Saturday, July 1, 2006

I'm sure you know I watched the Mets defeat the Yankees on Fox TV.  Sun. nite they're on ESPN.  The Mets are hitting again, thank goodness!  Tonite I'll watch the Braves.  I'm anxious to hear what the Brave announcers have to say now that the Mets won.  Whenever the Mets lose, they think the Braves will beat them.  I'm hoping it is just wishful thinking but in baseball you never can tell.

This A.M. I was up at 6 A.M.  I wanted to bake before it got too hot.  I made the usual coffee cake, baked a crust for a strawberry pie & finished baking the choc. cooky dough from the freezer.

At lunch I asked Dale for menu suggestions.  The only one gave me was pizza.  So I ordered pizza for supper, made a salad & had strawberry pie for dessert.

Last Thurs. nite Barb was going to fix herself a cup of tea before going to bed.  The microwave made a funny noise -- it gave up the ghost.  Fri. when we went to the Mall, we looked for a micro &^ found one we liked at Kmart.  A Kenmore & the front is easier to read & I like that.  So we bo't it & used my Sears charge card.  It is set up & I like it a lot.

Sheila was telling me the author of "Marley & Me" is coming to Warren Oct. 16.  In Dec. the book wasn't a hit aty first.  Our library decided to contact him & ask him to speak in Warren.  They finally heard & our library was the first to contact him so he said he'd come here for $6,000.  He didn't have an agent then & hadn't signed a contract.  And then the book got very popular & he was in demand.  So our library wondered if he'd come.  They finally heard he would come for the $6,000.  But now he has an agent & his fee would be $12,000.  So Warren is very lucky to get him so cheaply.  I bet Kim will want to go.

When we came home freom the Mall -- now we have to use 3rd Ave, bridge work -- we noticed a new awning on the old Foreman grocery store, now the GOP headquarters.  On the front lap of the awning is R.E.P.U.B.L.I.C.A.N. HQ's in big letters.  I teased Barb & said she'd have to see that whenever she goes over town.

Fri when I turned to Buffalo NBC TV for teh news they were talking & showing pictures of a tornado that hit Cheektowaga at 3 pm.  No one was killed but a big truck overturned but cars didn't.  Trees & wires down but not a lot of damage to buildings.  The roof was blown off the Subway store roof.

It finally dried out enough so Dale moved the lawn.  Fri several neighbors around us moved their lawns.  It was plenty long with all the rain & yet we were lucky not to have the flooding.
 
The hanging baskets on the porch are looking so good.  In fact so do the pots & the veggie garden.  

Sun. aft.

Do you remember Cindy DeChano who is very active at St. Paul?  Her daughter Lisa was in church this A.M.  She wears "heels" & is at least 6 foot tall & looks so good.  She is a professor at a college in San Marcos, Tx the last I heard.  They also have a son who also lives in Texas.

Last nite Barb was grumbling -- "I don't know why he has to be there," meaning V. Pres Cheney.  She wanted to watch the NASCAR race & he was a guest of the announcers.  She couldn't listen to him!  She is another G.O.P. hater!

She also had another gripe.  We have a noisy bird in the area & it drives her crazy.  Just like the tick tock of the clock in the living room.  She can't ignore it.  Half of the time I never heard the bird or the clock.  And that doesn't mean I'm losing my hearing.  I don't let it bother me.

I'm watching women's golf.  Michelle Wie is playing & I like to watch her.  I also like to see the outfits the women wear, esp. the young ones.

July 5th

We had a quiet 4th.  It was a cool, showery A.M. but they had the parade, etc.  We had steak, salad & potato salad on the 4th.  Have to celebrate a little.  I watched a PBS special "A Capital Fourth" & enjoyed it.  Jason Alexander was the host & talented.  Didn't realize he could dance & sing.  I've gotten to recognize him through the Seinfeld program.   I'm getting very familiar with all of the repeats.  Dale's choice when we eat at 6 pm.

Today is cooler & no humidity.  Just perfect.

Tomorrow Barb plans to go to Wegman's for groceries, so I decided to finish this letter so she can mail it.  Got ambitious & wrote to Millie.

Been thinking of both of you a lot this week with all the things you need to accomplish for your Sat. party.  I know JoAnna has a lot of foods to prepare.  After Sat. she won't want to think of any food preparations for awhile.

Didn't realize I didn't finish the 3rd page.

Guess I'll check the mail box & get things ready for lunch.

P.S./  I scared myself this A.M.  I couldn't find my purse & looked all over for it.  I knew it was in the house as I have the charge slip for the microwave.  Finally found it in the living room by the one chair that I nap on.  Looked there once but it was a dark corner.  Found it the 2nd time around.

Monday, July 4, 2005

I'm sitting on the front porch enjoying the cool breezes before it warms up.

I'm up early every A.M.  Rolled out & baked a crust & made a strawberry pie.  Cleaned up the dishes, got dressed & watered the flower pots. 

Dale is taking a shower & Barb is still in bed.

At 6 AM, the "booms" went off at Beaty Field to announce the 4th of July.  Parade at 10.

To me it is just another day.  I'll change Dale's bed & do a couple of loads of wash.  I'm sure you both are busy with party preparations.

