salad of spring greens, strawberries, sunflower nuts, goat cheese, cranberries and golden rasins was so good I did not notice it didn't have dressing. After that it was onto finger sandwiches, scones with lemon or cream. The desserts were petite nut filled, chocolate or lemon tarts, and shortbread cookies in the form of pink hearts. Higly reccomended for Mother's Day gift ideas, they are planning a book reading for children one Saturday a month. Try it, my guess is that you'll like it. It was the ultimate was to spend time talking with your best girl friends. Life is good!

Come on Springtime

It is as consistent as rain that gardening catalogs start pouring into the mail boxes at this time of year. Maybe we cannot start gardening yet but commercial growers want us thinking about it. Everywhere there are offers for spring planting ideas, time to design, plan and reformulate your gardens. All though it's bitterly cold and the winds are whipping, be not deterred. Spring is around the corner as evidenced by longer days. No longer am I driving home from work in darkness. Instead of looking for deer along the road, I soon be admiring and trying to name flowering trees. Oh, the joys of spring! Before you know it there will be crocus and forsythia heralding the magnificence that is spring. Until then I'll have to enjoy the flower catalogs or the upcoming flower show in Philadelphia. Maybe some cut flowers for my desk. Yeah, why not? When was the last time you bought yourself or your loved one some flowers, just because? No better time of year to do random acts of kindness. It's good for your soul and the spirit will be lifted. What could be better this time of year!

Tagged

My sister sent this as an email asking me to send it but I thought it would make a good meme: I included her answers but have listed mine at the end. Let's here what you have to say? PAX and JAX you're tagged!

1. What time did you wake up today? 5:45 am (kissed hubby & grunted goodbye...what can I say, I'm my father's daughter)

2. Diamonds or pearls? diamond

3. What film did you last see in the cinema? The Pursuit of Happyness ( my daughter had a play date!)

4. What is your favorite tv show(s)? House, The View, Divine Design or anything in HGTV

5. What did you have for breakfast? Bagel and lots of coffee!

6. What is your middle name? Tawnya-Jean (Mom & Dad couldn't spell)

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Italian

8. What food(s) do you dislike? Fish! (odd, considering answer to #29)

9. What is your favorite potato chip? Salt and Vinegar

10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Harry Connick Jr. - Oh my Nola

11. What kind of car do you drive? sadly, Ford Windstar (still...it's on life support)

12. What is your favorite sandwich? Italian Sub from the White House in AC

13. What characteristics in a person do you despise? two-faced liars (deep down I'm still 11 years old)

14. What is your favorite item of clothing? pj's

15. What is your favorite brand of clothing? Gap

16. If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be? Alaska, but the list is long and varied

17. Where would you retire? somewhere near my daughter - maybe back in Michigan

18. What is your favorite time of day? morning

19. Where were your born? Wooster, OH

20. What is your favorite sport to watch? basketball - I don't have game, so I can appreciate.... (Alyssa thinks it's her Ice Skating - don't tell)

21. Who do you think will not respond to this? Anyone who has a life

22. Who do you think will send it back first? Someone without anything better to do

23. Coke or Pepsi? Water

24. Beaver or duck? ??? To eat, or are we asking an animal rights question, or is this something I don't understand now that I'm an old, boring Mom...

