Oma's Place

2011-11-25T21:48:00.003-05:00

Back from Thanksgiving . . . .

I haven't posted for quite a while. Facebook got me. However, I don't really like putting my pictures over there all the time, so maybe I will blog a bit.

Greg is downloading my pictures from the camera, so I can't get to them right now. However, I will post some shots as soon as I can. We went to Columbus and had Thanksgiving with the Mowery's and Melanie and Granny and Grandpa. The food was like we used to make when we lived in Beavercreek. The best! Then . . . Emily and Melanie and I went SHOPPING on Thanksgiving evening! I can't believe we did this because I thought it was a stupid idea for stores to open on Thanksgiving. But we went to Michael's, and I got a new Christmas tree for 50% off. I also got some picture frames for the new portraits that Emily gave me of their family and the kids! Wait until you see THOSE pictures on the Christmas card! Cute.

I have now had my Oma fix of playing trains with David and coloring and playing Old Maid with Katy and chasing Luke around the house trying to keep him from climbing up on things. I might make it until Christmas . . . but it will be close.

Now that I finally remembered my password to get in here, I will try to post photos tomorrow.

2011-02-24T18:10:00.003-05:00

Does bad stuff really come in 3's?

For a short week, this one has been brutal. Having Monday off was wonderful . . . until it started snowing about 3 p.m. The freakish weather dumped 2-3 inches of wet snow over ice in a couple of hours. Greg spent an hour and a half getting home from work. It's 8 miles. The next morning, the 6-8 inches we shovelled off the driveway was very aerobic. The whole thing was a nasty surprize after the near-60 degree weather last Friday.

Tuesday morning was still a bit of a challenge, but things warmed up and the weather settled down. In finishing up the laundry from the weekend, it seemed like the dryer was taking a long time to get things dry. Tuesday evening when we came home from a meeting at 9 p.m., the temperature in the house was 57 degrees. I checked the load of towels in the dryer and confirmed my suspicion. They were wet. The heating element on the dryer was gone. Greg checked the furnace, shut if off and turned it back on, and the heat came on! (Yes!!) He started pulling the dryer out of the alcove in the kitchen while I draped wet towels over everything that didn't move.

With the dryer in the middle of the family room and towels hanging everywhere, I got the vacuum and tried to clean up where the dryer was sitting. Of course the sweeper wasn't picking up anything. The bag was overflowing---and of course we don't have a replacement. (I give up!) Greg found that part he needed on the website at Sears in Butler and printed the information to call in the morning. Off we went to bed at 11 p.m.,with the temperature at 65 in the house and the furnace still running.

I woke up at about 2 a.m. feeling cold. I came downstairs to find the house at 62 again but the furnace running. Add more covers and go back to bed . . . listening to the furnace run for another hour.

I was up at 5 to go to the YMCA to swim, the house was cool and the furnace was off. I flipped the switch on the thermostat and the heat started up again. (Something is definitely going on here!) I had dental surgery scheduled for 3:30 Wednesday afternoon. I envisioned myself returning that evening with an ice pack and pain meds and sitting in a cold house while Greg tore the furnace apart in the basement.

Greg left for work. After getting ready to leave, I called the phone number on the side of the furnace on my way out the door and scheduled service for 1:30 (before my surgery). I called Greg on my way to work to tell him what I'd done. He's not thrilled because he could undoubtedly fix the furnace. But he couldn't leave work Wednesday, and under the circumstances, he said, "What's done is done. OK."

I meet the furnace repairman (who happened to have originally installed the unit back in 1993). He cleaned and checked everything and got us up back up and running. I worked from home until my dental appointment and got my tissue graft without incident.

Greg retrieved the dryer part from Butler after work and got home about 6:45. He installed the part and put the dryer back together. He put it back in the alcove while I heated up soup. I couldn't eat solids because of my surgery, so Greg had leftover pizza with his soup.

I was so exhausted last night that I went to bed at 9 and crashed. Things seemed pretty calm today, but someone at work said we are supposed to get freezing rain tonight. That would truly be the crowning touch for this week. How on earth am I supposed to get the sweeper bags? Will this week never end? Just SHOOT ME NOW!!!

2010-12-30T20:59:00.010-05:00

Christmas 2010 in Pictures

I know that I have been a slacker in posting here. What can I say? Facebook and e-mail are all I can keep up with. Anyway, here are some of my pictures from Christmas.

Opa in his new "big apple" cap.

Katy took this picture of Opa and me! Not bad!

Luke was in a festive mood. How can you resist kissing those cheeks?

Katy in her favorite Christmas dress . . . ready for Christmas Eve church.

Granny, Melanie, and me on Sunday.

Emily and Abby in the kitchen after our Sunday brunch.

David, who is big on transportation and things with wheels; cars, trains, trucks and buses.

Great-Grandpa (Dad), who can still eat us ALL under the table. :-)

Brian getting David ready for Christmas Eve!

Aunt Mel!

2010-08-17T21:40:00.008-04:00

New Couch!!! WOW!

I have been looking for a couch for the family room off and on for about 2 years. Two years ago was when I decided to get the faded, blue sectional we had re-upholstered and about choked when they quoted $2,200 to rework it and put medium-grade fabric on it. OUCH! Guess it would be cheaper to just replace it.

A couple of weeks ago, Macy's had a furniture sale, and Greg and I stopped there after a trip to Half Price Books near the Ross Park Mall. I found a lovely green sofa that blends perfectly with the love seat we had in the basement. So I went back the following Tuesday and ordered it.

Today was delivery day. Let me share the excitement of the "new" room. We moved the leather recliner from the living room into the family room also. (Don't worry, Melanie. The rocking chair that has been around since 1974 found a home in front of the TV in the basement. It actually has become one of Greg's favorite reading chairs.)

I like the new look. It's light and cheerful.

There are lots of comfy places to site and relax.

Anybody know someone looking for a serviceable but sun-faded L-shaped sectional couch? I know where you might pick one up really cheap. :-) Craig's List . . . .

2010-08-09T16:29:00.004-04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MELANIE!

Love,

Mom

2010-07-13T20:55:00.009-04:00

WHEW! Forget the new editor! I had a terrible time getting this posted!

Greg's New Lawn Mowing Hat from Thailand!

Granny with Baby Luke

Grandpa Playing Doctor with David!

Granny coloring pictures with Katy!

Granny, David, Luke, Grandpa, and Katy

When I got back to Pittsburgh, our good friends, Bill and Susie, came for dinner. They are back for a visit from their first year living in Chang Rai, Thailand! It was good to spend time with them.

2010-06-27T15:09:00.000-04:00

Baby Luke!

Here are a few snapshots from Baby Luke's first few days. He is quite the cutie and is lucky to have such an adoring big sister and big brother. He is starting to sleep some 4-hour stretches, but people are holding him much of the day since there are many loving arms around.

Baby Luke and Aunt Mel (sort of)

David and Katy

Katy and Luke

Aunt Mel and David

Oma from Katy's Perspective (yeesh)

[Bob the Tomato t-shirt]

2010-06-20T10:53:00.001-04:00

Father's Day, 2010!

In honor of dad, I'm posting two important things. One is a picture of Dad with his World War II buddy, Freddie, during his Honor Flight about 18 months ago. This great picture was taken at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. It is a favorite of mine because it reminds me of the great respect and honor we owe our dad's and all the veterans who have fought to preserve our freedom.

The second half of my post is a personal one about my childhood memories of following Dad around the garage on Saturday's. Neil and I would rush through our bowls of Frosted Flakes to be able to go outside and see what project "we" would be working on today. This cartoon says it all, Dad. I'm sure you know right where your hammer is located at this very moment; but it doesn't hold a candle to having help with those projects.

Happy Father's Day!

(Click the carton to enlarge.)

2010-06-13T21:57:00.000-04:00

Artsy Finish for an Old Chest of Drawers

My dad made this chest of drawers for me in about 1963 when we moved into the house in New Carlisle. One of the drawers has a bottom in it that is made from a scrap of panelling from the lake cottage in Indiana. So this has been around a while.

I used it in my room during high school . . . and painted it yellow. I lined the drawers with some 60's kind of contact paper in turquoise and pink with big flowers. It was psychedelic!! Later, I painted it pale green to go with baby stuff and used the chest for my kids things. When Emily got her own bedroom furniture, it moved to another room; and I used it to store sewing projects. Eventually, Melanie borrowed it for her clothes in an apartment at college. It kind of has a legacy with the family, don't you think?

Melanie brought the chest of drawers home a few months ago. She didn't need it anymore. It sat in the garage with it's pathetic, flat latex finish in pale green and it's ugly contact paper in the drawers. With so much of my life in it, I wanted to keep it.

I went to Home Depot and found a technique they call "Crackle" which looked kind of neat. I stripped off several layers of paint and took the contact paper out. Next came the crackling technique.

Here's the result. The chest is in the foyer awaiting hats and gloves and the card games we play when the family is around. I kind of like it. Greg is not so sure. He can't believe I did this on purpose!

What do YOU think?

2010-05-30T16:20:00.000-04:00

Greg's New Mower

For over 10 years, Greg has mowed our grass with an old-fashioned push mower because he hates the noise and maintenance of a power mower. A couple of weeks ago, our neighbor, Mary, had to have surgery on her foot. She asked Greg to cut her grass for a couple of weeks until her foot heals so she can do it herself. Mary offered Greg her self-propelled mower since he was going to be cutting 2 lawns each time during the rainy month of May.

Well, the power mower was a lot easier to use than the push mower; and to top it off, our yard looked wonderful! Our mower doesn't have the height adjustments that Mary's does, and the push mower was cutting the grass too short. The higher cut (combined with the treatment service which I hesitate to mention) made the lawn look AWESOME! Last night as we ate dinner on the deck, Greg said he had to admit that Mary's mower did a nice job and that the lawn looked nice. He guessed he was going to have to get a power mower.

So Greg checked the Sunday paper and found a mower at a good price at Home Depot today. The rest is history. I never thought I would see the day, but we own a Toro Recycler.

For those of you who don't know, Greg ALWAYS wears his "Cat in the Hat" topper when he cuts the grass. Here he models the hat AND the mower with grass catcher.

It starts pretty easy, and it looks like I can operate it, too. Hmmmm. There may be a problem here. :-)

2010-04-11T21:00:00.000-04:00

Emily's Dress!!

Here's the dress I made for Emily to wear for Melanie's wedding. It turned out even better than I expected. We wanted Emily to still be in green but to have some "shimmer" in ivory chiffon. So we layered the green and the ivory for her.

Here's the view of the dress from the side/front.

This is the detail of the front.

Emily really likes it. I can hardly wait to have her try it on. Hope it fits.

2010-02-15T19:56:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day to the Presidents?

We went to Columbus for the weekend. The official mission was to help Melanie and Aaron with bridal registry and some wedding planning. However, I forgot to take my camera on some of those outings. And besides, you can look up the registries on Bed, Bath & Beyond or Target websites. It won't show the tough decision-making process, but you will see the RESULTS!

Here are the few pictures I did take of the kids. I found a hat that was Melanie's, and I washed it and took it to David. He looks just as good in it as Melanie did! (Not surprising, now is it?)

Katy & David in PJ's on Saturday morning.

Close up of the hat! (Isn't he a cutie?)

Watching Dora on Monday morning . . . ahhhh, cartoons and blankets!

Heading home this morning ahead of the snow! They were off to the mall to play with some friends! Bye, kids!

2010-02-10T18:30:00.000-05:00

The Great Snow of 2010

I know, I know. I have been doing a lot more Facebook than blogging lately. Besides, I haven't taken as many pictures since the holidays. But this one deserves documentation.

Friday night and Saturday, we got 21 inches of snow. It was a mess and caused the road to be treacherous, but it was beautiful. And Saturday was actually sunny and nice for shovelling out.

Friday night . . . big flakes.

Digging out the driveway---Greg.

Digging out the driveway---Kathy.

That's our mailbox up there. Yup!

Tuesday night it started snowing again. We got about 2 inches between 3-10 p.m. Then we got another 4 inches overnight. Greg and I both worked from home today, and we got another 3 inches or so during the day. I think it stopped now. Maybe.

30 inches. It's not pretty any more. YIZES!!!

I'm really looking forward to a just plain normal winter day. Is anybody with me here? HUH?

OBTW, it is my brother, Neil's birthday today! Happy Birthday, Bro!!!

2009-12-29T10:57:00.000-05:00

Christmas 2009

Here's Christmas in a nutshell. Oma sewed cowboy outfits for Katy and David and then ordered hats and bandanna's to go with them. They were a big hit! But the most fun was watching Katy learn to play "Go Fish" and playing with David's new truck on the living room floor.

We had a great time on Saturday eating City Barbeque with Granny and Grandpa, Bonnie and Neil, Brian and Emily, and Melanie and Aaron. I hereby declare Christmas a success!

Melanie and Aaron checking the lottery tickets Santa left.

Katy playing high-stakes card games.

David and Mommy in front of the Christmas tree.

Opa and the kids . . . . .

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and is heading into a good new year!

2009-12-16T19:25:00.005-05:00

Christmas, 2009

Family and Friends:

This year seems to have flown by even faster than last. It’s time for another state of the family letter.

We made a lot of trips to Columbus this year. Brian and Emily moved into a bigger house in Westerville in May, so Oma and Opa were around fairly regularly in the spring for David’s birthday in March and Katy’s birthday in May and then helping with the move. Then throughout the summer, we took care of Katy and David a couple of times on weekends when Mom and Dad were attending weddings. So we have enjoyed spending time with the M’s this year. They are expecting a new baby next June, so there will be even more fun to be had next year.

Oma can’t wait for Katy to be big enough to come to Pittsburgh so we can go to a Fiddlesticks Concert down at Heinz Hall. Now that she is 3, I am watching for a good opportunity that might fit the schedule. David will be 2 in March, and he likes trucks and bikes and buses and things with wheels in general. He also likes it when Opa holds him WAY up in the air so he can touch the ceiling. I think he needs a drum set, though. Music, music, music . . . .

Melanie finished raising her support and is now full-time on the staff of H2O, the Great Commission Ministries church plant on Ohio State campus. Melanie has made the transition from college student to career life very well. It has been a great year for her as she moved to a non-campus apartment with 2 of her former room-mates and experienced her first year of life without a summer break. Her job is both exciting and demanding. She is planning a trip to the Dominican Republic over spring break with the OSU students. She recently became engaged to Aaron Wibberley, who is raising his support and preparing to work with H2O in the near future. He is an OSU graduate in biology who likes snakes and stuff. (I think a conversation about pets might be in order.) Wedding plans will fit in there as well.

Matt and Mary also visited with us a couple of times. They were here in February for a cold trip up the incline to Mount Washington. Then they came back in the warmer weather so we could go to the Carnegie Museum to see the dinosaur exhibit. We’ve also met up with them in Columbus a number of times, and they joined us for dinner at Brian and Emily’s house in September. It has been fun catching up with them and spending time together.

Greg and I took a vacation to Charleston, South Carolina, this fall with Mom and Dad. You can see one of the pictures here. It was a relaxing trip. In July, our good friends, Bill and Susie Antolec, moved to Chang Rai, Thailand, to be missionaries. We were actively involved in helping them disperse some of their household goods and have become trustees of some of their prized possessions that couldn’t make the trip. Thank goodness for Skype; we get to talk to them periodically in spite of the 12 –hour time difference.

