Sunset in Ocean City

We had an overnight in Ocean City with son Larry and his family. While we didn't get to enjoy one of those famous and gorgeous colorful sun-sets, we did see one stunning in its on right, and even better, we got to spend some quality time with Larry, Colleen, Larry 4 and Julia.
We thank them most sincerely for their hospitality, and yes, Sue, Colleen did cook for us! :)

Iced Tea only $3.00 !

We caught wind in the neighborhood that there was a super cool iced tea stand set up on York Road just a couple of blocks away, so we dashed right over. These entrepreneurs were very obliging...changing their original price from $3 to 25 cents so we each had a refreshing glass of iced tea. What a nice break from a hot and humid day!

Kick it off on the Patio

We got through a three day (count 'em 3!) week and finally arrived at our 4 day weekend! In order to encourage me Larry e-mailed "how about we eat out on the patio tonight" knowing this is just the carrot this old lady needs to make it through the day. We got to one of our favorite places, Tutti Toscani just about a mile and a half from the house, and as we walked in the door we began the de-stressing process. Ambiance, smiles and music.....what a welcome! Like we've come home.
As always, we chose to eat "on the patio" bordered by a tiny, bountiful garden and fig trees, anchored by a wishing well, and the ambiance is everything you need to transplant you to Italia - to another, easier, more relaxed way of living. No matter the temperatures elsewhere, there is usually a lovely breeze and you just wouldn't know you are in a shopping center's parking lot.....trust me....you are transported.
Lar is looking to kick off our much deserved and very much anticipated few days off with a fine meal and a glass or two of red. He wasn't disappointed. Anna Maria, the heart and soul of the place, always welcomes with a smile and we have come to think of her as family....after all, we are eating on her patio!

Lar had the raviolies, and while he relished them, I had no second thoughts about my choice. I enjoyed - with gusto - the herb encrusted salmon over - be still my heart! - broccoli raab. It was a meal fit for a king - or in my case - a queen. It felt and tasted as good for me as it was. Yum! The original menu listing did not call for the heavenly greens, that was my choice. Nice thing about the chef at Tutti Toscani - if they can, they will accommodate in any way.

So we are home now, we are sated by good food and good wine and thanks to Tutti Toscani, we have quite properly kicked off our mini- vacation.

Bumper Stickers

I saw two interesting bumper stickers today - both on the same car.
One read

God is too Big to fit into any one religion"

and the other

Just remember you are unique - just like everybody else"

And I just had to agree.

Don't you?

A Borrowed Question......

clicking blogs this morning with breakfast coffee I found a question on someones blog that resonated with me .....

are you really "tired" or just "tired-of"?
see http://www.wellbeinginstyle.com/

That is so true for me. People often comment about and to me at work, "what, are you cold?" And I realize I've shrunk down into a sweater or jacket, wrapping my arms about myself, almost shivering. I'm cold, I think, and I'm tired!
But then I get a call to go downstairs to meet someone, or I'm asked to go to another part of the building to do an errand, and within seconds the chill is gone and the tiredness has lifted.
Lunch time comes and I don't feel the energy to leave the office. I gather things up, kind of drag myself to the car, and the sun, the air hit me and I want to run! My heart fills with the appreciation of the day, I breathe deeply, and the tired shell around me cracks and falls away.
So I think that it is a concept - this tiredness. After all, I am not a farmer's wife...I've not plowed and seeded and fed the chickens and milked the cows before dawn. I've showered, dressed, and driven in to sit behind a desk.
I am not "tired"!
I am tired-of.....tired of routine, of walking (driving) away for my home wherein lie so many things I love, - my books, my quilts, my scrapping, my husband (tho' he has left too for his desk), even my cleaning which I've always loved doing.
I'll need to work on this perception. I'll need to stop saying the word "tired" and say, instead, "getting an opportunity to experience new things."
That might help.