25. Are you a morning person or night owl? More like, mid day....

26. Manicure or pedicure? both!

27. Any new or exciting news you would like to share with anyone? normal stuff is good...

28. What did you want to be when you were little? a teacher

29. What is your best childhood memory? fishing with my dad - riding in clothes dryer with brother & sister...

30. Any piercings? ears!

31. Every been to Africa? no

32. Every been toilet papering? no

33. Been in a car accident? yes

34. What is your favorite day of the week? Saturday

35. What is your favorite restaurant? Olive Garden - I'm not fussy

36. Favorite flower? Sunflowers

37. Favorite ice cream? mint chocolate chip

38. Favorite fast food place? Wendys

39. Have you ever failed the driver's test? no

40. Who sent you your last email? my sister

41. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card in? Pottery Barn

42. What is your bedtime? I'm a grown up now, I can go to bed whenever I want....usually around 9....thank God for TIVO!

43. Are you interested in any one person's responses? everyone's!

44. Last person you went to dinner with? husband & daughter

45. What are you listening to right now? nothing - ahhh silence!

46. What is your favorite color? red

47. How many tattoos do you have? none

48. How many people are you sending this to? not sure

49. What time did you finish this email? 10:30

50. Favorite magazine? Newsweek
==============================================

1. 7:30 am
2. Diamonds are a girl's best friend.
3. The Devil wears Prada, gotta get out once and a while.
4. Anthing HGTV; Divine Design, QVC, Top Chef and Six Feet Under (re-runs).
5. Coffee
6. Marie
7. Italian
8. Most fish, especially sushi
9. Salt & Vinegar
10.Josh Groban - awake
11.Camry
12.Pulled BBQ pork
13.Liars and the lying lies they tell.
14.Great fitting jeans
15.Liz Clairborne
16.Always dreamed of going to Italy, especially Venice.
17.On the water, perhaps the Chesapeake Bay area
18.Morning
19.Wooster, OH
20.Football
21. Two or three blogger friends
22.Pax Romano
23.Diet Pepsi, caffine free
24.What?
25.Morning but only after a cup of fresh coffee
26.Love all those spa treatments, both!
27.Nothing exciting, a girl has to have a secret or two.
28.I did not have a clue, still don't
29.Fishing with Dad, running the boat, eating fresh raspberries with Gran.
30.Double pierce ears was the trend when I was a teen
31. no
32. no
33. More than my share
34. Sunday
35. Pompeii (in Philadelphia)
36. tulips, white roses, zinnias, oh all of them, who am I kidding?
37. Cherry Garcia or Vannila Swiss Almond
38. none of the above
39. no
40. my sister
41. Restoration Hardware
42. Rarely make it past ten
43. Absolutely
44. A Friend
45. The sounds of a running computer, heard enough talk at work for one day.
46. Green
47. none
48. Bloggin instead..
49. 7:24 pm
50. Family Circle & Woman's Day (cannot help myself)

And the diagnosis is.......

As a child I wondered why my grandparents talked about illness and death so frequently. As if on a vigil reading the paper for friends and loved one listed within. Now I am beginning to understand..........arghhhh...

Seems that a number of us in officeland have some medical issues these days. When did bad knees, bad backs, hernia's and colonoscopy's start to dominate the break room conversations? What happened to talk of fine dining and movie reviews? I almost miss hearing about the world trips that so many take for granted. Must be middle age settling over us, oh perish that thought.

Three MRI's, multiple xray's, three hours in the waiting room, two orthopedists and a finally one diagnosis. No Mommonantor, I am not a hypochondriac. We have an opinion that I have a SLAP lesion and a moderate rotator cuff tear. SLAP lesion I have learned, is a tear in the tendons over the head of the shoulder bone and often accompanies a rotator cuff tear. As much as I abhorred the arthroscopic MRI it finally showed what has been bothering me for probably two years. Last year the insurance would not approve the MRI when the first doctor suggested it. Instead I took a prescription for some heavy duty pain killers. That was until someone said hey, what's up with you woman? Are you depressed? No I was under the influence and I was sleeping for a change. Seems like you must complain enough till the insurance providers tire and concede. Who would volunteer for these things if they did not need them. Truth is, part of me did not want to go today. That part however was overridden by reason because the imaginations were worse that the reality. OK, not ready for more than PT and injections right now. That's enough to absorb.....frankly I am tired of talking about it and relieved to have a diagnosis.

Plant a Tree

Plant a tree
and watch it grow
Its roots so deep we cannot know

Please care for her
as your Mother cared for you
with shelter and shade,
fruit and clean air too

When I make my final rest
beneath a mighty tree I request
each of us may one day return
to earth to bloom and then return

simple pleasures 2

What's your preference?

City scape or countryside?
High rise or cabin in the woods?
Picnic or fine restaurant?
Theater, opera or outdoor concerts?
Art museums or arboretum?
Do you prefer serenity or parties?
Tell the truth or what they want to hear?
Reading or watching TV?
Walking at the beach or city line avenue?
Shopping for bargains or name brands?
Do you believe less is more?
Chicken wings or roasted rosemary chicken with all the trimmings?
For dessert, Ice cream or creme brulee?
Do you spend Sunday relaxing or frantically preparing for work on Monday?
Do you believe one person can change the world?
If you could change just one thing would it be within yourself or out in the world?
You don't have to reveal your answer, unless you want to).
Would you do things differently or just the same if you had the chance?