I continue to do a lot of volunteer work, and I finished 2 terms as president of the board at Sojourner House in June. I thought I would take a rest, but I ended up as president of our local chapter of Zonta in August. We have been doing some women’s advocacy and education in the area of human trafficking; and I’ve added this to my list of heart issues.

We hope that this year finds you well. Merry Christmas from Pittsburgh, and may God bless you in the coming year.

Greg and Kathy

2009-12-13T19:14:00.000-05:00

Mount Washington Dinner for Aaron!!

Aaron and Melanie came over for the weekend, and we did our customary trip up the incline to have dinner on Mount Washington. It was cold, but MUCH better than it was last week when high temperatures were in the low 20's with 30 mile per hour winds! It was calm and clear last night, and lots of people were riding the incline with children to show them the lights of the city. What a wonderful evening!

Here is the customary photo on the Duquesne Incline with the 3 rivers in the background.

Our standard favorite place for dinner is GeorgeTown Inn. We had a great corner table overlooking the skyline.

2009-11-29T17:45:00.000-05:00

The Tree is UP!

We stole an idea from the Friedl's in our home group, and decided to put our Christmas tree up yesterday with just the lights. It so happens that we were out of bread, and I decided to pop a loaf into the bread machine in the morning yesterday. We brought the tree home after lunch, and the bread finished baking about 2:30 p.m. I cannot tell you how the house smelled with the pine scent of the tree and the fresh bread. All I can say is, this smells a lot better than it looks.

I hope your Thanksgiving was safe and happy, and I hope it is filled with great memory-making and smells from the past as well. I have made a stab at starting my Christmas shopping, and there is a music program at the church on Friday, December 11, that I will be playing string bass with the orchestra. All that's missing is a couple of dozen hugs and . . . maybe a brief but pretty snow to make things perfect. But I'll settle for the plan as it stands. :-)

2009-10-25T20:39:00.000-04:00

Tinker Bell & David's Truck Sweater

Well, Oma got Katy's costume done! And I brought David a new shirt and sweater vest with a TRUCK on the front. Both of the kids were thrilled with their new duds. It made it worth the trip!

2009-10-25T11:34:00.001-04:00

BEST TREES ON THE BLOCK!

Our trees are by far the prettiest in the neighborhood! They are gold on the inside with red leaves on the outside. They look like they are on fire!

P.S. There isn't a cloud in the sky . . . it's a beautiful morning.

2009-10-08T17:57:00.002-04:00

Why I want to live at the beach:

Shoes are not required. They're not even important.

Hats, however, ARE required. Sunglasses are preferred.

Everyone enjoys the beach, the sand, the breeze, the sound of the waves.

Weeds are pretty at the beach. It's called "naturalized."

There are always boats nearby when you are at the beach. And that means you can go out on the water and see the world from a whole different angle.

2009-09-28T10:32:00.001-04:00

G-20 and Federated Investors!

Besides the fact that the Steelers stank (?) yesterday, Pittsburgh faired pretty well with the G-20 Summit last week. Some of you have asked me where I work and what I do for a living. I have a pretty good "elevator speech" to answer this question; however, I'm embedding a video here of our CEO, Chris Donahue, in an interview from last Friday. Chris is describing the economy and talking about the recovery along with his sales pitch.

As a business architect at the company, I work with the business people who are trying to read these tea leaves and plan for the future growth of the company. Once we get a picture of where they want to take the business, I team up with a technical architect to align the technology to make these things possible operationally.

Enjoy!

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1275534459

2009-09-21T19:40:00.001-04:00

Weekend with Katy & David

This weekend Opa and I stayed with Katy and David while Mommy and Daddy went to Chicago for Cindy and Chan's wedding. We got to Columbus on Thursday night, and it was a wild and crazy time on Friday and Saturday and most of Sunday.

On Saturday morning, I French-braided Katy's hair. It looked really pretty . . . for about a half an hour. Oh, well!

We started planning a party for Mary and Matthew and Aunt Mel for Saturday night when we got there. The party was actually dinner on Saturday night, which Opa cooked. It was pork loin and baked potato and glazed carrots and bread. YUMMY! However, Katy was in charge of DESSERT. We went to Kroger on Saturday morning to get food; and Katy picked out a marvelous Funfetti cake mix and white frosting and M&M's for decoration on our cake. When we returned to the house, the baking and fun began!

Here Katy wears her apron and helps crack eggs and add ingredients to make the cake. She is such a good helper!

Licking the spatula after you get the batter into the pan is part of the bakling process. Katy particularly like this part of the process. :-)

David was extremely helpful in the icing process. He really likes almost anything that has to do with food. His favorite part is eating, but he also likes to help.

After all that cooking, it was time for some romping and playing with Opa in the living room. Nothing makes you feel better like a game of being tossed in the air or turned upside down!

Finally, the party started when Mary and Matthew arrived. They showed Katy the pictures that Oma had brought and told her who all the people were in the pictures! Cool!

After the party started, Katy put a bazillion M&M's on the cake for decoration. It was a perfect party, and a perfect dessert, too!

On Sunday, we went walking with Aunt Mel in the morning, and then Katy and Opa made a run to Half Price Books. When they came back, it was a perfect time for some Hopscotch on the driveway. Katy is getting really good at this game!

2009-09-11T14:07:00.000-04:00

LOOKING FOR A NEW DO?

I ran across this video while watching a spoof on Barack Obama and the economy (believe it or not). I think it is a scream! This is definitely something you should plan ahead for if you want to wear this hairstyle out for the evening. Enjoy!

LIBERTY SPIKES HAIR STYLE INSTRUCTIONS!!

2009-09-06T18:28:00.000-04:00

Catch Up on Melanie . . . and the Renaissance Festival

Melanie has been busy this summer, and she moved to a new apartment with her own room and just two room-mates instead of 5 over the weekend of August 22-23. Last weekend she was a bridesmaid in her friend, Abby's, wedding. Below is a picture of Melanie with Jonna (on the left) and Beth and Natalie; all of these girls were part of the group of six that lived together all last year. Right now Melanie is working really hard to raise the last of her support for Great Commission Ministries by the end of September. The students will be back on campus before you know it!

Today Greg and I drove down to the New Stanton area to visit the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival. It was a beautiful day, and we got there around lunchtime and saw a mime show and then wandered around the festival. Here are a few memorable moments.

Jousting was the order of the day. The actors were good, but the horses were the real stars in my opinion. They were amazingly well-behaved with so many people around. Still it was a good show with Henry VIII and his court on the daise.

There were a lot of people wandering around in costumes. Some of the men wore armour and chainmaille suits. Not everyone had a lance, however. (Thankfully.)

There were sword fights.

And more sword fights.

And the court processed in and out of the arena around every show!

There were Mad Mechanical players doing a bad job with Shakespeare.

And there were people acting as villagers and street people all throughout the festival.

I really liked the glass blowing demonstration. This glass blower was making a vase shaped like a fish. I would have bought one, but it was $63. Uh, I don't think so.

Anyway, it was a lovely way to spend Sunday . . . even if some of the stuff was kind of bawdy. But, in Henry VIII's day, it was AT LEAST bawdy and probably much worse. Definitely a PG kind of time period.

2009-08-22T21:35:00.000-04:00

Lucky Clover Golf Outing

Today was our annual, year-end golf outing at Chestnut Ridge Golf Course near Indiana, PA. Six or seven of us met at Eat 'N Park on Route 8 for breakfast at 6:30 this morning. After that, we made the hour-long trek out the Turnpike and beyond to the course. About 30 of us teed off starting a little after 9 a.m. We finished up about 3:00 this afternoon with a meal fit for a king and our prizes and awards. It was a great day on the golf course.

For some reason, there were lots of bugs on the course. Here Joanne models the mosquito net headwear that made the course so much more enjoyable for her. (That's Fritzie driving the cart.)

My photography skills are not very good. This is Coleen and Ruth rounding a curve on the cart path. (So, use your imagination, for Pete's sake.)

Here are Pat and Jenn, who were part of our foursome!

This is Kathy B., who is a Zonta buddy and the person who invited me to join the Lucky Clover league. She was my partner today.

This is an example of the beautiful course we played. Thankfully this water hazard was not this wide in front of the tee box. It was even prettier when you didn't have to hit over it.

I had not played 18 holes all season, and this was a long course for me. I had a whopping 150 on the round and 'won' the prize for the most putts. However, I did win a skill prize for the longest drive in my flight. I also had the most points for the year in my flight; which means I showed up almost every week and with my handicap I managed to beat my opponent. I improved a lot this year even though I still have a long way to go to be mediocre. But . . . the operative word here is PLAY golf. And playing is something none of us get to do enough.

Thanks, ladies, for a great season!

2009-08-21T21:49:00.010-04:00

BLOGGER CATCH-UP: Babes in the 'Burgh

Brian and Emily were here last weekend with Katy and David. We went to the pool on Saturday, and Sunday we made an exciting trip to Costco, went to lunch at Bar Louie, cut the grass, rolled down the hill, and made a scrumptuous chicken dinner. Here are a few excerpts from our weekend.

Here's Katy eating Saturday morning waffles from a Jimmy Buffet plate with a parrot on it and wearing a bib made out of "Red Hat Society" fabric. What could be more classic Opa & Oma?!!

Katy and David really liked the Cranberry Water Park. We found a shady spot under an umbrella.

David and I hung out for a while eating fish crackers while other people were in the pool. Oma did eventually get a turn and tried out the way cool slide - - - several times!

David liked the fish crackers . . . a lot. Below you can see David doing a little dance by the outdoor shower beside the sand area. I don't know who does his choreography, but this is pretty good.

Many of you have heard about the legendary "Cat in the Hat" topper that Greg wears when he cuts our grass . . . with a push mower. He runs up and down our hill to keep the momentum going, and Katy found this part of the job to be a lot of fun. She chased Opa up and down a ba-zillion times skipping and talking as she went.

Later, Brian tried his hand with the blocks. He successfully built a tower using every single piece of material in the canister. Isn't this amazing?

I always really enjoy having visitors, but this was a particularly fun time with the kids and grandkids. I will look forward to seeing them again in a few weeks when we head to Columbus. Until then, it's Skype and blogging to keep in touch. Thank goodness for technology, or I would be so sad.

2009-08-12T21:56:00.004-04:00

Cindy's Shower!

On Saturday, I went to Columbus to Emily's house for a bridal shower. Cindy has been a friend to Emily since junior high school. They went through the phases of life together. You know . . . the big bangs with hairspray, Cindy's fish phase, honors classes, AP exams, summer physical education classes, the whole nine yards. Jen was in on all this as well. They have all spent many a night together working on various projects and just plain hanging out.

Cindy is marrying Chan in September. This extravaganza got the friends and family together for some fun and some laughter! It was a marvelous shower.

Saturday was also Melanie's birthday! After the shower, I went to dinner with Melanie and Aaron at Cap City Diner. That was marvelous as well . . . eating out on the patio. Melanie got a GIGANTIC piece of chocolate cake to take home. It took her 3 or 4 days to eat it.

From there, I went to New Carlisle to visit Mom and Dad. Brian and Katy and David were there, too. Katy and I were room-mates Saturday night; she slept in her "tent" (Pack 'N Play) in my room. She is a fun room-mate, but she gets up a little early. :-)

All in all, it was a great weekend.

2009-07-19T20:41:00.005-04:00

Back from Columbus and a Visit to Katy and David

We went to Columbus this weekend to stay with Katy and David while mommy and daddy went to a wedding for JT and Adrianne. Oma and Opa had a fun time with the kiddos. A couple of pictures are worth a thousand words.

Katy had a fun time with the new Dora the Explorer pony car and stable from Miss Susie, who found it in her garage when she left for Thailand earlier this month! Thank you, Miss Susie!

Doing a puzzle is part of the thing for morning when you are waiting for a chance to put your shoes on and go outside to play in the sand.

That David . . . he is such a funny boy!

We also got to meet Melanie and Aaron for lunch on Saturday; and we even had a chance to meet Mary and Matthew for lunch on Sunday before we headed back to Pittsburgh. Melanie and Aaron joined us then, too. It was a busy, fun-filled weekend.

Hey, Emily. I left a tiny bit of grapefruit juice in your refrigerator. If you don't want it, just throw it away. I forgot about it. Hope we got everything else. See you in a few weeks!

2009-07-02T21:26:00.002-04:00

The Minnie Skort . . . a Lucky Clover Day!

Today was golf day, and I wore my new LizGolf skort for the first time. I had one of my fellow golfers take my picture on the first tee before I had to put on my jacket because it was 60 degrees and drizzling out there today. Here's the picture . . . for you Emily!!!!

I shot 56 on 9 holes today. This is the lowest I have ever shot in league play. As a novice my scores in the past have been in the mid 60's. A 56 is a VAST improvement. I'm thinking the Minnie Skort is a hit. What do you think?

2009-07-01T20:16:00.002-04:00

They're back! The Anthrocon Convention in the 'Burgh!

Wirds kinnot diskribe ths. It is wurd!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbmpWa1ZVAI

I was told that these folks have water dishes and litter boxes in their hotel rooms . . . and that there is some kinky stuff going on over there. The Chicago Cubs are in town for a series with the Pirates, and I was also told that most of the baseball teams won't stay in the same hotel with the furries. After all, baseball is a family show.

2009-06-27T15:26:00.005-04:00

Spendin' My Gift Cards

The kids have given me a couple of gift cards in the last year, and I have been waiting for the mood to strike me to spend them. One of them was a card for $25 at Joann Fabrics which I used to buy a zipper or something and then put it away in my wallet and forgot about it. The other was a Mother's Day card from Brian and Emily toward golf stuff at Dick's Sporting Goods. Well, today was pay day on the gift cards!

On my way back from getting my nails done this morning, I stopped at Joann Fabrics. Their superstore in Cranberry was having a lot of clearance on summer stuff. I used my gift card plus a few bucks and tax to get this mosaic-topped table to put on the porch. The wicker one we have been using is very ratty looking and isn't level enough to set a glass on without it tipping over. So I am thrilled with this new setup. This will be great for our long summer evenings on the porch after work.

After Joann's, I was on a roll. I swung by Dick's Sporting Goods on my way home, and they were ALSO having a summer clearance sale. I got a wonderful LizGolf skort and shirt with my Dick's gift certificate. For those of you who wonder why a golf skort is different from any other skort, the big answer is POCKETS. Lots of women's pants and skirts do not have pockets! I know, guys, this is hard to imagine for somebody who doesn't do a purse; but that's the way it is. This lack of pockets is a real pain in the wazoo on the golf course. Where do you put the tees and the extra balls and your marker and stuff? My new skort is RED with BIG WHITE POLKA DOTS like Minnie Mouse or Betty Boop. It is awesome. I got a plain, white golf shirt to go with it. The other thing about golf clothes that is good is that they are often made of moisture-wicking material that is cooler than regular clothes---and some of them even have UV protection in the fabric to keep you from getting sunburned. So golf clothes are kind of bionic.

I am tickled to death with my bargains and with using my presents on such fun stuff. It's like having a birthday and Mother's Day all over again in June.