Sunday Morning

Reunion July 18 2009

What a wonderful day, yesterday! We'd set up this reunion a few weeks ago and the time couldn't fly by fast enough for either of us! We were going to see my "big sister" from nursing school (Methodist Hospital - Philadelphia c. 1961-2) and Lar's best friend from high school (Lincoln High - Philadelphia) for the first time in probably 35 or more years. I mean to tell you - we were so excited.
True to the spirit of good friends, the minute they drove up to the house at about 1700 hours we picked up the conversation as if we had left the room for a minute. Isn't it wonderful what the spirit and the heart can do to overcome that crazy concept of time?
We talked and caught up, had dinner, sat outside and talked more, shared pictures and memories, and before we knew it 7 hours had slipped by. And we simply did not want them to leave. I think we both had the fear it would time warp into another 35 years and we wouldn't be here in time for the next reunion!
I think I might love the magical thing of friendship more than most any gift God bestows. It reaches across miles and time and surmounts any hardship. Say it outloud "Friendship" and it gives a golden glow on the darkest day.
These two boys spent so many happy hours together during their teens - at McFaddens Bar watching Maris hit his 61st homerun (breaking the Babe'srecord) and throughout that season, at Ray's house with his mom feeding them, playing his hockey game, playing wireball, wallball, pimpleball with broomsticks, homerun derby, picnics, school functions, they doubled at the Prom. It was so nice to have them back together again.

We Apologize for the Temporary Breakdown in Communications....

Goodness what a day!
Well, actually, the "day" itself wasn't bad....I enjoyed it for the most part and the evening should be even better.
But boy did I screw one thing up.
And it sounds like Keystone Kops only worse!
I had a death notice to put out.
When I received the information it was sketchy at best.
I had a dozen other jobs on my desk and on my mind, but I searched out the Funeral Home on line and thought I'd found the person who had passed.
I printed out their information and read it.
No mention of the family name I was looking for - the family name of employees for whom I was issuing the notice, a father and son.
Decided I had something wrong. And then I found just a first name - no last - as a step son, so I figured that out.
I created the notice and sent it to my boss to approve it. I also included the paperwork I'd accumulated trying to decipher the thing.
He brought out the paper work to me, scratching his head, and I explained what I'd figured out. OK, says he.
At about midnight last night I realized that that probably meant it was good to go, but it hadn't, I had neglected to send it out.
This morning early one of the other bosses asked me about it and I replied, "oh thanks for reminding me - it'll go right out"
and it did.
Unproofed, it turns out.
I got the first call from yet another boss. Seems I'd had an id # correct in the title, but flip-flopped the numbers down in the body of the notice.
I assumed (you know what that does!) that he hadn't seen anything else wrong.
I sent an apology out to all for the typo. (Turns out I hit two p's and spelled it appology!)
The second error was found later by a secretary. It seems my auto correct had changed Friday to the day I typed it....Tuesday!
So I sent out yet another corrected version. (these are going to about 225 people or more!)
And then I got the e-mail.
Seems I'd had the relationship correct in the title, too, but in the body I'd left out the "step-father" so what I'd done is made the deceased the grandfather of his step-son and his grandson. "I'm my own grandpa?"
This time I laughed. I moaned a little too.
And I went to lunch and had a Gelato - for lunch - it was delish and I don't care!!!

I Hereby "Un-Friend" You!

Have you ever un-friended someone?
I have. And it wasn't easily done, but having done it, I feel better.
It might be that all the hype about "de-junking" one's life has sunk in, finally. I realize I am parting with more and more superfluous belongings. It really does make you feel lighter.
So now I've gone and parted ways from a distant relative on Facebook.
What happened was, she put it out there for everyone on her list to reach out and grab the nearest book of any kind. She stressed one should not try to make it a special book, an "intellectual" book, but simply the first closest book one could lay a hand on. Then we were to turn to a specific page, and on that specific page, count down 5 sentences and type that sentence.
I thought, well, what the heck....I'm game.
I reached out for the first book at hand - happened to be THE GENEROUS YEARS by Chet Huntley.
I found the page, and the sentence and I was all agog! What mystical message might it hold for me?