------------------------------------------------------------------
My answers;

Green acres is the place for me!
A cabin in the woods, lakeside preferred!
I must admit I enjoy tring new restaraunts.
Tough one, but outdoor concerts prevail.
Again, tough choice, give me the green trees of Longwood, Morris, or Garden of Eden.
Serenity after a great party. I cheated.
The truth is often hard, but much prefered.
Reading. There are 57 channels and nothing on.......
Give me a walk at the beach anytime, even winter.
The joys of bargain shopping.
I've learned you really can do with less and enjoy it.
Uhmm, roasted chicken with rosemary and lemon, mashed potatoes & gravy, fresh vegies.
I'd take Cherry Garcia or Vanilla Swiss Almond.
Lazing on Sunday, lazing on a Sunday afternoon.
Yes, examples Harry Chapin, MLK, Rosa Parks...
Our position on the environment in this country.
Knowing what I know now, I'd do things differently.
I would also plant more trees! I urge you to do the same, if you can!

Ruminations, not me.....

Well, let's see how I am doing on the annual resolutions;
Eating breakfast every day- OK, so far so good.
Eat right, guess chocolate mousse and cherry cake for breakfast yesterday blows that deal. But I told Deb it may have been the best dessert I ever had. Save it for lunch, hardly, it lasted as long as I savored every bite. Exercising the waistline, new machine and so far about three ten minute sessions. Doesn't even account for yesterday's breakfast, oh it was that good.
But the most important goal one is still intact. Don't worry, be happy!

How are you guys/gals doing? Oh, don't tell me that you didn't make any, that's too easy.

While the world slumbers..

Up early while the rest of the world around me is still quiet. This may well be the most serene time of day. The sunrise is peaceful and beautiful unlike the angry red sky of last night's setting sun. Today's agenda may well be challenging as they are going to do some tests of my shoulder. So I have asked for a sedative, just in case I need it as I loathe MRI's. There is a second doctor's appointment in the afternoon and as a reward a Swedish massage. A massage is something I have not done in almost a year! That should help.

Give a listen

Warm weather for mid January. Usually by this time I'd be looking for a light box or a trip to sunny Florida. Yesterday while driving to the market I got hooked on one song from Don Henley's "Inside Job" and to honor one of my favorite singer/songwriters of all time I wanted to share what seems like a mantra for me these days:

A lot of things have happened
Since the last time we spoke
Some of them are funny
Some of ’em ain’t no joke
And I trust you will forgive me
If I lay it on the line
I always thought you were a friend of mine

Sometimes I think about you
I wonder how you’re doing now
And what you’re going through

The last time I saw you
We were playing with fire
We were loaded with passion
And a burning desire
For every breath, for every day of living
And this is my Thanksgiving

Now the trouble with you and me, my friend
Is the trouble with this nation
Too many blessings, too little appreciation
And I know that kind of notion—well, it just ain’t cool
So send me back to Sunday school
Because I’m tired of waiting for reason to arrive
It’s too long we’ve been living
These unexamined lives

I’ve got great expectations
I’ve got family and friends
I’ve got satisfying work
I’ve got a back that bends
For every breath, for every day of living
This is my Thanksgiving

Have you noticed that an angry man
Can only get so far
Until he reconciles the way he thinks things ought to be
With the way things are

Here in this fragmented world, I still believe
In learning how to give love, and how to receive it
And I would not be among those who abuse this privilege
Sometimes you get the best light from a burning bridge

And I don’t mind saying that I still love it all
I wallowed in the springtime
Now I’m welcoming the fall
For every moment of joy
Every hour of fear
For every winding road that brought me here
For every breath, for every day of living
This is my Thanksgiving

For everyone who helped me start
And for everything that broke my heart
For every breath, for every day of living
This is my Thanksgiving



Musicians:
Michael Fisher
Don Henley
Stan Lynch
Jai Winding

Thanks You Don Henley from one of your biggest fans! Friends please give a listen and tell me what you think. He has a website that features this particular album/CD.