I'm hoping to get Greg out later today to play 9 holes with me. I need the practice, and he hasn't been out this year. We used to play together almost every weekend, but this year has been busy with family travel. I just hate to waste a beautiful day like this at the computer . . . .

2009-06-20T16:53:00.005-04:00

Working on the Porch and the Yard this week!

Mary and John have been getting the yard in shape and doing our mulch around the rain storms the last week or so. This was WONDERFUL for me because I have not had the time and energy to get around to it. Plus, Mary is a landscaper and does it better anyway. They finished up today and everything looks soooo beautiful!

In addition to the yard, the cushions on the rockers and the Papasan chair had been through two seasons; and they were not covered in outdoor fabric to begin with. They were looking pretty ragged, so I was watching Joann Fabric for some outdoor canvas to go on sale so I could recover everything. Last week, I hit the jackpot. I bought the fabric at 50 percent off; and I have been itching all week to get the new covers made.

After squeezing in 9 holes of golf this morning, I came back and started working on the new covers after lunch. Since I had made the covers once before, I simply took them off and used the OLD covers for the pattern to cut out the new ones. It went really fast, and I love the way they turned out! Those big pink and red geraniums on the green leafy background is bright and cheerful. It makes sitting on the porch even more relaxing.

Speaking of which, it's time for a glass of wine and a wonderful Saturday afternoon rock in the rocking chair out there. See ya'!

2009-06-09T18:51:00.003-04:00

BROWN STAINS, OMG . . .

that's right, folks, on my underwear!!! I went to a breakfast meeting this morning at the Westin for the Athena Awards nominations. I poured myself a cup of Starbucks coffee in a paper cup and put a lid on it. The lid didn't fit very well. When I sat down a few minutes later and picked up the cup to take a drink using the hole in the lid, the coffee poured out between the cup and the lid. Before I realized what was happening, I poured about 1/2 cup of coffee down the front of my dress (which, thankfully, was black). The coffee ran down my stomach and (you guessed it) into my underwear!!!! No number of napkins could rescue me. I was mighty uncomfortable for the rest of the meeting.

When I got back to the office and stopped in the restroom, I had to laugh at the coffee stains I had in some unusual places.

Let's just say I am giving up on the lids from now on. :-)

2009-06-07T20:48:00.007-04:00

Back from my bucolic past!

We just got back from a quick trip to Indiana for a graduation party for my cousin's son, Scott. It was a family kind of thing, and on the way over, Greg and I took state route 224 across central Ohio instead of taking the turnpike. We did this partly to avoid the tolls and partly because we needed to go to Markle, Indiana, to visit the cemetery where a good number of my family on my dad's side are buried. As part of the bargain, we drove through a lot of the farming communities where I grew up; and at this time of the year, they were busy getting crops in and making sure tender seedlings were ready to grow.

The theme of the day on this beautiful Saturday morning in early June seemed to be "John Deere Rules." Instead of the SUV's and BMW's of suburbia, the 2-lane road will filled with pickup trucks and farm machinery of every type and size. Besides the tractors on the road, the farm yards were filled with horses and cows and chickens and an amazing number of clotheslines full of blue jeans and overalls and towels. This made me laugh at the memory of drying laundry outside. It is the true test of a person tough enough to live in the country! If you have ever dried off with a towel that is dried outside on the clothesline, you know that it is an invigorating experience. :-)

I really enjoyed driving through the small towns with big churches on the main street and all the stores closed up by 9 o'clock on a Saturday night. I had forgotten that the 24-hour convenience store is pretty useless in a town where you can just go next door and borrow whatever you need after the stores are closed. And the store owners go home to their families and let you worry about your midnight craving for pizza rolls.

Here are a few photos to further explain the nostalgia. First, doesn't everybody want to know that your grandparents are resting under a tree in a cemetery near their parents and the rest of their family?

When you get in your car to go to church or to hop over to the next town to pick up something at the hardware or the Tractor Supply Company, people don't get too upset about waiting a few minutes for a train to pass. Counting and cars and wondering what's in them is entertainment enough, and it isn't inconvenient or stressful because the sun won't go down for hours anyway.

In the country, even the people who don't work on the farm anymore but have jobs where they wear business casual clothes and stay in the air conditioning and worry about the computers that keep track of your medical records can find time to be with the family on a Saturday afternoon.

Congratulations to Scott, our newest high school graduate, who will be headed off to Indiana University in the fall to study history. It was really great to see all the cousins and aunts and uncles and parents and brothers and . . . well, everybody. Even though we don't see you often, you are always and forever our family. And there is still a lot of the country in us---thank goodness!

Until next time . . . .

2009-06-04T21:42:00.004-04:00

POISON IVY!!! YIKES!!!

Opa pulled some poison ivy up in Katy and David's yard when we helped with the moving over Memorial Day. By Tuesday when we returned, he has 2 or 3 spots on his hands and arms. Within a few days, this had spread to his stomach and thighs and a couple of other . . . uh . . . sensitive spots! He was very itchy and uncomfortable, and he couldn't figure out where the new patches were coming from.

Late last week, Opa decided that he had it on his shoes and that every day when he put them on and tied them he was spreading it further. Hence, the shoes spent the weekend in the middle of the back yard---in the rain and everything. They were eventually washed off and allowed back in the house.

Well, Opa doesn't seem to have as many new patches of poison ivy this week; however, he is still very itchy in spite of the cream the druggist recommended to help him. (He won't take the Benedril that the druggist also recommended. That's another story.)

How long does poison ivy last? When will this story end? I have never had it before, but I am wondering if this might change if it is all over the sheets and the towels and everywhere.

HELP!!!!

2009-05-29T10:47:00.004-04:00

BIG NEWS! G-20 Summit in the 'Burgh!

I'm sure you've heard the announcement . . . all the world leaders are coming to Pittsburgh in September for the G-20 Economic Summit. As I've mentioned before, our building is right across the street from the David L. Lawrence Convention Center where the summit is being held. And the Federated Investors Tower is physically attached to the Westin Convention Center Hotel where the president and a bunch of people will undoubtedly stay.

It will be interesting to learn whether we actually try to work down here during the summit given the London situation at the last summit. Just getting downtown and parking could be an all-day job with the security and the extra people. I'm sure they will tell us about that later.

Greg said we could rent out our extra bedrooms to protestors and come to understand their point of view. :-) He would actually do this, you know. Better understanding through sharing a meal and a beer . . . it's the American way.

Anyway, here's the story:

Countdown On For G-20 Summit In Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh To Host Next G20 Summit (5/28/2009)

Pittsburgh's recovery from the collapse of the steel industry in the 1970's was one of the main reasons the White House announced Pittsburgh will host a meeting of the G-20 nations on September 24th and 25th. That means in exactly 120 days, our hometown will play host to leaders representing 85 percent of the world's economy. As many as 1,500 delegates are expected to converge on the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, along with an estimated 2,000 reporters and an unknown number of protestors.

In April, thousands of protestors tried to disrupt the last G-20 Summit meeting in London. "All the resources of the federal government are going to be made available in order to make sure this is a safe event, and one where people can express their opinions, and do it peacefully," Yarone Zober, Mayor Ravenstahl's Chief of Staff, said.

Dennis Yablonski, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, was thrilled that Pittsburgh was selected to showcase it's recovery to the world. "We've transformed our water, our air, and we now have an economy that's balanced. We've also got a great medicine, and education economy," he said.

2009-05-27T18:48:00.010-04:00

The Big Move!

Opa and I were in Columbus for Memorial Day helping Brian and Emily and Katy and David move into Katy's new house. On Saturday, Opa and I helped pack the kitchen and finish up the last minute stuff in preparation for the final truck load on Sunday. We were smart enough to keep out the coffee and the filters for the next morning in anticipation of needing some caffeine to get started. We were not, however, smart enough to leave ourselves any cups to drink out of. So Brian made a run over to Tim Horton's for bagels and donuts . . . and hot cups . . . on Sunday morning.

On Sunday, Oma and Aunt Mel took Katy and David to church and then to Home Depot for flowers. From there we went to the play area at the mall. We ate lunch in the food court and rode the "Oma Toys" in the corner that move when you put quarters in them. Then we visited the Disney store, the toy store, and the candy store before heading home for a much-needed nap!

During the afternoon while David was sleeping, Katy helped me plant and water some new flowers in front of her porch. It was great fun, but Oma's gloves were a little too big. Later, Kate and Dave and Frank from the Home Group brought us a yummy dinner and stayed to visit for a little while.

David is almost walking. Every day over the weekend he took a few more chances with walking between furniture and doorways. My prediction is that he will be running in another week or so. He also LOVES to climb the stairway and to "walk" down with somebody holding his hands. Needless to say, David enjoyed this game long after Oma ran out of gas. Emily and Brian were plotting how to get a gate up at the foot of the stairs on Monday before we left.

We were pretty exhausted on Sunday night. The new guest room is very comfy, and Opa and I were just settling down for the night when the board that was holding the box spring in the frame suddenly gave way and dropped our heads to the floor. After we stopped laughing, we managed to crawl up out of the bed and figure out the problem. Then Opa went down to the garage and found a piece of wood to prop up the frame so we could sleep level again. However, it was a memorable first night in the guest room.

On Monday, things were starting to feel more normal. Once again we had a near emergency with the coffee which had been packed last at the old house in a white trash bag with all the last-minute articles in the kitchen. After about 20 minutes of searching all the cabinets, Emily went into the garage and found the trash bag in the dumpster. She promptly rescued the coffee and the waffle iron and several other critical kitchen items that nearly ended up in the land fill.

Later in the morning, Katy and David were trying out their bikes in the new driveway and getting used to the nice yard with trees and a place for the sandbox. Opa taught David how to do a wheelie, and Katy might just get the peddling thing going on that tricycle now that the sidewalk is longer. :-)

Welcome home, Brian, Emily, Katy, and David! You have an awesome new place.

2009-05-17T19:11:00.003-04:00

Look what Susie gave me!!!

Susie is getting ready to move to Thailand in July, and she invited me over today to "adopt" some of her dishes and linens that she can't take along. Part of the stash was this lace tablecloth and some 'dresses' for the backs of my chairs. Aren't they pretty? Wouldn't Martha Stewart be jealous?

Susie also gave me some napkins and a bunch of scarves in AMAZING colors! I am going to be STYLIN'!!!!

2009-05-13T21:28:00.014-04:00

Katy's Birthday . . .

We went to Columbus for Mother's Day weekend, and Katy started her celebration of her 3rd birthday with a "friend party" on Saturday. This was lots of fun, and there are some pictures here to prove it! The finale of the party was Katy and her two girl friends wearing princess clothes and performing a dance for us. Jack, who is Katy's BFF and future prom date and current swim buddy, wanted nothing to do with the princess clothes or the dancing. He stayed safely back with the snake cake while this was taking place. Here are some pictures from the weekend.

The famous "Snake Cake" that Katy requested for her birthday!

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Ka-ty! Happy Birthday to you."

Jack, Brooklyn, Ella and Katy

While Brian and Emily were running errands and doing some work at their new house, Opa and I had charge of the kids for a while on both Sunday and Monday. It was nice outside, so we played in the yard some of the time. David got to show off some of his almost-walking skills; and he can crawl like an army guy with his cast!

Oma and David in the yard.

David walks well with the push toys, and he takes several steps by himself every once in a while. He will be cruising soon . . . and then running before you know it.

Opa and Katy try out the new Candyland game that was one of Katy's presents!

Show us your cast, big boy!

Opa takes a break from the Walk on the Ceiling game to do some tickling and tumbling on the couch.

Are you ready???? --- Bring it on, Opa!

"Can I hab a cupcake?"

Do I look tricky enough to slip my arm out of my cast? Well, just call me Houdini; because I DID it! After just 3 days, Mom had to take me back to get a new no-slip cast so I couldn't wriggle out of it. Heh Heh!!!

2009-05-06T21:37:00.005-04:00

Sojourner House Tea Photos

Here are a few photos from the Sojourner House Victorian Tea on April 25 at Amici Restaurant. There were about 150 people there, and it was wonderful to win some new friends and greet some long-time friends as well.

Honorary Chair Deborah Breslof, me, President of Sojourner House MOMS - Anne Crawford, and Victorian Tea Committee Chair Sandy Hein

Sojourner House Board Members attending the Tea: Renee Randleman, Sandy Hein, Anne Crawford, me, Lynne Chadwick, and Jackie Keiner-Szwarc

Rose Edmondson, Winner of the 2009 Pearl of Hope Award

Rose has been the volunteer coordinator for Sojourner House for over 10 years!

2009-05-03T14:37:00.008-04:00

Weekend Update for the first of May!

Greg and I went to our first Pittsburgh Pirates game of the season on Friday night. It rained on us a little bit, but our seats were great and we didn't care. The Pirates played Cincinnati, and although I wore a Pirates hat, it was hard not to get confused and root for the Reds. :-) Old habits die hard. We bought 4 games this season so far from a shared season ticket pair at the office. Maybe we will do some more when people come to visit. PNC Park is the most beautiful ball park I've ever been in.

Before the game on Friday, I looked up the roster on the web site, and then I bought a scorecard at the park. The best way to get to know the players and stay in the game is to keep score. Greg was impressed with my score-keeping ability. Of course, thanks to Dick, I have lots of experience AND expertise in this area. Dick and I actually met when I was the scorekeeper for the company softball team at Specialty Papers. I learned score-keeping from pros. Here are my sheets from Friday. They aren't complete because I had to keep the card under my raincoat part of the time to keep it semi-dry. But you can still tell that the Reds won 4-0. We had fun, though, and got free Pirates umbrellas (made in China) for attending the game.

On Saturday, we slept in. I got the piano tuned in the morning. Dan came and raised the pitch and got my baby back in shape. I spent a lot of time at the piano yesterday enjoying the great harmonies that were now in perfect pitch. It was wonderful. I'll be back up there in a little bit to play some more.

Later on in the day on Saturday, I went for my "April" massage at Massage Envy. I was really relaxed; Bron does a great job when she stretches the muscles. After that I topped off the afternoon with a trip to Joann Fabrics where I purchased some lovely black and gray and hot pink print fabric that Mom would probably call "whipped cream" to make a flowy skirt. (This is all over the island in the kitchen awaiting my attention as I write this.) And on the way home, I stopped at Dick's Sporting Goods and bought a new golf bag from the clearance rack. My bag was one that had legs to prop itself, which have long since been broken. The big problem, though is that the pockets aren't big enough. My new bag has a place for your cell phone and an insulated pocket for your water bottle, etc. It will help me keep play moving. I also have my eye on a new hand cart at Dick's; but it wasn't in the budget right now. Maybe next month.
My golf score this week improved dramatically from last week. I was a deplorable 74 for NINE HOLES last week. I got in a sand trap at one point and wracked up about 5 strokes being in the hole. Anyway, this week I shot a 56 and even had one bogie on a par 4 hole. So I am encouraged that I can improve at this game. And it is a lot of fun to play over at Clover Hill with other women and feel safe about being a relative beginner at this game. Maybe I will take a few more lessons after the gardening season gets a little further on and the yard work isn't looming.