"They had gone there a few months earlier to dispose of
a farm which Grandma's father had willed to her."

What?
I read it again. Ummm, nothing.
Yet, in the good spirit of the game, I typed that out on Facebook.
And over the hours that followed I began to see.
That distant relative and some of her friends all had nothing but the "Good Book" on their desks!
Bible verse after Bible verse appeared...tho' I'm wondering how they can all be so different...shouldn't some of the same page, same sentence read the same?
But anyway. I began to see.
I apparently am a heathen. I remember hearing about them. I didn't know they never had their Bible on their desk, right by the computer...but apparently that is the case.
So, I "un-friended" her...lest I offend with my heathenism.
I'm going to go get my Bible from where I actually read it now....and place it very inconveniently, next to the computer.
Someone might ask me to play that game again sometime!
NOTE: should someone soon leave me a farm, and I go there....I'll take this lady back as a distant cousin and a FB friend!!!

Who Guards the Guardians?

It's just plain difficult to think of a day more bruising. I've lived quite a long time, and there are few days that have used me up and spit me out like this one!
We have had, at my workplace, a loss that has broken hearts. A young man just 30 years of age. A young man who should have had many years yet ahead of him.
Instead, we had his funeral today.
We left work at about 10 and drove to the funeral parlor.
Fire trucks lined the street. Police cars and fire vehicles blocked traffic.
Uniforms were standing about whereever one looked.
This beautiful young man had been a volunteer fireman, and a police officer for 8 years.
He had touched so many lives.
So many loved him.
So many left with questions.
So many left with broken hearts.
His mother was a pillar of strength it is hard to explain. As a row of young friends stood at the casket saying their last goodbyes, she stood near them - waiting.
And as each one turned to walk away, she quietly embraced them, said a personal word in their ears, made them smile and left them with a bit of her strength. I don't know where she got it to give.
When the viewing was completed, he was carried past rows and rows of uniforms, all standing at attention. His casket bore the banner of his department. It also bore the tears of so many.
His young wife of just a few years looked as if she would simply melt away into a small spot where her tears had fallen. Fragile, broken, she only made the walk to the car with the assistance of others. Her parents, touching, holding, bearing her up as I am sure they did when she was a baby. She seems even more needing of them today.
His Mass of Christian Burial is concelebrated by at least seven - SEVEN! - priests - all of whom knew him and his family.
His little brother spoke of his big brother, his guardian, his defender. He asked, "who guards the guardians?" And concluded, "no one - for they are the guardians."
The church could not have held another person. I cannot even guess how many were in attendance.
This child...this golden child....this man who had such dear friends, so many who loved him.
It was truly one of the hardest days I've lived.
And yet, I was blessed to have known him.
God bless you, my boy, perhaps your job was completed...and perhaps your brothers and sisters will be in need of your continued guardianship. And that you will give it, I have no doubt.

A Friend in Need

We have so missed our little screen getaway since a wind storm tore it up into a tangle of metal, screen and plastic.

Lar found one on sale and got a great deal on it last week, and we stood looking at the box on the garage floor, wondering if we could indeed get it up and together by ourselves.

Last one we had Larry 3 and 4 with us, we had fun together and got it up. And it is surely a job for more than the two of us.

Then, wonder of wonders, something that has rarely happened to us.

Lar got a phone call out of the blue from the husband of a friend. Craig said his wife told him that we had got the screen house, and since he was pretty familiar with putting them up and taking them down, he'd love to come help!

When we had picked ourselves up off the ground, Lar called him back to say,

YES! PLEASE!!

We have our screen house back, and we are loving it!

First night, wind storm! But it weathered well.

"I am a Member......."

........to quote a young man I know.......
"of "an obese and out of shape nation.......

and no wonder! To escape thinking about an elderly friend who is fighting for life, and a young one who has taken his own, I sit here clicking and doing my best not to think.