57 Channels and nothing on.....

What is up with t.v.? Sometimes I ask myself whay am I paying for this?Another "reality" show? Are we addicted, or what? I find myself mindlessly watching those on Bravo. I usually surf the channels and settle on HGTV or QVC (my weaknesses, both likely designed to keep one spending money).
I will admit there are a few that hold my attention; House, My Boys and Ugly Betty. Usually its reruns of Six Feet Under (still compelling) or old movies on TNT. What will I watch when the football season is over. Win or loose I am always sad to see the Eagles season come to an end. Let's hope they keep going during the playoff! Go Green!

Tell me what do you like to watch when your t.v. is on and why? Whatever would move you to buy a big screen t.v.(other than football)?

Last years blog, not much has changed or has it?

Favorite things
My favorite things about a new year:

HOPE that this year will bring health, happiness and peace we all desire.
While most people are starting diets and exercise regimes I hope to be able to continue walking several miles each week. (don't really like going when its cold outside). Somehow I managed to loose a few pounds....

Cleaning out the clutter from closets and the attic seems to be in some way therapeutic. Having a small house has forced me to streamline and not collect too much stuff. A work in progress I admit.

Wishing that this year the fighting will cease and American soldiers will come home to their families.

A new year brings a new opportunity to achieve the goals that we set for ourselves.
Finally, Faith the things will all turn out for the best!

Happy Birthday Davy Baby!

Since 1972 and Ziggy Stardust, I have had a thing for David Bowie's eccentric style and music. He shares his birthday with that lesser famous singer, sometime actor Elvis Presley!

Cultivating a new Garden

Today's mail was filled with new years gardening catalogs filled with beautiful tempting annuals, perennials and trees. I want to start the new year with a healthier more positive approach. I want to enjoy some of those things on my to do list like taking a vacation. I've been taking pictures with my old camera(not digital) and a few are worthy of framing. Guess I need to learn to add them to the blogs. Today I found the piece of exercise equipment ordered for a NY resolution on the back step, no more excuses. Trying not to eat sugary stuff this afternoon was hard but I managed, until now. Who left that carton of Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream in the freezer? The creative part of my brain is reusing and recycling whatever items I can around the house, less is more. One example is a quilt top of children's Christmas fabrics that have been here for a long time and I quilted even while watching the Eagles game yesterday. My Gran would be proud. Waste not, want not. Where else have I heard that? Great news that Momma Jax is better and will be back to singing a church before we know it. There are many things to be thankful for and sometimes we loose sight of the blessings in our lives. Life is too short and I don't have any time to waste cultivating negative thoughts. Of course if we all planted just one tree, imagine the improved air quality. A quarter acre of green grass can provide air for a family of four. A quarter acre of trees well, that would be miraculous... imagine the possibilities.

As the year winds down

While many of my pals are reviewing their best posts for the year that list is easy for me. Mine best writing according to Pax was about my childhood experiences with my grandparents. There are those of you who write for humor and irony. There are those who write to lament the state of the world either inside or outside ourselves. For me it is more of an online journal, a measure of where my head is at at any given time. Creatively I have been very busy, knitting, crocheting and sewing, etc. my writing has suffered and in part due to the fact that I don't want to write about the negative. Haven't been able to successfully complete more than one book all year. i am not a big t.v. watcher either.
I have been enjoying the weekend and quietly reflecting on what I have to be thankful for and the hopeful dreams of what 2007 might be: I cannot believe 2006 year has past so quickly and in many ways that is a good thing.
First let me say I am so thankful that I can finally sleep well most nights,
I am thankful for friends like Momma J and Merci, Pax and J for all the kindness and support throughout this tumultuous year. Couldn't have made it without you.
I managed to get a new roof on the house, several new windows and it looks marvelous,
The new mantra of remove, repurpose and recycle have never made more impact. Less really is more!
I escaped for a weekend here and there and that was enough to relax,
But next year, God willing:
I will be hitting a milestone birthday,
I will loose that extra ten pounds,
so that I will not look my age of 39 and holding,
and to honor that event I am going to take a "real" vacation. I have a few ideas?
What are your favorite vacation spots?

Hopefully 2007 will be healthy and happy for us all. That's enough.