Well, I need to go for my walk, play the piano some more, cut out my sewing project, and download my banking stuff into Quicken. Better get busy. Have a great week!

2009-04-29T10:49:00.002-04:00

Zonta Update

I have been a member of Zonta for a couple of years now, and they recently asked me to be a "First Year Director" on the board of the local Three Rivers North Chapter. Since my term as president of the Sojourner House board is ending in June, I expect to have a less time-consuming role there (although I'll still participate). So I said 'yes' to the director spot for Zonta.

A week of so ago, the nominating committee called me back and asked if I would consider taking the position of President Elect. Since I have almost no awareness of the Zonta International aspect of this organization, there would be a learning curve here. However, they convinced me that my leadership experience from Sojourner House would serve me well; and they have a couple of people who can mentor me. So I have accepted the President Elect spot. Guess I am just a born leader . . . or a born woman's advocate . . . or both.

Zonta . . . Advancing the status of women, worldwide.

On that note, one of the Zonta members in our local club is Mary Jo Hess, who is fighting a courageous battle with cancer. Her faith and courage are inspiring, and I have put her CaringBridge site on my favorites for all my blogger friends. Please lift up Mary Jo in prayer on her journey.

2009-04-28T06:28:00.004-04:00

HOME GROUP DEDICATION FOR MELANIE!

Here is our picture from last night's open house and dedication for Melanie at Northway! It was an awesome evening, and Melanie is over a third of the way toward raising her support goal. She wants to be finished by August so she can be full time with the students at Ohio State by September. Let us know if you have friends who might be willing to be part of her team!

Thanks to Bill for his wonderful dedication.

2009-04-19T14:53:00.006-04:00

Weekend doings!

Matt and Mary came over from Columbus on Friday night. It was a beautiful day yesterday, and we went walking in the neighborhood and just relaxed in the morning. On Saturday night we headed downtown (duntun) to The Church Brew Works for dinner and then off to Heinz Hall for a concert. The program was all Rachmaninoff, who is one of my favorite composers. This picture was taken at Intermission in the garden courtyard outside the hall between the Vocalise and the Symphonic Dances (part 1) and the third piano concerto performed by Denis Matsuev (part 2). The pianist was truly an amazing performer; he did TWO encores that were also beautiful. This guy was rocking that 9-foot Steinway grand. I'm sure they tune HIS piano very often. It was great to spend time with Matt and Mary and to do something so fun on top of it!

I also wanted to post a great new picture I got of our newest family member, Nathaniel Ethan, on the occasion of being 6 weeks old! Stan and Abby (and big brother Gabe) sent two great pictures of Nate - - - with his eyes open! I just couldn't resist putting this little cutey on the blog.

Finally, Greg and I did some yard work this afternoon, and the honeysuckle plants in the corners have come under attack again. This time Greg cut them down to about 2 feet off the ground. He trimmed off all the "feelers" and put the main plants below the top of the fence. They look pretty pathetic, so I will see if they are going to behave themselves or whether we end up taking them out completely. I've also planted 10 new perennial mums that I got from Spring Hill nurseries. And the Ohio State Horticulture donations of spirea and ground cover are once again showing signs of life. You just can't beat that OSU plant stock.

2009-04-13T20:36:00.002-04:00

Melanie was here!

My baby girl is all grown up. She amazes me how she has changed in just a few short months since graduation. The transition to young professional is completely underway.

I didn't take any pictures. We were enjoying ourselves so much that I didn't want to interrupt the flow to take photos. It was an awesome Easter at Northway, though. We haven't been 'home' for Easter in several years. I forgot what it is like to celebrate with your own church family. It was nice to get hugs from all our home group friends and to say "He is risen! He is risen indeed!"

Hope you had a great Easter!

2009-04-07T23:21:00.005-04:00

Hello from the Windy City!

I got up at 3 a.m. this morning and left for the airport for a 6:00 flight to Chicago. With the time difference, we landed at 6:35; and I was downtown at the Sheraton Towers before 8. My training conference started at 8:30 a.m., and I had time to check into my hotel (thank goodness there was a room available before noon). I have been in training all day and attended a showcase reception before going out to dinner. The way I figure it, I have now been up for about 19 hours and have eaten two real meals and miscellaneous coffee and snacks. My body is totally whacked . . . I think I should go to bed soon.

I really like Chicago . . . I don't know why. I have come here countless times over my career on business. A couple of times I have come here for fun reasons, too. There is something cool about the place. For example, as I came up LaSalle this morning to the hotel in the airport shuttle, there was a police vehicle parked along side the street with the words "Scuba Unit" on the side of it. Pittsburgh has lots of waterways, but I have never seen a scuba unit in downtown Pittsburgh. What's up with that? When I'm here, I always expect Dick Tracy to come out of some building in his trench coat and hat or something. Chicago has its own personality with the El and the Miracle Mile and Navy Pier. The one thing I don't think I'd like to deal with is the traffic; I'm really spoiled in Pittsburgh.

Tomorrow is another long day, but I will be home tomorrow night. I wish I had a picture to share with you. How about this?

2009-04-03T19:06:00.002-04:00

It has been a long week, my friends!

As I sit here on Friday evening, I must say that March did NOT go out like a lamb! I had some stuff going on at work this week that culminated a couple of months worth of business case analysis . . . and getting it in front of executive management for approval. I have tap danced this presentation at least 4 times this week . . . each time with a different stakeholder. I'm glad to say, I think it will be approved on Monday. And that Irish blarney served me well in giving my presentation.

In addition to launching my business case and strategy, I also met with my boss for a performance review, tried to convince another of my business customers that we need to hire some consultants to help us with a project, and spent a number of hours on Visio drawing logical diagrams of some of our processes as a reference model. I DESERVE this glass of wine, I'm telling you.

The week was complicated because I got a cold about Wednesday. Unfortunately, I wasn't sick enough to be down in bed, so I struggled through the last couple of days. (Better living through chemistry.) At night I was doing NyQuil and Vicks Vapo Rub. Greg said I smelled pretty bad, but it didn't bother me. :-) I needed to sleep, and I accomplished that goal. Greg even talked me into trying the Netty Pot this morning, which I have yet to master. Regardless, I think I passed the critical part this morning. I am starting to feel better. This is good, because Melanie is coming over on Sunday. YAY!!!!

Tomorrow I am going to finish the taxes (yes, Dad, I started them). Then I want to cut out my dress that I've had fabric for since about the first of February. The sewing is my reward for doing the taxes. It may sound crazy, but I find the reward system still works for me.

2009-03-29T18:02:00.008-04:00

Birthday Weekend!

This weekend was my birthday, and it was awesome! When I got up on Saturday morning, Greg had baked me some birthday chocolate chip cookies (since a whole cake is a bit too much for us). He had ALSO gone shopping and gave me a present in traditional Froehle wrap; i.e., the Sunday funnies. As you can see in the background here, he was also making our traditional Saturday morning breakfast of blueberry waffles. I had a wonderful waffle and a cup of coffee with my birthday cookie.

The present turned out to be a lovely, olive-green shirt jacket from Chico's. Since green is hands-down my favorite color and Chico's is also on my top three favorite stores right now, this present was an instant hit.

After breakfast, I went for a walk and took my shower. Greg went to take a nap, exhausted from cooking and wrapping gifts and stuff. :-) So I took off to get a massage and to get my nails done. It is sort of like the "spring cleaning" of personal care since I got my hair done on Thursday. I should be good for a little while.

In the evening, we had plans to meet our friends, Mickey and Maribeth, in the Cultural District for dinner at Six Penn Kitchen. We got dressed up and had a great meal there before our show at the Benedum Center, "La Boheme." This was the first time we had seen this opera even though it is in the top 3 Italian operas staged in the U.S. I looked it up on Wikipedia before the show and read the story and the history; and the show lived up to its reputation. We really enjoyed it!

This evening we called Katy and David on Skype and talked to them while they ate spaghetti. Katy wanted me to play BINGO with her on Skype, but I couldn't see the cards. Maybe Daddy will scan some of them and send me a few so we can play next week.

Thanks to all my great friends and family who sent cards and called and gave me e-mail wishes. It was an amazing day, and I am sooooo lucky to be alive with all of you out there.

2009-03-23T21:07:00.007-04:00

Celebrating our Birthdays; David and Oma!

David's birthday is Friday; he will be one year old. Oma's birthday is Saturday; she will be older than one year old. :-) This weekend Opa and I went to Columbus to help David get started on his celebration and to start my party, too.

On Saturday morning, we got up and had our Saturday waffles that Opa always makes for us. Then we hung out for a while and opened David's birthday package. It was a Fold 'N Go Barn from Melissa & Doug. Katy helped David with the unwrapping part. Then we opened all the doors to the barn and put the animals in and sang a chorus or two of Old MacDonald to intiate the barn.

Later we ate lunch before heading off to Graeter's for David's first chocolate ice cream!

On Saturday afternoon, Emily took Opa and Melanie and me out to see their new house in Westerville. It was sunny and warm, and we walked around the new yard and peeked in the windows. It is a great place; and they will be moving in about six weeks when all the paperwork and things settle. Then we went on to church and made our way back home for dinner and a quiet evening . . . well, as quiet as it ever gets anyway.

On Sunday morning, Katy and David stayed at home with Opa and me while Brian and Emily went out for brunch and a walk. We had fun playing computer games with Bert and Ernie and playing some more with the new barn and reading books and just snuggling.

When Brian and Emily came home, we got all our hugs and kisses good-bye and left to meet Mary and Matthew for lunch out in Dublin. We stopped at their apartment and then follow them to a neat little place called Anna's on Sawmill Road. It had a nice buffet that allowed us to try a lot of new and interesting food. They also had the most garlicy, wonderful hummus I have ever eaten. It was HEAVENLY. :-) Unfortunately, I was so busy talking to Mary and Matthew that I neglected to take any pictures. But we had a great afternoon and headed back to Pittsburgh from there.

So besides the fact that Ohio State lost in double overtime Friday night in the NCAA tournament, we had a really good weekend. But at least Pitt is still in the running. All is not lost.

It's Monday again. Here we go again!

2009-03-18T21:08:00.005-04:00

Dinner at Passport Cafe with Kathy -- another one.

Tonight I met my friend, Kathy, at Passport Cafe for dinner. Kathy and I are Zonta buddies and golfer buddies . . . although she is much better than I am at golf. She is also better than I am at picking out wine, which makes her a great dinner companion as well.

We had the special chicken entree with blueberry and lime sauce and roasted brussels sprouts and rhutabaga. It was WONDERFUL. So was the cappucino I had for dessert.

Here is Michael. He was our waiter. We ate outside on the patio on MARCH 18! Can you believe it? Anyway, Michael is my all-time favorite waiter. I think I have said that before. Now you can see what he looks like.

Michael will take excellent care of you if you visit the Passport Cafe. Tell him Kathy sent you.

2009-03-18T06:45:00.002-04:00

St. Patrick's Reprise!

I love this holiday! It's so . . . green!

2009-03-16T21:40:00.002-04:00

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!!!

When IRISH Eyes are Smilin' . . . . watch it here and smile.

2009-03-14T09:10:00.005-04:00

BEAD FOR LIFE . . . a new favorite place!

On Wednesday at my Zonta meeting, there was a representative from Bead for Life presenting the program. As most of you already know, I love to make jewelry and am always on the lookout for interesting beads and components for my art. I am especially fond of beads and findings and pendants made by women who are gaining economic independence by making and selling these pieces. (Antelope Beads is another one of these places.)

Bead for Life is based in southern Uganda; and it is an organization that markets the hand-made beads of a group of women who HAND ROLL each bead from paper and glue. The beads and the designs are exquisite. They also have lots of necklaces and bracelets and chokers already put together for people who want to buy the jewelry. The prices are very affordable (most things $20 and under). The colors and patterns are lovely.

I've added Bead for Life to my web shopping list on the left. I would encourage you to check them out and to consider them for gifts and for "statement jewelry" for yourself. Wear their pieces proudly. You are helping to eliminate poverty in women and girls by buying these designs.

If anybody is interested in a pair of Bead for Life earrings in either red or gold, let me know if your ears are pierced and which color you would like. I'll make you a pair of poverty eliminating earrings!

Oh, I joined Facebook this week, too. I really can't decide if I can keep up with another "collaboration platform" in my life. I personally enjoy the blog a bit more because I can ramble more. But feel free to look me up on there if you are a FB fanatic. Although this blog has more of my life right now than Facebook.

I am homesick for Columbus and the kids and Katy and David. Little David will be a year old coming up on the 27th. Time has really flown by; and he will undoubtedly be walking soon. We are headed over for a birthday celebration really soon or I would be very sad.

2009-03-07T14:18:00.004-05:00

Lunch with Shane and Louisa!

Thursday I got to meet my friend, Shane, and her 6-month-old daughter, Louisa, for lunch. Shane and I have been long-time lunch buddies at Federated over the last few years; and I have really missed her since she went on maternity leave and then extended into FMLA leave when her husband was called to Iraq on reserve duty. We met at Atria's, and it was great to catch up on her life and my Oma and Mom stories for the last six months.

Louisa was a VERY GOOD girl . . . well, she was pretty interested in grabbing silverware and stuff. But what do you expect when exploring the world is your full-time job? Anyway, Shane and I promised to get together again really soon . . . especially since the weather is getting better.

---------

"A Powerful Noise," the movie I saw Thursday night, was . . . well, powerful. It was a documentary about three women from Vietnam, Bosnia, and Mali who have done amazing things in terrible circumstances to help women overcome poverty and political and economic diversity. After the movie, there was a live simulcast (sp?) of a panel discussion with Madeleine Albright and Natalie Portman and Dr. Helene Gayle and others. My soapbox would include asking you to read two screens of web text here: http://www.apowerfulnoise.org/womenandpoverty.html Make the world a better place for everybody. Educate your girls!! Check out the web site for more information.

-------
Okay, finally, Greg and I had a revelation last night (Friday). After going to a movie on Thursday, I remembered that I kind of like doing this occasionally in the evening. Someone at church last week mentioned "Slumdog Millionaire" to us and said it was worth seeing. Then there was a brief reference to it Thursday night in the panel discussion. So I asked Greg if he wanted to catch a quick dinner and see this movie on Friday after work.

We met at Boston Market for a quick dinner. This turned out to cost us $8.49 because Greg had a coupon for one free entree with a purchase. SWEET! We were ready to drop a twenty at the theater because it was evening instead of a matinee like we usually do. When we bought our tickets, they were $13! AHA!!! The teenager at the booth gave us the SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT! OMG!! We're over 55! Our whole evening cost $21.49. I hate to say I am a cheap date; but I AM!

With this revelation, my social life has just improved dramatically, folks. I see a whole bunch of dinner and a movie dates in my future. So what movies are worth seeing? Anybody seen anything lately worth watching. (The previews were not too promising, I must admit.)

2009-03-05T15:34:00.001-05:00

A POWERFUL NOISE! TONIGHT!

http://www.youtube.com/apowerfulnoise

2009-03-01T17:14:00.002-05:00

WHEW! We made it through February!

Yes, February is the longest short month of the year. Even with a few warm days there toward the end, it sort of felt like a long, cold march over the mountains. But, CHIN UP! It's now March!