But anyway, found some good sites:

Military – Custom mades
http://pietasadpatria.blogspot.com/

Multi-layered site of paintings through travel – this one is Wales…dear to my heart
http://paintingwalesdiary.blogspot.com/

“Artists Who Blog” and to top it off, some great pix from Germany!
http://stephanielevy.blogspot.com/

And now I will slip back into reality, into work clothes, into actually using my brain, perhaps using my body and see where that gets me.

Have a good, thoughtful, moving day.....use it, or lose it!

More Clicks and a Couple of Clacks

Tough day today....lots gone wrong, worries about darling granddaughter, work snafus....
all in all, a day I'll say goodnight to happily.
Found a few more interesting blog sites....

For unique, gorgeous artistry – handcrafted jewelry, etc.
http://saltycatco.blogspot.com/

science…interesting – bleeding of crabs etc.
http://thisblogconserves.blogspot.com/


phenom photos! Worth a glance at least
http://averyandphotography.blogspot.com/

Goodnight.

Clicking Life By

Have you ever mindlessly just clicked through blogs....seeing what might be of interest?
I do it a lot when I am rebelling against whatever else I should be doing.
Today I found the following blogs that were worth talking about for one reason or another....
by posting them here, I will be able to remember them, and you might find one or more interesting too:

selfless
http://kindliving.blogspot.com/

stunning photos – scroll down to Thurs. July 2 to be stunned!
http://masvideoproductions.blogspot.com/

wanna see what a camera can do – especially with children? Just lovely photos….
Can’t read it, but sure can appreciate the pix!
http://irmainstyle.blogspot.com/

wine info…I’ll go back and look more in depth sometime
http://luxurious.whatsoever.hk/

outrageously beautiful scrapping kits – for charity, the author’s autistic son
http://scrapofangeldesign.blogspot.com/

Free Fourth

My brother Bill just before leaving for Viet Nam.

My Dad, Charles William Davis
My Uncle, Thomas Roushey
My cousin, Donald Miers
My brother, Charles Lewis Davis
Dad

To everyone who built upon the freedoms established over 200 years ago, I thank you.
Have a happy, healthy 4th of July - and stop to think upon the phenomenon of our free nation (whatever its weakness and faults).
And thank God.

Six Degrees

We went this evening to Haddonfield to eat outside at the Corner Bistro and listen to the music of First Friday. It was a perfect evening to eat outside and the food was yummy - a Mediteranian Appetizer plate of humus and other tasty dips and warmed pita tips...then me a salad with Tuscan roasted veggies and Lar a Ceasar salad....red wine we'd byob'd.....relaxing.
Then we strolled a while and discovered our favorite Brit Shop has moved to digs much bigger....lots more lovely things to touch, smell, and even buy! Had a dreamy time in there...dredging up memories.
On up the street where an artist was showing her wares....art work that we really enjoyed...and we began to talk to her.
She was born in Stroudsburg PA.
I was born in E. Stroudsburg PA.
My mother was a nurse in East Stroudsburg General Hospital.
Her mother was a nurse in same place, but a few years later when they'd changed their name to Pocono Medical Center.
I went into nursing.
She went into nursing.
I injured my back during nursing school. I left nursing.
She inured her back while nursing. She left the field too. She is disabled, on a cane.
I'm not, thank God.
She has become an artist.
I haven't.
But maybe I just haven't found my talent as yet.

Very cool conversation with a really cool lady.

Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This

Had my first fairly decent night's sleep in a while. I don't sleep well...never do. I go to sleep nicely, peacefully, sleep for about 2 - 3 hours and wake up suddenly....fully....wide eyed....usually 2 AM. No matter what I do, I am then awake for 2 - 3 hours again. Alarm (coffee grinder) goes off at 6 and I have usually been asleep about 1 - 2 hours by then. This time my awake period was only about 1/2 hour and I'd slept deeply.
I should have known!
Got to work early! That doesn't happen much.
Got to my desk and was met with the news that my dearest friend had been rushed to hospital. And that she had apparently been diagnosed with lung cancer, tho she hadn't told me.
I took a few minutes to get my thoughts together and called her husband.
He'd just got home from hospital. I got as much as I could from him and offered to go right to hospital but he said no.
It was a long day until it got to be 2 and time for me to leave for the day. Early dismissal from work for holiday.
Went right to the hospital.
Went to front desk. No, she was still in ER.
Walked around to ER. No, not there. But the little surly girl (looked 14) soon gave in to my sense of humor (thanks Lar!) and started making phone calls and discovered Peg had been taken into surgery.
Back to main desk to get pass to waiting room where I found Bill. He is well into his 80's and looked so forlorn as I walked in.
Our eyes locked and his face began to brighten....he began to smile...he stood and hugged me and said "I should have known you'd come." That touched me.
We waited two long hours together until he was finally called to see her briefly in the hall as they took her through to a room.
When he turned away from her gurney and walked back in to the waiting room his face was young. His love for her glowed outward from his smile. Again, I was so deeply touched.
We waited a bit more and finally he was called to go to her room.
We hugged, I sent my love, and I left the hospital.
I had an appointment to go get my shingles vaccine. Closing the barn, so to speak.
(Old saying "closing the barn door after the horse is gone" - I've had shingles)
I came home, washed up and left for Dr. As I drove, I saw Bill pass by on the way home. I swung the car around and followed him home.
I checked on him, he felt confident that she was resting and in good hands.
I left to go to the Dr.
I got my shot. I discussed the sleeping problems.
But sleeping problems seem pretty petty. My friend is ill. My friend who is in her 80's and fragile...and so important to me...and such a love in the life of Bill...she is ill, in hospital...
that's important...that's what is putting tears in my eyes tonight.
God Bless, Peg...sleep well, heal up...fight it off...let's go to dinner together soon. I love you.

My Advice - In Case Someone Ever Asks!

I was on someones blog this morning and this lovely little graphic, which I found impossible to copy over read

REMEMBER THE LITTLE THINGS BECAUSE ONE DAY YOU WILL LOOK BACK AND FIND THEY WERE THE BIG THINGS

That struck me as valuable advice. Advice I probably would not have appreciated when I was young. I had my eye on bigger things.
I wanted to do big things.
I wanted to experience big things.
I wanted to make a big difference....a good difference, but big.
I wanted to read a million books.
I wanted to meet a million people.
I wanted my life to have mattered in a big way.
I wanted truly big things for those I loved.
I wanted big changes
big trips
big hugs
big drama like in the movies.

Well, dear reader, big time has gone by.
And my big tears have fallen.
And my big dreams have died.

What I cherish now are the things I thought were little things once upon a time.
I cherish those little ones who were my siblings. I go back and think on who they were, how much they needed, how little they got.
I cherish the time when I was about 7 and was sent down to stoke the furnace and found a tiny mouse in a trap. I got a stick of some kind and pried the trap open and let the mouse out. And I cherish that my Dad and Mom didn't get mad. They laughed.
I cherish quiet, unbelievably hot days on the farm with Aunt Edna and Uncle Fred. Nothing happening, just walking the fields, helping with haying. And finding kittens down the well. I got a bucket and ran it down and bailed those kittens out. I cherish that although Uncle Fred had actually thrown them down the well...common farm practice....he didn't tell me that. He simply smiled and made me feel good about myself.
I cherish sitting by myself in the little church praying by myself ... the perfection of churchly silence...the smell of old hymnals...the dusty sun rays slanting over the pews....the tiny sounds of church mice.
I cherish the muddy, wormy smell of the river. Lying in its water, looking up at the sky...dreaming and wondering and not wanting for a thing in the moment...just being, one with the water...just letting go and being lost in time.
I cherish picking or being led to pick the perfect place to go away to the road that would lead to my future husband. The one man my soul would recognize.
I Cherish the moment we met...to go ice skating...to skate on together forever.
I cherish the three bits of our hearts together who grew apart from us.

I cherish every little moment that make up my life...and I barely remember what I once thought were the big things.