Post Holiday Lament

The scrooge in me was reminded of the joys that are Christmas while spending a little time with children. They cannot wait to open their gifts and are filled with excitement many of us have not felt in years. My Mom was happy because her grandchildren came on Christmas eve and the last child from NY came by last night. They went to dinner but alas, I was whooped and did not join them. It was nice to see Mom happy.

I want to thank all of you for your gifts, calls and attention which made this year a little easier. D asked me yesterday how it went and I replied that it was good. I found myself slipping into a mood on Tuesday and for the life of me I could not figure out why. Maybe Zelda was just tired. I baked, I cooked, I knitted scarves for all and still am thinking of creative ideas.....

Yesterday I indulged Zelda with some much needed new clothing items found at the after Christmas sales at 50% off. There will be no dry cleaning and less ironing for me this winter, that's for sure.

My resolution is to resist worry, hope for our futures and enjoy the New Year filled with peace and love for us all. Maybe I'll learn to add pictures to my blog, nah, who am I kidding!

Saturday in park.

Unable to connect to my email for several weeks, i finally called the provider and they politely tried to tell me that I am not who I say I am. Is someone else using my internet services? After waiting for more that five minutes for a manager, I hung up. Determined to vist them in person today, not detered. Well the headache, hot flashes, sweating and sore throat I felt at work yesterday was apparently not based in stress. I am sick! Stayed in pj's and parked myself in front of t.v. , between naps all day. Five minutes of sweeping floors and I would be tired again. No internet resolution, no cleaned house, oh well. All those folks around me at work who were talking about their recent recoveries from colds and flu's must have generously shared with me. What a gift. Feeling a little miserable, ignore it, I get that way when I am too tired. Perhaps I finally read that novel from Paxie. That would be a good thing. Teh tea pot is boiling got to go.
Hope that you are all well and enjoying you weekend. Peace!

Thankful III

Simply that this day, this week is over! TGIF

The List

This is not about a Christmas list. Any home needs work from time to time. Shouldn't the list get shorter once in a while? Now that the roof is done and the dumpster finally removed I can move on down the list. Yeah only this week did they removed the monstrosity from my driveway. I bet half of the folks in the neighborhood could have cleaned their attics during the time it was here.
What's next?
Drywall repair in the kitchen,
Finish painting the living room walls,
Finish installing basement windows; one down three to go,
Replace the light fixtures outdoors (purely aesthetic),
Empty the garage (of stuff that's not mine),
Replace the garage door,
New windows for the bedrooms,
New windows (wood) for the living room,
Change the carpet in one bedroom,
Sand and refinish the hard wood floor upstairs,
Remove the textured ceilings from dining room and living room,
what were we thinking?)
New full view storm doors?
Repave the driveway! May cost more than the new roof?
By then it will be just about perfect, Yeah.
Anyone who owns a home knows that there is always something to be done.......
Is it any wonder I have not taken a real vacation in years? Humm?
what's up with that?

Have a happy.....

Holidays always bring out the best and worst in people. See Pax's accounting of today's office adventure@ Pax romano's ramblings. blogspot.com. There were so many foods to choose from and so many good cooks in our office. Waiting till the crowds died down there was little of the culinary masterworks left for me. In fact some were going for second helpings before I had the first bite. Didn't Moms everwhere teach their children better! I did get dessert only because I went to that table first. I made the mistake of eating the delicious "Death by Chocolate" by Mommala Romano and regreted it for hours once the sugar and expresso boust wore off. I should know better, but instead I bellowed get out of my way, I need chocolate.....or something to that effect. You know my mantra, give me chocolate and no one gets hurt. Well it was me who suffered. I really liked it but it did not like me.

I decided to start planning a "real" vacation, one that I've always wanted to take. An excursion just may break up the oh too-long winter. See Mommala is rubbing off on me! Gotta love her sense of adventure and she bakes well too! Who knew?

Good Night and God Bless

Last night I attended the services of an aquaintence who had left this earth following a three year battle with breast cancer. She was diagnosed as it turns out, the same year as I. When I heard that stated out loud, I thought good thing I am sitting down, as I tried not to show that it rattled me a bit. She was a member of the Eastern Star organization which in my ignorance I had to research. There was a restful aura in the room that was loaded with people and everyone seemed to be in peaceful harmony. Good night A, you will be missed but not forgotten.