Greg has spent all weekend fixing things around here that have all of a sudden gone nuts! Thursday when I was getting ready for work, I kept hearing this dripping in the bedroom. I finally found the drip, and it was coming from the window dripping down from the ceiling above where the wind blows water up under the capper on the top of the roof. The wind has taken a few more shingles up there this winter. We are hoping for the wind to be kind to us until we can get that fixed. Greg REALLY doesn't care for repair work up there. If you've been to our house, you know that the back is 3 stories on the edge of a hill. It is a great view from the deck. It looks like Mount Everest from the top of the roof over the master bedroom.

Anyway, yesterday when I went to open the garage to run some errands, the cable on the garage door opener broke. Greg spent most of the afternoon repairing that so I could get my car out tomorrow morning. Then we were cleaning up from supper, and the garbage disposal backed up in the sink. We are almost afraid to turn anything else on for fear it will break. Maybe things come in three's. Do you think?

The bright spot is that I found a really quick, tasty recipe for Applesauce Barbecued Chicken in my Taste of Home Simple and Delicious magazine for March/April. I made it for supper last night, and I promised Emily I would send it to her. So here it is in a post for the rest of you as well:

Applesauce Barbecue Chicken
Prep/Total Time: 20 min.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz. each)
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2/3 cup chunky applesauce
2/3 cup spice barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. chili powder

Sprinkle chicken with pepper. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil on both sides. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; pour over chicken. Cover and cook 7-10 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.

Yield: 4 servings (1 chicken breast and 1/3 cup sauce) equals 308 calories, 1 gram fiber, 8 grams of fat for you Weight Watchers.

Hope you are all keeping warm and starting to plan your spring activities. Here's hoping we are almost done shovelling snow.

2009-02-16T16:05:00.006-05:00

BABES IN THE BURGH!

Brian, Emily, Katy and David have been spending the weekend with us. We have had lots of fun! I have been too busy to take as many pictures as usual, but these two representations pretty much say it.

On Sunday night, mommy and daddy went out to dinner; and Katy and David stayed with Opa and Oma. Katy was singing with us at the kitchen table. She knows lots of new songs like "I've been Workin' on the Railroad" and "Frere Jacques." This video is priceless even if it's a little low volume. Turn up your speakers. It's worth it!

We also made a trip to the Children's Museum today! This was quite an experience since it is President's Day, and the place was pretty busy. Mister Rogers' area was neat, and so was the wood carver and tree stuff on the second floor. However, the waterplay area can't be beat. And even David got in on the act up there. He was standing on a stool splashing away with the best of them.

Finally, I don't have any pictures yet, but Stan and Abby and Gabe welcomed a new baby on Sunday evening weighing about 7 pounds, 10 ounces. His name is Nathaniel Ethan; and word has it he is just as handsome as his brother, Gabe. More information as we have it. Congratulations to the whole family.

2009-02-07T09:46:00.010-05:00

Blogger Catch-Up

It has been a busy week launching February, so this post is going to be a little bit random with all the things I want to say. You know, with the Super Bowl and Mary and Matthew's visit and our home group and our anniversary and the stinky weather, there is a lot to comment on.

I'll start with a final word on the Steelers win last Sunday in the Super Bowl. The "Steeler Nation" has really enjoyed their victory celebration this week. The city is lovingly calling itself "Sixburgh" and ravenously buying shirts and hats commemorating their sixth Lombardi trophy. There was an amazing parade on Tuesday at noon; and over 350,000 people came downtown to wave their terrible towels and stand outside in 20-degree temperatures with snow whizzing around their heads to watch the parade and hear the speeches and see the trophy itself. This picture, which has been seen all over town, pretty much says it all.

Okay . . . moving on!

Also on Tuesday, we have our home group meeting here at the house in the evenings. Cathy and Larry brought some of the snacks, and they provided orange sections and grapes stuck together on toothpicks in a delicate and attractive arrangement. As we were eating and collecting the toothpicks and orange rinds on our little Stiller plates, we discovered that besides running a successful business, Larry has a hidden creative talent previously used to entertain his children. That talent is creating stick figures from the discarded toothpicks and orange rinds. I had to take a picture of Larry with his creation. The figure was even able to stand by itself. What a feat of engineering! This is the female version, by the way. We hadn't eaten enough oranges to make a companion for her.

Home group is about quality time, too, you know?

As you saw from my earlier post, Opa and Oma celebrated our 9-year wedding anniversary on Monday. We didn't go out on Monday night, though, because our favorite restaurant, Passport Cafe, is closed on Mondays. So we postponed our date until Wednesday evening. In spite of the cold temperatures, we had a lovely dinner with Michael serving us; he is one of our favorites from Sunday brunch. He still introduces himself to us every time. As he pours our water, he says, "Good evening, my name is Michael. I'll be serving you this evening . . . ." And Mark Matera (the owner) stops by to make sure we enjoyed our food. It was a great way to celebrate the beginning of our 10th year.

And finally, I have been wanting to add some more blogger detail about our visit with Mary and Matthew last weekend. I had e-mailed Mary before they came over that Greg and I would really appreciate having a couple of recent photos of them. I love family pictures and have them all over the place. Mary brought us a CD with photos from their wedding on the beach in Clearwater, FL, this summer. I got some prints of these and have been busy framing and putting pictures in an album this week. I just had time to resize a few pix last night and wanted to share a little bit of Mary and Matthew's beautiful day with my blogger buddies. Aren't they a great-looking couple?

That warm sand and beautiful sunset sure looks inviting. Congratulations to the newlyweds!

2009-02-02T11:23:00.003-05:00

A Perfect 10!

Need I say more? (Go, Bucks!)

Today is our 9th wedding anniversary! Yep! Ground Hog Day! Love you, Opa!

2009-02-01T17:48:00.004-05:00

Great weekend with Mary and Matthew!

Greg's daughter, Mary, and her husband, Matthew, came to visit from Columbus this weekend. It was fun to spend some time talking and catching up. One of our favorite things to do with first-time visitors to the 'Burgh is to ride the Duquesne Incline to the top of Mount Washington and have dinner on top of the hill overlooking the skyline. We haven't had any first-timers for a while, so it was a treat for us, too, to ride downtown in Greg's new car and navigate the snowy parking lot to the bottom of the incline. Here is the required picture of Mary and Matthew with the skyline in the background. Don't they look great? As soon as we took the picture, we went to the restaurant to get warm. It was 20-something out there and a little breezey. Brrrrrr!

We have had a few hours of temperatures above freezing today, and the sun actually shone this afternoon. It was a beautiful weekend in many respects, but it was really great to relax and spend time with family. It was a wonderful time eating and talking and looking out over our beautiful city skyline with lights.

2009-01-27T07:44:00.002-05:00

Opa's New Car

Mitsubishi Lancer, Cobalt Blue, 5-speed manual transmission, many gizmos too numerous to list.

Result, happy Opa! :-)

Bye-bye, Taurus . . . .

2009-01-25T18:28:00.011-05:00

David's Baby Dedication Trip . . .

This weekend was a trip to Columbus for me to attend the baby dedication for our little guy, David. I drove over on Friday night right after work. The dedication service was at the 5 o'clock worship service at Heritage Christian Church , so I had time on Saturday to spend a little time with the family.

Katy and I did a short trip to Tim Horton's for a donut on Saturday morning. Then we went down on Lane Avenue to Opa's very favorite place on the planet, Half Price Books! It is never too soon to start cultivating a love of books, and the love of donuts with sprinkles comes early without any cultivation!

Katy enjoyed her donut; and she named every color of sprinkle on that donut! I never paid attention to how many different colors there are in the standard mixture. Leave it to a 2-1/2 year old to educate you on this type of thing. I drank a cup of coffee and ate a cinnamon-raisin bagel while Katy named colors and sipped her milk. Then we went off to the kids' corner at Half Price. There were lots of books, and Katy picked two and I picked two as well. Hers were about Cookie Monster and another about rainy-day projects that had some neat pipe cleaners and things to complete projects in the package with it. I picked a kid's book about Mozart for Katy and a crossword puzzle book for myself. It was a FUN trip.

David's latest new skill is that he can now climb up the stairs. And he is so proud of himself when he does this. You can tell in the picture here that he is king of the mountain when he gets to the top.

He is just the cutest little boy on the planet when he does this . . . well, actually he's that cute all the time. But he is still our smilin' darlin'! How could you help but love that face and kiss those cheeks?

The baby dedication was really great, and the minister, Jim Zippay, talked a lot about taking your worship beyond just singing and making it count for the poor and hurting people around us. He particularly hit a nerve with me when he talked about an organization called Rahab's Hideaway that assists women in escaping from white slavery. Ever since I read The Natasha's, I have been really passionate that I need to somehow make an impact in helping these women. I plan to check out this web site . . . . More on that later.

I'm really proud of the kids, and it is wonderful to see this great family thriving and growing. After the service, we picked up lasagna on the way home. We had a great dinner with family!

I got to see Melanie for a little while. She is heading off to Florida next weekend for her training at Great Commission Ministries. I am so proud of her for taking on this ministry position. Ever since she was 7 or 8 years old, she has been my little women's advocate. Her first career choice in elementary school was to be the first woman president of the United States. (There's still time on this dream, by the way!) From that time forward, she has been learning what it means to help young women get the respect they deserve . . . from themselves as well as from other people. She is the perfect person to demonstrate what it means to be a young, single woman on a college campus who is lovable and worthy of respect. I know she will be a great supporter of the students on Ohio State campus. Drive safely, Melanie! I love you!

This morning, I got up and started for Pittsburgh about 9:30 because we had symphony tickets at 2:30 to hear Gabriela Montero playing Rhapsody in Blue with the orchestra. It was the most lyrical, amazing performance of this piece that I have ever heard. It was wonderful! As an encore, Gabriela played an improvisation on "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" that was just as amazing. And before the second half of the concert, she played a John Williams arrangement of "Simple Gifts" that she performed for the inauguration last Tuesday. Anyway . . . it was a wonderful concert. I was really glad I came home early anyway, because it was snowing by the time we got downtown at 1:30 p.m.; and by the time we came home at 4:30 p.m., it was kind of slippery.

Hey, Pam! I hear that Danny is scheduled for entry on Wednesday! I am thinking about you this week and can't wait to hear that you and your family are doing well.

2009-01-19T12:20:00.010-05:00

Let's hear it for the Stillers!

I can't wait to see the cartoons of bulky steelmill workers raining destruction on twittering cardinals. And here is the Pittsburgh theme song for the next 2 weeks . . . and beyond! (It was also the closing song at church yesterday.)

Here we go!

The Superbowl Fever will be a fun time . . . even for a football curmudgeon like me! In 2006, the celebrations and rallies kept people's attention off the weather and the economy and other things for weeks. The winter goes faster this way. And the parades and fun after the Steelers won in 2006! Well, that was ALMOST as good as the Buckeyes beating Michigan after a competitive season. And some of my readers can probably relate to that! :-)

Here's a quick review of the week in Pittsburgh weather.

The temperature has not been above freezing for about 10 days to date. There was actually ICE on the Allegheny River.

My birds have been very hungry!

For the most part, we have been eating inside. The table on the deck hasn't been too inviting.

Let's hear it for cabin fever! My car is so dirty even the road grime has dirt on it. So, yeah, I'm willing to be distracted by happy people anticipating the Superbowl. Pass over the wings and the pizza rolls . . . .

2009-01-11T17:07:00.008-05:00

It's Winter . . . and the Stillers are playing football.

As many of you are aware, I am about as interested in sports as . . . well, I don't know very many people more clueless than I am. Living in Pittsburgh, it is REALLY hard not to care about football and the Steelers. People around here consider it heresy to even suggest that you don't follow the team.

I'm sitting here typing while Greg is watching the playoff game with the Steelers against the Chargers this afternoon. (The score is currently tied 7 all.) When we went to church this morning, about a quarter of the people in the congregation were either in football jerseys or black and gold. The preacher ended the service with "Let's go Steelers!" The owner of our favorite restaurant where we had brunch was wearing black and gold. And people at the Giant Eagle where we stopped to get groceries were rushing around buying "game food" and doing their own version of rushing the line to get home so they could get control of the remote. Whatever! I need to at least know the final score in order to get into the office in the morning.

Personally, Greg and I were outside for an hour or so this morning shovelling the 5+ inches of snow off the driveway in 24-degree weather with the sun shining on us. Given that experience, I am having a tough time imagining the 65,000 or so people down there at Heinz Field waving their terrible towels for 4 or 5 hours this evening being able to bend their knees when they get to their cars later. I think there is a chromosone missing on somebody in this scenario. I'm just not sure if it's me or the people down there that have the deficit.

On to another topic. Winter and associated weather. As you may have noticed, it is January. Our area got about 5 inches of snow between Friday and Saturday. Greg and I didn't bother to shovel yesterday since we used the snowy Saturday to stay home and putter. This morning, we got up and worked on clearing the walks and driveway. I kept thinking about people who have moved to warmer climates saying they miss the changing of the seasons as we were shovelling. Is there a place where you can get the deciduous trees and the leaves changing and have about 1 week of winter with one pretty snowfall on a weekend that melts by Monday and turns into spring? If so, let me know. I'm interested.

2009-01-08T20:35:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday, Mom (one day late)!

I am a little behind this week coming off the holiday vacation and all. It has been brutal this week working 5 days in a row after sleeping in later every day for 10 days in a row.

Anyway, January 7 (yesterday) was Granny's birthday! Here's to you, Mom! We love you!

2009-01-01T22:02:00.003-05:00

Hey, Emily! My new cookbook holder works great!

I love it! Mom

2008-12-31T10:58:00.014-05:00

Christmas Post #2 - On to the McHenry Clan!

On Saturday, we all gathered at Granny and Grandpa's house for a celebration with my brother's family and our kiddo's. Since we are re-populating the kids' table, this party gets more fun every year. Besides Katy and David, there is Gabe, who is the same age as Katy. And Abby and Stan are expecting little "Chip" around Valentine's Day; so next year will be four kids under the age of 3-1/2. What a joy! Here are a few pix and stories from the second Christmas (sort of like the second breakfast in Lord of the Rings.)

Ever since Gabe visited Granny and Grandpa last spring, he has had a fascination with tractors! His favorite songs and video's on U-Tube are about tractors, and he sings a song about "International Harvestor" with great gusto. Here is is playing with an old "Johnny Jump-Up" that Granny and Grandpa found in the barn in Markle. In spite of the new stuff, Gabe still liked this tractor about the best of everything.

When my baby brother, Neil, was small, his favoite toy was a stuffed monkey named Zippy that he took EVERYWHERE. When I was looking at catalogs this fall, I came across the Vermont Country Store advertising a "cheerful chimp" that was an updated look-alike for Zippy! I had to get this for Neil's grandson, Gabe. Here is a picture of Neil inspecting the NEW Zippy for authenticity. (Zip passed.)

David kind of liked this green bow. He really thought the part about eating dinner after we opened the presents was the best idea.

Mayhem #1. Abby, Bonnie, Grandpa, Katy,Granny, Gabe, Emily, and Brian.

Mayhem #2. Granny, Katy, Gabe, Stan and Brian.

This is Melanie and I relaxing and watching the proceedings as gifts were opened. You had to pace yourself with this crowd. Opa took most of these pictures. He's not IN a single one!

Bonnie and Abby and Gabe are enjoying the festivities here. Gabe liked the accordion that Oma and Opa got for Katy; however, Katy was afraid of it for some reason. Continuing my musical tradition, I try to get some kind of a music maker for somebody for every holiday.

This is Neil. He isn't an easy one to get a picture of, so I took this opportunity to post him.

Gabe liked his Sesame Street shirt. Here he is identifying all the characters. It isn't good to wear a shirt if you don't know who is on the front of it.

On Sunday morning, Grandpa got out the tricycle and took Katy for a ride around the kitchen and living room. Her legs were too too short to reach the pedals, but Grandpa-power took care of the problem.

Both of our Christmas celebrations were wonderful. And now I am sitting here staring at the last few hours of 2008 and thinking how many wonderful things happened . . . in spite of all the hype about kissing this crummy year good-bye. I can find a lot to be happy about in 2008, and I have to believe there is hope for 2009. Have a wonderful, safe evening. I'm off to do my exercise video of Latin Dancing with "Dancing with the Stars." I'm getting a head start on my continuing commitment to make sure I get some kind of exercise every day in the coming year.

What's your commitment/resolution for 2009?

2008-12-29T21:06:00.015-05:00

Christmas Post #1

In looking at all the Christmas pictures, it is obvious that I can't do justice to our time with the family in a single post. So this is a start on our time in Columbus with Brian and Emily and Katy and David and Melanie.

We arrived in Columbus on Wednesday, and Opa and I got settled in time to go to Christmas Eve services at Heritage Christian Church in Westerville with the family. This picture is Katy in her Christmas dress before we left for church. She looked so sweet . . . even with the crumbs on her face, which we washed off before we left.

This is smiley David opening his fireman toy on Christmas morning. David is now 9 months old and weighs approximately 22 pounds. He crawls and pulls to a stand when he feels like it. Generally, he is delighted to be carried around so he can see what you are doing at all times.

Here we have Katy demonstrating what it means to be mobile and wireless when you are two and a half. Apparently, playing with your toy laptop while sitting in your new sled is the way to go!

For some reason, 2008 was the year of the COAT. This is Aunt Mel's new coat, which was really nice and quite stylish!

Katy got a chest full of Dora "princess" dress up clothes. Here she is helping her daddy take pictures with his camera while wearing one of her princess outfits over her pajamas. We spent a good deal of time waltzing to Christmas music on the stereo . . . because everyone knows that a princess has to DANCE!

Emily also asked for a new coat. This is her new outfit with the trendy scarf.

One of the Dora princess outfits had high heeled shoes. These were quite intriguing to Katy, and she spent a lot of time putting them back on and trying to figure out if they were on the right feet. We finally convinced Katy to take off this outfit and put on some pants and a long-sleeved shirt. She was getting cold.

Opa couldn't fit in the little outfits in the Dora princess box, but he was still required to play. The little skirt made a nice hat as he waved the magic wand and danced around the living room. (I think this picture might be worth some money, don't you think?)

After dinner, we let David look at the lights on the Christmas tree and play with a couple of the kid-safe ornaments. This is the perfect end to a wonderful Christmas Day.

2008-12-20T18:52:00.010-05:00

The best Christmas ever . . . a new floor and a new stove!

As you probably know from an earlier post, Greg and I took the plunge and replaced the ceramic tile in our main floor with hardwood as our major Christmas present this year. The actual tear up and installation of the new floor was a 3-day effort (not including clearing the area and cleaning up). This 3-day process started Tuesday, 12/16, right after we returned from Melanie's graduation festivies in Columbus!

If you are also a reader of Emily's blog, you also know that I returned to Pittsburgh on Monday afternoon with a bucket on my lap . . . . All I had had to eat for 36 hours when the installers arrived Tuesday morning was a bowl of mashed potatoes and 3 glasses of water. Luckily, I had arranged to work from home Tuesday and Wednesday to be here while the workers were here. This actually saved me a sick day from work, because I could not have gone in Tuesday. However, I was able to sit in the glider in the master bedroom with my laptop and participate in conference calls and answer e-mail and generally be productive. I digress as usual.

I went downstairs and took pictures every few hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, and herein I provide a short pictorial record of our project with the BEAUTIFUL RESULTS!!! It is truly amazing. And the new stove isn't too shabby either. I am sooooo happy.

This is Dave and Billy at the beginning of the tear out of the ceramic tile. That pole Billy is holding is like a steel ramrod; it weighs about 25 pounds.

This is the corner where the refrigerator sits. The sub-floor was water damaged, and the baseboards were screwed into the wall in this corner. Ken didn't say any bad words, but he was muttering when he tore this out.

Here Dave and Billy are sweeping up the layer of sub-floor and getting ready to lay the 1/2-inch plywood that was put down to replace the tile and the layer they took up. This brought the floor to the same height with the hardwood as the previous surface. This made the transitions to other rooms work the same as before.

Once the 1/2-inch plywood was down, Dave and Kenny opened the boxes of the flooring material and started piecing the puzzle together. (Billy didn't come on Wednesday or Thursday; just Dave and Ken.)

Here Ken is lining up the new hardwood strips in the eating area in the kitchen. I really liked their nail gun contraption. It had it's own compressor thing, and it drove nails in the flooring with a pull of the trigger.

Here is the finished floor in the kitchen. Pretty, huh???

And here is my amazingly wonderful new gas stove with convection oven and shiny surface. We have really enjoyed cooking on it already. I love it so far. The oven works so much better than the old one.

Here is the eating area today after all the clean-up that Greg and I did. It is so warm and beautiful. And all I did is mop with vinegar and warm water. I love it!

2008-12-20T18:43:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas from our Small Group!!

Our small group meets on Tuesday night, and we had a Christmas party at David and Susan's house this week. Their daughter, Tessa, took a picture of us. And we ARE a smart looking group! We are missing a few people, so Mary, Cathy, Larry, Nancy, and Ed are not pictured even though they are very much part of our group.

L-R: Paul, Greg, Kathy, Susan with Madison the Wonder Dog, Marian (back), Amy, and David

2008-12-17T18:12:00.011-05:00

AUNT MEL'S GRADUATION!!!!

As you already know if you are a reader of "Live with David and Katy," this weekend was Aunt Mel's graduation from THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY! Katy has been talking for a couple of weeks about this event. The rest of us have been anticipating it for a couple of YEARS! And it was very, very sweet. As usual, I cried through most of Pomp and Circumstance, the part where Melanie walked up to get her diploma, and the big smile we got as she held up her open diploma with her name on it. I actually tried to take a picture of her as she came down the stairs within 5 feet of my chair . . . and I was crying so much that I took a picture of the wrong student. Too bad I don't know HER parents. :-) But the rest of the pictures are worth a thousand words, and this is a short series that doesn't even begin to show how proud we are of our Melanie Rose. We love you, babe!

The great seal of The Ohio State University on the platform at the Schottenstein Center where commencement ceremonies were held on Sunday, December 14, 2008, at 2 p.m.

Here's Melanie headed for her seat. She's just to the left of center in front of the blond girl. :-)

After the commencement, we all went to Buckeye Hall of Fame for a Graduation Party and dinner with the family. The rest of the pictures are from THAT part of the celebration. This, by the way, is the part that KATY will refer to as 'Aunt Mel's Graduation.' Here is Melanie with Greg and me.

Here Melanie holds her two biggest fans in the world. David and Katy helped us celebrate big time. And David thought the hat with the tassel was COOL, Aunt Mel!

Here it is, folks! The diploma we all adore. A Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology.

What graduation---or ANY event---would be complete without Brutus Buckeye? Go, Bucks! O-H-I-O and all that stuff!

Here is a great picture of Melanie with her Grandma Martha, Sue, and Dad. We don't know who that football player on the wall is, but he is looking over Dick's shoulder and smiling just as much as everyone else. He must be a long, lost relative or something!

Here is Melanie's Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Neil with their grandson, Gabe. They had a great time at the party; and I only wish I had also captured Abby and Stan and Granny and Grandpa on film as well. Somehow, they escaped the photo shoot. But a good time was the order of the day.

On Saturday night before graduation, Greg and I got to have dinner with Mary and Matthew. We went to Figlio's and shared some good food and conversation. It was great to hear all about Mary's job at BMW and their adventures living in Montana for a year. When we left, everybody was wearing some kind of a hat except Matthew. When you travel with those Froehle's, you need to sign on for a little panache. Next time, Matthew vowed to wear a hat too so he wouldn't feel left out.

The last two days here in the 'Burgh have been interesting as we have had the ceramic tile flooring in our kitchen and hall and entryway torn up and replaced with hardwood. Over the weekend, I will post some pictures of that wonderful experience . . . after I clean off about a half inch of dust and grime and get the commode out of the dining room . . . .

Only 8 days until Christmas! YEESH!

2008-12-07T20:19:00.005-05:00

Melanie's Graduation

This coming Sunday, Melanie will be graduating from The Ohio State University. Here is a description of Melanie's department and education from the OSU web site. It is kind of hard to describe in a few words, but I'm working on it.

The Department of Human Development and Family Science engages in research, teaching, outreach, and the preparation of scholars and professionals to enhance the lives of individuals and families.

Subject Matter of the Program

the nature and process of human development over the life span

the dynamics of marital and family relationships

conditions in the family, community, and society that enhance, support, and impede

individual development and family well-being

early child development/education/day care

dysfunctional family systems/family therapy

family life education

After graduation, Melanie is going to work as a staff member for Great Commission Ministries (http://www.gcmweb.org/) and will be doing student ministry on Ohio State campus. We’re really proud of Melanie. She has discovered that she has a lot to share with young women of high school and college age because of her life experiences over the last 10 years. This is a difficult phase of life for young people, and she wants to mentor and lead from a loving, Christ-centered foundation with the young people at Ohio State. I’m sure she will make a wonderful staffer!

Congratulations, Sweetheart! We can't wait to see you receive your diploma and to celebrate this wonderful accomplishment with you.

2008-12-03T20:48:00.006-05:00

Thanksgiving Pictures! Finally!

Greg got me a new flat-screen monitor for the computer! Woo Hoo! I am crankin' now! AND he showed me how to find my picture stuff again since he reloaded my OS. Here are some pix from our Thanksgiving Day visit with Stan and Abby and Gabe at their house in Wadsworth. In attendance were Stan's family: Dale and Judy, Matt, and Grandma Rose. From Abby's side, it was Granny and Grandpa, Bonnie and Neil, Greg, Melanie and me. The food was awesome, and Stan and Abby's new house is great! They had several inches of snow on the ground, and it was very pretty but still a beautiful day for travelling.

Bonnie and Abby relax after lunch in the living room.

Gabe played with the new race car set that Granny brought. It was actually Gabe's birthday present that never found its way into a box back in late September. Oh, well! It became a fun distraction for Thanksgiving Day.

Stan and Judy in the kitchen while performing the ritual clean up after the meal.

This is Stan and Abby's back yard. If you look really close, there is a deer in the corner on the left by the big pine trees.

2008-12-03T11:03:00.003-05:00

The Key - - -

Well, my tech person is still adding software to my computer; and the transfer of pictures from my camera is too much trouble until I get a minute to figure things out. In the meantime, a friend at work sent me this video which is worth a thousand words. Enjoy!

2008-11-26T10:12:00.007-05:00

Brief Blogger Break

I have not been posting things for a week because Opa has been upgrading my operating system at home. My computer was running sssoooo ssssllllooowwwwllllyyyyyyyy that he decided to bite the bullet and reformat C. He just reloaded my camera software on Monday evening, so I haven't tried it yet.

I really love my tech weenie sweetheart . . . except he loves to try new software and thinks that I do, too. It has been a struggle to convince him to just put back the latest version of iTunes and the stuff I was using. I simply don't have time to learn to use all new applications; maybe one or two---but not everything major all at once.

Anyway, I have pictures of the Black Bean Lasagna that I made last weekend from my Taste of Home Healthy Cooking magazine. It was delicious! And Greg is extending the gas line for my new gas range scheduled for delivery in December. And the floor is supposed to be installed the week of December 15. Things are cooking all over.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Hopefully I'll have some pictures from ours on Friday.

P.S. We went to see Quantum of Solace, the new James Bond movie. My favorite character is still 'M.' But there are a lot of dead ends in this movie . . . . (sic)

2008-11-18T15:17:00.002-05:00

My Response to the Tag from Poo!

Here goes. Six (somewhat) interesting things about me per the tag from Poo!

1) My biggest surprise ever was when I discovered that my mother was not BIG! At the age of 12, I was shocked to discover that she was barely 5-feet tall and that I had been afraid of her all those years . . . and she is a shrimp.

2) When I was 21 and single, I went on a vacation to Hawaii for 2 weeks with total strangers. I just signed up, got on the airplane, and flew off without ever having met my room-mate from St. Louis. It was a wonderful, memorable trip.

3) I met my husband, Greg, on an internet site for the Dayton Daily News Dateline. One of the first questions I asked him in e-mail was how to pronounce his last name. Little did I know that I would be answering that question for the rest of my life.

4) I've had two babies by natural childbirth.

5) I love to sew and have made just about everything from a tablecloth to a winter coat at one time or another.

6) I got a 2-year degree out of high school and then went back to college in my 30's. I earned my Bachelor's degree from Wright State University in night classes while working full time with two kids. I was 40 when I got my Bachelor's.

Now, to tag somebody that hasn't already been tagged is a challenge. Hmmm.

7) All my blogger buddies are Emily's friends because none of my friends has a blog. Greg!! Maria!! Teresa!! Mimi!!! Granny!!! Grandpa!!!! Send me your list in e-mail and I'll post it on my blog. :-) That's 6 interesting things about YOU.

2008-11-16T14:41:00.002-05:00

Butterscotch and Bisque!

Santa better trade in his sleigh for a delivery truck this year, because the Froehle Christmas is looking like Homer . . . that is Home Depot is taking over.

As some of you know, the ceramic tile in the kitchen and hallway is cracked and damaged because of some bad decisions about sub-flooring by a previous owner and some water damage from the refrigerator. We have been pricing and exploring options and saving money for replacement of the floor for about two years. We got delayed a couple of times along the way for a number of reasons; but the planets finally aligned; and we are off and running with some updates.

After a hard look at laminate flooring, the installers told us that our floors aren't very level and are not going to work well with that material. So we are getting a pre-finished hardwood from Bruce in a color called "Butterscotch," which is pictured here (sort of). The materials are on order and should be here and installed in early December. I have fond memories of wood floors from childhood days in the house that Dad built in Markle. Memories of sliding on the throw rugs across the freshly-waxed floors and watching my mom mop furiously when the suds saver on the washer ran over and got the floor wet . . . water turns the wood dark!!!! I think the materials have greatly improved. The wood look is still my favorite---hands down.

Ever since we have lived here, the electric range that we bought with the house has given me fits. The house in Beavercreek had built-in appliances, so we took these appliances because they fit and matched the kitchen. Well, the stove is by far the worst range I have ever owned. The oven doesn't heat evenly and routinely burns baked goods on the bottom. The timed bake and cleaning features don't work. The burners are very hard to control. It works for basic things like spaghetti, but don't try to do anything creative. Since we are fixing the floor, we will be moving the stove. So I took this opportunity to say, "Let's just keep the stove going once we get it out of here!"

Greg is partial to gas ranges, so we decided on a new mid-range from Maytag! It's made in the U.S.! I love it! And it will be so wonderful to be able to actually COOK and BAKE without burning things. We are going to have to run the gas line about ten feet across the unfinished basement to put this in. But the plan is to get the range delivered after the floor is installed but before Christmas.

The picture here is the model we got in stainless steel. We are getting "bisque" to go with the kitchen, so the top of the range will be light to match the rest of the frame. Otherwise, I know it isn't as personal as jewelry or lingerie; but I'll take this over a mystery gift from Victoria's Secret!

What do you think, ladies? Would you go for a new hardwood floor and a cook range for Christmas? Maybe I am showing my age that this gets me excited.

2008-11-13T20:15:00.006-05:00

Happy Corvette Pictures!

One of my work friends, Judy, is married to Rich. (They have a son named Michael.) Judy and I have been lunch buddies for a year or more starting our acquaintance by spending lunch hours at Dave's Famous BBQ Restaurant in the North Hills eating baked potatoes and salad and such with our Federated discount.

Last January, Judy's husband, Rich, was working in their attic stringing some electrical wire and fell through the ceiling in the foyer area where it was two stories to the ground. Rich was seriously injured in this accident, and he was unresponsive for several days. The doctors told the family that a long recovery was in store, and there was no way to tell if Rich would ever walk again let alone drive or work. Well, doctors are sometimes surprised at how much faith and perseverance and hard work can do. Rich worked extremely hard, and he had tremendous support from Judy and his employer and a lot of people on their knees praying for him.

Rich started back to work part-time after about six months of recovery. The doctor's said it was unheard of for anyone with this type of injury to consider working in less than a year. But Rich started out with a couple of days a week anyway. After a few more weeks, he retested for his driver's license and added another day to his schedule. In September he started working 4-5 days a week and was released by his therapists. He is an amazing person; and his family and friends and boss and the people on the EMS board where he serves are a testimony to what it means to stand in the gap for a friend.

I got to see Rich again last month at the Sojourner House Jazz Explosion at LeMont where he and Judy were part of the group representing Federated at the event. A great deal of our conversation was about the new car that Rich got recently . . . a vintage Corvette! This car is a 90-something model that is a collector's item. Rich is extremely proud of this car, and I gave him a hard time because he didn't have any pictures of it with him at the event. Well, Judy and I had lunch this week; and Rich sent me a CD with several photos on it. When I opened the pictures this evening, I knew there was a blog entry in these photos. My only regret is that Rich and Judy aren't in any of the photos. Because the story here isn't about the car. The story is about faith and commitment and hard work and being able to drive again.

Congratulations, Rich and Judy and Michael, on being able to celebrate at the end of a long, hard year. You deserve it! God bless you.

P.S. Judy said the car is a 1996. It was the last year for the C4.

2008-11-08T09:55:00.008-05:00

Remembering Amelia

Greg's niece, Amelia, was killed in a tragic car crash three years ago in Louisville, Kentucky. I knew Amelia only briefly as a spunky teenager with a mind of her own that loved life . . . grabbed it by the horns and lived it to the fullest.

As the anniversary of Amelia's accident approaches (next week), her mom is getting this tribute ready to post in their newspaper. I wanted to share it with all of you. Whenever people's lives touch, they are never forgotten. They leave impressions on us, and we become like diamonds reflecting all the people we have known and cared about. Amelia touched a lot of people.

Thanks, Peggy, for sharing this picture and tribute. May God fill you with lots of friends to celebrate Amelia's life and with tons of happiness knowing how much you loved each other in life.

2008-11-03T22:13:00.002-05:00

Cappuccino

About a year ago, I discovered the fine delicacy at Starbucks known to me now as a "Grande Non-Fat Decaf Cappuccino." My love of this drink only grew when I found that besides being warm and wonderful, it was only one point on Weight Watchers with the skim milk. Soon I was stopping too many mornings for my fix; and those $3.19 a pop charges started eating into my pocket money pretty seriously.

Enter the cappuccino maker! I've spent many months finding the right expresso and the right grind. I have an official, stainless steel steaming pot and a couple of official Starbucks cup and saucers to make this treat perfect. At first I had trouble getting the temperature right; it just wasn't hot enough until I preheated the cup in the microwave with some boiling water. I'm proud to say that I think I've got it. This is the masterpiece I made on Saturday morning after my waffle . . . which by the way was prepared for me (the batter) by my darling husband before he left at 5:30 a.m. to catch a flight. Again, I digress. Ta Da!!! The perfect cappuccino!

2008-10-26T19:50:00.007-04:00

Sunday Update . . . Life on the River

Well, the jewelry box glue was dry this morning, and I put it back together this afternoon. I think it's going to work. What's your opinion? Do you think Melanie will like it?

We've had a very cultured weekend. Friday night we went to the opera to see Samson and Dalilah. We aren't usually into the opera . . . having only seen The Barber of Seville previously. It was okay, but we weren't really thrilled with the Barber of Seville. Greg bought a couple of 'sampler' tickets from a telephone sales person this fall, so we picked this opera and La Boheme to try. La Boheme is in March; we're going on my birthday. :-)

We REALLY liked the Saint Saens music in Samson and Dalilah; and the VOICES WERE WONDERFUL. It was an amazing production. Today we had our subscription concert for the symphony. We went to brunch after church and then headed downtown. We had a little extra time, so we walked down the waterway under the Convention Center and out to the river.

The pathway from Tenth Street goes down the middle of the street when it passes under the Convention Center. The sides are like a waterfall along the walkway with pools of water cascading down to the dock area along the Allegheny. I have been seeing it when I go for walks at lunchtime, and it was fun to go down and look. Here is a picture of Greg along the walkway this afternoon.

There is a beautiful, paved park area on both sides of the Allegheny all the way to the point. You can also cross several of the bridges on foot and go to the North Side where the PNC Park (baseball stadium) and Heinz Field (football stadium) are located. This is a busy place for restaurants and all kinds of activities, including a controversial casino that is being built. I have enjoyed walking along the river at lunchtime for exercise this fall. There is always a lot of foot traffic during lunch time as people stroll or sit by the river to eat or chat.

There is, of course, a homeless population in Pittsburgh like any other city. When you walk the river walk, you see evidence of many people literally living under bridges. But one thing that struck me about these humble abodes is that there is order to them. For example, some of the people have accumulated some serious bedding. It is not unusual to walk under an overpass and see a bed on the concrete, neatly made with the pillow in place and the flowered comforter spread out to cover everything. These people are so close to us every day, yet their world is drastically different. Living under a bridge . . . .

Back up at street level, there is Point State Park with its beautiful fountain and lights. This month the water in the fountain is pink for Breast Cancer Awareness. People in their cars sit on the double decker Fort Duquesne Bridge and complain about the traffic and the cost of parking. The contrast is maddening.

One time I packed some food and took it in my car to give to a man who hung around my parking lot all the time. When I offered him the food, he laughed at me and asked me for money. I said I didn't have any money to give him and went away. Does the insanity come from living on the street, or do they live on the street because they are mentally ill? How can I help them and still be safe?

2008-10-25T19:06:00.004-04:00

"Chip off the old block . . . ."

As some of you will remember, Melanie's apartment was burglarized about a year ago; and one of the things that was stolen was her jewelry box full of her total accumulation of class rings, bridesmaid necklaces, and earrings. We have been slowly adding things to her jewelry collection, but jewelry boxes are either really big and expensive or little, portable things like Vera Bradley makes. I have been looking for one; but no luck.

A couple of weeks ago I decided to try eBay for a jewelry box, and there was a used, wooden jewelry box that looked kind of neat for a really reasonable price. On impulse, I bought it for the "buy it now" price with only 10 minutes left on the auction. Well, the seller shipped it; and it arrived yesterday. It was tightly wrapped in bubble wrap with lots of padding, and the box was marked "FRAGILE" and everything. However, the glue was evidently old and dry; and the shipper didn't take any extra care from the look of the box. The jewelry box literally fell apart when I removed the bubble wrap. At first I was kind of angry and feeling like I got gyped, but then I looked more closely and decided it probably was not the seller's fault.

Today I found the wood glue out in the garage and got some books and rubber bands and a sheet of paper for the kitchen counter-----and I got to work! Here's my work in progress. I think this is going to be okay with a little elbow grease. What do you think? The compartment behind the glass door has a little rotating hanger for necklaces.

When Greg saw my handiwork with the books and the rubber bands, he told me that I had to take a picture of it and put it out here so my dad can see it. He said it was pretty impressive and definitely has the McHenry stamp on it. Here's to you, Dad! You showed me how to fix things . . . a least with glue.

While I'm at this post, I also went out to Bed, Bath and Beyond this afternoon for a couple of things. I am a fire bug, you know, and my "Autumn Leaves" jar candle from Yankee Candle is getting low. I needed some more fall fragrance . . . especially when Greg was in his bacon-frying mode this morning! I digress. When I was shopping at BB&B, I saw a wall full of clocks. I have been wanting another wall clock for the family room ever since I repainted. The one we had was too small and kind of plain, but it told the time and served the purpose. It just didn't have any . . . personality!

Well, I found a clock on clearance and used a 20% coupon to buy it! I think you will agree that this clock has a personality. You can't really see it too well from the picture, but it has kind of sparkly, cut glass looking things around the outside. It also stands out a little more against the new paint. I like it. When I asked Greg if he liked it, he said, "It's a CLOCK." I guess he doesn't get the personality thing. Oh, well.

2008-10-20T22:12:00.002-04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GREG!

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday, dear Greggie!

Happy birthday to you.

Here is your birthday pumpkin pie with the candles on your special day. And we had those crab cakes you like so well with baked potatoes and veggies to go along with them.

Greg is shown pictured here in the new flannel shirt and singing bow tie, which were a present from his BFF, Bill. Doesn't he look swell?

Below is a picture of Bill and Susie with the birthday boy as they joined us for Greg's birthday dinner. By the time I got home from work, Greg had already opened his presents that came in the mail. He got some great loot, like gift cards for books (always a hit). The birthday santa got him an IPOD and the DVD series on "The Truth Project." And yesterday he got personal birthday wishes from Mary by phone. So I would say he made out pretty well, don't you think?

Bill, Greg, and Susie . . . what a GREAT tie!

2008-10-17T19:20:00.002-04:00

JAZZ EXPLOSION AT LEMONT!
Last night was the Sojourner House second annual Jazz Explosion at LeMont! It was a great success, and I couldn't wait to share this press photo with all of you. This was sent to WHIRL magazine here in Pittsburgh to talk about our event. The people in the photo with me are (L-R):

Anne Crawford, president of the Sojourner House MOMS board

Susan Seitz, board member and Committee Chair of the Jazz Explosion

(me)

Joann Cyganovich, Executive Director of both Sojourner House and Sojourner House MOMS

I am so honored to work with these great women. We have a great team of board members and volunteers who worked very hard to bring this fund raiser together. We had over 100 people at the event, which featured a wonderful dinner by the LeMont chefs and entertainment by The George Heid Trio, a world class jazz ensemble.

This is my REAL job, folks. The other stuff is a living. :-)

2008-10-12T20:52:00.011-04:00

Columbus and the Babes!

Well, Oma has really been slacking in the blog department! There is a lot going on with our home group; we've added some great new people! Besides that, the Jazz Explosion at LeMont event for Sojourner House is this Thursday, October 16. So I have been trying to help out with some last minute things there. And the Pittsburgh Symphony season has started! YAY! Greg and I got a few more concerts this year by changing our day and our seats. There are just lots of things going on.

We went to Columbus this weekend to see the chillun. Brian and Emily wanted to go together to the OSU vs. Purdue game on Saturday, so Opa and I got some quality time with Katy and David. It was a bunch of fun.

David is 6 months old and sitting up all by himself. He is such a smiley little guy. Even when he's "fussy," it hardly counts; it's more like mild complaining. Rarely does he have a problem that food and a clean diaper will not correct. You can see that he is a charmer just like his daddy.

David is now enjoying rice cereal for dinner each evening. This is quite an experience for both the feeder and the feedee. Every time I put some cereal in his mouth, he grabbed the spoon and tried to wrestle it away from me. I finally gave up and got another spoon so I could alternate and let him have one and then switch when he grabbed the next bite. I forgot to ask Emily if this is why she put two spoons out on the counter when she left. Maybe this is a common problem. Regardless, David ate almost all the cereal . . . well, except for the part that got on his face. I think they can get nutrients through the skin, too, can't they?

Katy, meanwhile, was keeping Opa busy reading books and taking walks. According to Opa, there was a lot more going on than walking out there! There were rocks to pick up and berries on bushes and cats to chase and all kinds of things to find. Who would guess that the neighborhood was so interesting? Oh, and Barney is kind of annoying, you know? I still like Elmo better in spite of his slightly squeaky voice.

Katy also managed to go upstairs and sneak up to her parents room and turn on the TV when we weren't watching. And there were some beads in a Ziploc bag inside a drawer in a nightstand in the guest bedroom that Katy ALSO found and managed to spill ALL OVER THE FLOOR. Opa and I had fun sweeping up THOSE puppies and trying to get them back into their bag. But it was a great reminder of how much energy a 2-year-old has and how quick they are.

On Sunday, I went along with Emily and Katy to the toddler gymnastics class over at the RPAC on campus. This was a lot of fun, and I got to see Craig and Pam and Jack. The class only lasted 30 minutes, but it was amazing to see how the instructor keep 10-15 toddlers busy and active and distracted the whole time.

Katy seemed to really like the running and jumping and climbing and walking on the balance beam and hanging by her arms from the bar. I got one good picture of her tuck and roll practice here. Things moved so fast that I had a hard time getting into position and snapping a picture before it was over.

Wheeeeeeee!!!!!!

Wasn't that fun?

Where's Jack?

2008-10-01T21:23:00.002-04:00

UPDATE!

I got a card today from Sharon! You remember . . . the friend who made my darling Alison print. We are looking forward to getting together to catch up on my next trip to the Dayton area. In the meantime, I'm adding the web site for the shop that Sharon and Lisa manage in Clifton. It's called Herbs and Lace. I can't wait to check it out in person.

I am off to the convention center tomorrow for the Pennsylvania Governor's Conference for Women. I will be working at the Zonta booth a couple of hours tomorrow, and then I hope to attend some of the workshops. They have so many good topics. I'll take my camera and post some pictures for you tomorrow. Stay tuned!

2008-09-25T20:31:00.003-04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD, GRANDPA, GREAT-GRANDPA!

84 YEARS YOUNG ON SEPTEMBER 26!

2008-09-25T19:33:00.006-04:00

Sharon, Alison, and the Gallery

Way back in my college days, I hung out a lot with Sharon. She graduated a couple of years ahead of me from Northwestern High School, where her mother was an art teacher. Sharon had her mother's passion for art and a lot of talent as well. She lived at home and went to Wright State back in the early days when lots of their art classes were held in places that looked a lot like farm out buildings. One of her favorite parts of the Fine Arts curriculum was the print making. Sharon used to etch the plates and print her own Christmas cards every year . . . and they were beautiful. Most of her prints were produced in quantities of 10 and 20; and I was lucky to get several signed and numbered copies as gifts. Hey! We were poor and made each other's gifts a LOT!

In the early seventies, I was attending Sinclair Community College and commuting into Dayton for my classes while Sharon was commuting to Wright State to complete her bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. We sometimes spent time on weekends going to art shows that Sharon was required to attend as part of a class. What I know about art, I absorbed by osmosis from Sharon. I also typed most of her papers since I was majoring in Executive Secretarial Science for my Associate degree. So when we weren't doing homework or going over to Yellow Springs to the Little Art Theater to see some artsy flick in a small, dark room filled with pot smoke, we went hiking in Glen Helen and swam in the pool at Sharon's house and drove to Fairborn to drink coffee and talk late into the night.

Sharon went on to get her Master's degree, and I got married and moved to Kettering. While Sharon was studying for her Master's, she did a drawing of a little girl named Alison. Sharon rented an upstairs apartment from a woman who took care of a couple of kids during the day. Alison was one of those children. The drawing of Alison was so neat that Sharon did an etching of it and made prints. A framed and matted copy of that print was a gift Sharon gave me . . . maybe it was a wedding present. I have always loved Alison, and she has been a part of every living space I have ever occupied. She makes me smile. She reminds me of a friendship that has faded but not been forgotten.

Alison has been hanging over the mantle in our family room here in Pittsburgh for 8 years. Recently, the print came loose from the mat that Sharon carefully cut. I took Alison down and had a double mat made to help bring out the print; but I kept the original frame since I know Sharon made it. My poor photography doesn't do her justice, but here she is! I moved her into the entry hall where I can see her up close when I walk through to the kitchen. Isn't she pretty?

I tried several times to get a better picture. But this is the best I could do. You'll just have to come over and see her for yourself.

To top it off, I was going through my desk about a month ago and found two other prints that Sharon had given me which I had never framed. Since Joann Fabric was having a special on custom framing, I took these two down and had them framed as well. They are hanging on the opposite side of the entry hall creating a little "Sharon Gallery" in my entry way.

This picture is me at about age 20. I think Sharon sketched this while I was typing one of her papers at my desk one evening . . . or early morning as the case may be. You can't see extremely well, but the print is done in a deep red, so I had the inside mat done to match.

The young woman at Joann Fabric who took my order and did this work was a young artist right out of school. She was delighted with how this turned out and was excited to be working with original art. (It sure beats Steeler memorabilia!)

This second print is some wild flowers that were probably sketched on one of our weekend hikes over at Englewood Dam. Sharon particularly liked trees for a while, but I don't seem to have any of those.

Sometimes on Sunday afternoons we would go to the print shop and I would study while Sharon carefully wiped the plates and made the prints. The students had to take turns with the equipment, and there were a lot of people trying to get their assignments done using the same stuff. The hours were weird.

Well, I still have at least one more print that I haven't had framed yet. I think it is in my cedar chest, and I will probably get it framed the next time I save up the money and get a coupon for some custom framing. I think the other one has a skeleton and an owl in it. That print will complete my collection. Of course, I did get Sharon's wood sculpture called "The Relationship" from my mother a few years ago. It has a place of honor in the living room next to (what else) the piano. :-)

I haven't heard from Sharon in many years although my mother has seen her a couple of times. When I got the gallery set up, I looked up an address for her on the internet and took a chance at sending her a card and a couple of pictures from the gallery. Of course, I sent her the address to the blog and an invitation to get back in touch. I hope I found an address that will reach its destination. It's never too late to find an old friend.

2008-09-21T15:03:00.020-04:00

Hilton Head in September!

Just got back from a cool week at the beach. It was a great vacation with the family, and the weather was perfect pretty much the whole time. Emily and Brian and their kids intersected with Melanie last Saturday in Beckley, West Virginia. She was coming back from a week in Williamsburg with Dad and Sue. Granny and Grandpa came to Pittsburgh on Friday and made the trek with us. We did a marathon drive of 12 hours pulling into Hilton Head at about 6 p.m. (Yes, we left at 6 o'clock in the morning.)

We stayed at Turtle Lane Club out on Sea Pines, and our place was on the second floor with a view of the ocean and a big porch that we enjoyed pretty much 24 hours a day. The water was really warm so late in the season. Here's a picture that Greg took on the beach on Saturday night when we first arrived. The sun was getting low, and David's hat is shadowing Granny's face. The rest of us are squinting.

This is Emily and David on our first beach walk on Saturday night. David got the prize for the best beach hats of the whole trip.

After we arrived, we started getting phone calls from Ohio saying that the wind had knocked out the electricity and there wouldn't be power for a number of days. It turned out that Em & Brian and Melanie were out until about Wednesday and Grandpa and Granny in New Carlisle didn't get their electricity restored until Saturday afternoon the 20th! So they missed the big excitement; and we were especially glad that Grandpa and Granny were with us since they have a well and would have been without water and everything all week. Our place had high winds, but the electricity just flicked and didn't go out. I think we are on a different power grid.

For the most part, we swam in the ocean, rode the bikes we rented all around, walked on the beach, read books, and generally relaxed all last week. We made one side trip to Savannah, Georgia, to visit the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, which is the unit Dad served in during World War II. This was a really nice little trip on Tuesday; and Dad bought our lunch at the Cracker Barrel on the way back to the beach. Otherwise, Greg made his beef stew (which is more like McHenry vegetable soup with gravy in it) and generally kept us well fed with French Toast in the morning and other treats in the evening. We ate pretty well and just made it out to Hudson's on the Dock our last evening for some amazing seafood.

Here is our week in a few pictures.

This was Tuesday morning on our way out to go to Savannah. Please note Dad's shirt, which I purchased for him on e-Bay specifically for this trip. I think it is the first shirt Dad has owned in about 40 years that is not a solid color. I did stay with 2 colors and made sure one of them was either blue or green. But our deal was that he needed a beach shirt and would wear it in public! He wore it TWICE! Once to the museum and again when we went out to eat on Friday!

This is Dad working with the librarian at the museum to find some of the pictures and books about his unit, the 445th. He updated his information in the database with more details. Some of the info was lost in a fire in St. Louis at an archive center.

Here is a picture of Dad in front of the museum for posterity. Mom is standing in the wing on the left.

Back at the beach, David liked to sit on Grandpa's lap and chew on things. (He is cutting his first two teeth.) Here he sports his second sun hat with Hilton Head on it.

Katy is a real water baby. She couldn't get enough of those waves . . . even when they knocked her down! We had a lot of fun running around playing in the water and . . . chasing those silly birds around, of course.

This was taken Friday night before we went to Hudson's. Emily has another family picture that has everyone in it which I'm sure she will post on her blog as soon as she recovers from the trip. She and Brian had the tripod and the camera with the timer.

It was truly a wonderful week! It is going to be hard to go back to work tomorrow after so much relaxation. The worst part is wearing shoes . . . . .

2008-09-11T21:11:00.003-04:00

Blogger Boredom

There is a lot of "stuff" going on right now, but it isn't interesting blog material. I have been doing a lot of cleaning. This is quite uncharacteristic for me. For this reason, I have been taking advantage of the burst of nervous energy to do things like dust and clean the woodwork. Is that pathetic? Is this why I have a blog to bore you with this kind of thing? It is sort of like the "nesting" urge you get when you are nine months pregnant and ready to go into labor. Well, obviously THAT isn't the cause of it!

It is especially pathetic to be in a cleaning frenzy when you consider that we are talking about tearing up some of the floor in our kitchen and replacing it. You KNOW what kind of dust and dirt this will generate. Right? So why am I bothering to clean? Oh, well! It really does look nice.

The funniest thing that has happened this week is that there was a post-it note stuck to the wall today by one of my co-workers. Our women's restroom has two doors with a little hallway between them for privacy like many of them have. It seems that in spite of the fact that the trash can for your paper towels in right next to the exit door in the restroom, someone is in such a hurry that they consistently dry their hands and throw the towel against the wall next to the second door out of the restroom heading into the work area. The post-it note struck me as humorous, so I went back to my desk and got my cell phone so I could take a picture of it. I present it here for your entertainment.

That'll learn 'em!

The post-it note . . . only e-mail can surpass it for delivering bombs to your co-workers and taking out your aggressions on them. At least all the words are spelled right.

2008-09-01T21:17:00.005-04:00

Happy Labor Day

I have been really wanting to do some fix up around the house. A lot of the main floor hasn't had any maintenance or changes since we moved in eight years ago. The walls in the kitchen and family room area where we spend all our time were white, and the curtains were "Early American Blue" made by the previous owner. They were fine, but everything was looking pretty worn and dirty.

Enter Sherwin Williams 30% off paint sale!!!! I had found some paint samples last weekend when I was cleaning out my desk, and I really liked a couple of them for the kitchen and family room. So Saturday morning I made a trip to Sherwin Williams and got the paint - - - three gallons. The kitchen paint is called "Pale Brick". The color I got for the family room and hallway to the front door is a Martha Stewart color called "Hatband." I would call it a light taupe. Regardless, Greg helped me remove switch plates, take down the curtains, mask around the woodwork, and move the furniture out after lunch on Saturday. Then I proceeded to paint the kitchen. It turned out so great! The color really brings out the grain in the cabinets.

On Sunday we went to church and then went to our good friends' house to celebrate Bill's birthday. Susie made a killer meatloaf with all the trimmings. She also loves to decorate cakes. For Bill's birthday, she made him a Popcorn Cake . . . complete with Orville Reddenbocker's on the top. I took this photo with my cell phone; quality isn't good---but you get the idea!

Today I worked on the family room and finished all the actual painting by about 1 o'clock. Then it took Greg and I both a couple of hours to vacuum and remove the masking tape and put the room back together. Then we went off to Home Depot to get a new blind for the window. And by 8 this evening, the place looked like this! I'm pretty happy.

But now, I'm just going to go up and sit in my nice, fresh family room. Time to relax a bit before jumping back into the grind tomorrow.

2008-08-25T21:14:00.005-04:00

Making Stuff - - - WOO HOO!!!

Oma has been making stuff the last few days. First there was a necklace to go with Melanie's new shoes! When we went shopping last weekend, Melanie bought the most audacious, wonderful, green flats on the planet at DSW. They are so nice, that one of her roommates suggested they would be just great with something as plain as a khaki skirt and a white shirt and ------TA DA ----- a GREEN NECKLACE! Since all of Melanie's jewelry was stolen last year (another story), she needed a green necklace. So I promptly came home and laid out some green beads on my bead board. I only needed a few smaller (5mm) beads for the ends. So off I went to Joann Fabrics to get these. You can see the amazing results.

With the necklace on its way, I turned my attention to the little, fleece jacket I had cut out for David for fall. Several weeks ago, I made a trip to Joann Fabrics on my way home from Giant Eagle to pick up a separating zipper for the front of this little hoodie. I got a 7" just like the one I got for Katy's jacket when she was small. Well, Saturday I put the jacket together. When I got ready to put in the zipper, it was TOO SHORT! I forgot that Katy's jacket was a 6 month size. David's is a 12 month, and it needs a 10" zipper. So yesterday on the way home from church, Greg stopped at Joann Fabric (again) to let me buy a 10" zipper. Later in the afternoon, I went to put in the zipper and finish the jacket. IT WASN'T A SEPARATING ZIPPER!!! I GOT THE WRONG THING!!! So tonight on the way home from work I stopped AGAIN at Joann Fabric and carefully bought a 10" separating zipper. I finally finished the jacket, which is being worn here by one of Melanie's favorite playmates of old, Jonathon. Jonathon and his sister, Gina, were Melanie's "twins." They were often found reading books or watching TV or taking naps in various parts of the house when Melanie was small. Now they model baby clothes and wait patiently for children to come and play with them. Jonathon is also wearing a bracelet that Oma found for Katy the next time she sees her. And if you know anybody who needs a couple of black zippers, I can save them a trip to Joann's.

Oma also made a pair of slacks yesterday for herself, which turned out very well. They are navy blue, and I wore them to work today. I still have another pair of slacks to make and another hemming project. Then it will probably be time to think about Halloween costumes!

What does Opa do while I am sewing? He reads books and cuts grass and buys things on E-Bay! One of the things that he has gotten into recently has been "California Shirts" inspired by Jimmy, one of the drummers at our church who recently returned from several years in California. Jimmy has that Miami Vice thing going with the shirts; and Greg has been having a great deal of fun buying short sleeved, cotton print California shirts. Last week he told me about getting the winning bid on a truly amazing shirt. He couldn't wait for it to arrive and watched the mailbox for days in anticipation. Well, it's here. I have to agree. It is truly AMAZING! Jimmy has met his match.

How would this one look with a bow tie? What color bow tie would you WEAR with this?

2008-08-21T20:28:00.003-04:00

A Tribute to David!

Oma is not up to speed on little boys after all the girls in the family. But I have to admit that David is introducing me to a whole new world of clothes and toys and special times. At 4-1/2 months, his personality is really starting to emerge. And his ready smile always make me want to scoop him up and kiss those adorable cheeks.

If you are into Star Wars, David is R2D2 to Katy's C3PO. He kind of gurgles along making pleasant sounds and surprises you with his newest trick while Katy gets excited and talks a mile a minute. You kind of expect Luke Skywalker to stride in at any moment. But actually, the droids are enough entertainment without the rest of the cast.

When I was in Columbus last weekend, I recorded a short video of Katy and David that kind of illustrates my point. I think you'll enjoy this!

So come on, all you mommy's and oma's with little boys! Give me some pointers on the most fun toys and things that I can look forward to here! I am really terrible when it comes to balls and eye-hand coordination in the large motor area. (I play golf because it was the only game I could find where the ball lies still on the ground until you go hit it again.) Should I get David some golf clubs . . . or should I wait until he can stand up first? Men make fantastic pianists with their big, strong hands. Maybe Brian will share that toy chain saw I got at "Once Upon a Child" when Katy was little.

Give me some help here . . . you can see I'm struggling, can't you?

2008-08-17T21:36:00.006-04:00

Random Rambling . . . Stan & Abby's New House . . .

This weekend I made a quick trip over to Columbus to celebrate Melanie's birthday with her (a little late). We went shopping at Easton on Saturday evening and then met Drew for dinner at P.F. Chang's. On the way back to town, we stopped at United Dairy Farmer's and got our dessert. ICE CREAM!!!! It was SWEET (as Brian would say).

Here is a video of Katy from this morning to show that I got my fix of Oma kisses.

When I got home, I got an e-mail from Abby with a picture of their new house . . . from the FRONT so you can actually see what it looks like! Isn't this awesome?

She also sent some new pictures of Gabe, and I can't resist posting one of those because I haven't seen him for a couple of months. He's growing and getting sooooo big!

The end. (I told you it was random!)

2008-08-10T09:32:00.004-04:00

Welcome Home, Stan, Abby & Gabe!

You may remember a post a few months ago about a visit from my niece, Abby, and her husband, Stan, and son, Gabe. Well, they have been living in the Akron area for a year or so; and last week they bought a great new house with a couple of acres where their kids and pets can play!

I'm sure we will get some better pictures in the future, but for now-----

Pretty cool, huh? Congratulations, guys!