Sat. was such a nice day.  Fri. I set Danish & when I looked around 8 pm the dough was to the top of the pan.  So I decided to finish them Fri nite.  Sat. A.M. I made a coffee cake & chocolate cake.  We have plenty of desserts.  The cones we like are on sale this week so Barb got 2 pkg yesterday.  Am I getting fat?  Oh yes when Courtney came for dinner she brought a box of my favorite chocolates.  Russell Stover hard centers.  I will get fat.

We went to the Mall on Fri & went into the shoe store where shoes are cheaper.  Barb bo't a pair of light tan mules.  Naturalizer 39.99.  She like them so much she went back & bo't a pair of brown ones.  Her favorite phrase "I don't need anything".  BUT!

Congratulations to Ed for making the honor roll.  You can see now why we wanted you to make it.  I think Andy did every well, except one, on his grades. 

Watched baseball Sun. & will today but the results aren't very satisfying.  The result of the players for the All Star game will make some fans & players unhappy, while others are very happy.  I'm not sure the Mets centerfielder should have been chosen after the season he's having.  They're choosing on past experiences. 

What a thrill having the Gov. at your party.  JoAnna has "earned it" with her dedication.  What Nelson relatives will be there, if any.

Guess I'll go have a 2nd cup of coffee.  We had steak yesterday & will have burgers tonite.

Later in the day

My afternoon ended with joy -- the Mets beat the Wn. Nationals 503.  Finally a win for the Mets & a loos, finally, for the Nats.  Now I'll watch the Cubs at the Braves. 

We haven't been to the library for awhile, so I asked Barb if she had any books I might like to read.  I'm reading "Young Patriots" by Charles Cerami about the starting of uniting the colonies under one gov't & very interesting.  About Alexander Hamilton & James Madison.  I can't skim on this book & I'm enjoying it.

Barb is riding her bicycle for the 2nd time today.

Yesterday I also made 6 jars of strawberry jam using Surejell.  I used up all the jam I made last year.

There was an interesting article in the Sun. Buffalo paper concerning Niagara Falls, U.S.  Niagara Falls, Ont. is going full steam ahead with hotels, casinos, etc. & attracting the visitors.  Buff. & N. Falls, U.S. fight each other about who gets the money, fame etc. instead of working together to make the Falls a better place to visit.  When we visited there, we always preferred the Canadian side.  We'd see even more sights if we visited now.

We have a lot of blueberries on our bush.  That makes Dale happy as he likes them on his cereal.  They are 2 for $4.00 at BiLo, pints.  Barb got some for me & they are very good.

Thurs A.M. July 7

I'm on the porch enjoying  the nice morning & will finish this letter.  Tomorrow we hope to go to Jamestown & I'll mail it there.

This A.M., I made a pecan pie.  When I made the strawberry pie, I did what Barb wanted -- made the crust using butter substitute & used it in the crust.  Didn't like it at all.  This A.M., I went the complete opposite & used Pillsbury pie crust.  It's faster.

Then I got the garbage out & watered all the pots of flowers.

Dale tho't he could wear his work uniform twice but last nite he said it got too dirty, so he did a load of his dark clothes.  He knows I don't like to work after supper.  Good experience for him.

The Mets beat the Nats last nite & took the series.  Tonite they are in Pittsburgh so I can watch the game on the Pitts. channel we get.  I was happy that Jeter (Yankees) didn't get the last spot.  A Chicago White Sox was chosen.  Nasty, aren't I.  I'm referring to the All Star game -- I'm sure you realize that.

Tonite I'm using a new recipe.  It calls for penne, broccoli, zucchini which you cook the last 5 minutes in  the penne mixture.  Saute onion, garlic in olive oil.  Add some (tom) spaghetti sauce, add shrimp & finally mix it all together.  Barb thought it sounded good.  Time will tell.

I better go inside.  Something is making my nose run.  Developed an allergy or something in my old age!  And it's coffee time.

Later.

The kitchen is cleaned up so I'll finish this letter.  They liked my penne-shrimp dinner.  They think I could increase the veggies & I agree.  Barb thought the shrimp "tasted real good".  It's a dinner I can make again.  Always nice to have a little variety in the menu. Very easy to make.

Now Torey's front paws are cracked & sore.  He limps around & still he has to go on long walks.  He will be 13 in the fall.  He wears socks on his front paws now.

Kim said she noticed in The Guide, which is seldom delivered to us -- no one to do it, that a house in the 300 block on Conewango was sold.  She doesn't know if it is Frank's or Collins's.  We should soon know -- see evidence of a move. 

Now your party is over.  It is a lot of work but I'msure it brings a lot of happy memories.

Sunday, July 4, 1999

How are you surviving the weather.  The 90's are too warm for me.  We kept the A.C. on late nite & will tonite as it doesn't cool off much.  I stay inside.  We have had some rain, much needed rain.

We don't take in any of the Fourth activities, except to hang the flag on the porch.  I watched the Mets get beat again on Sat.  I still have hopes for today.

Last nite Nascar had a race & I watched part of that before going to bed.

How is the reunion.  I'll be anxious to read about it.

I notice that Andy usually calls me when the Mets play the Braves & usually the Mets are on the losing side.  The Mets have a better 3rd baseman in Robin Ventura than Andy's favorite Skipper Jones - can't think of his nickname.  Andy & I could have a good discussion on that topic!  I think the Atlantic broadcasters played him & the team, maybe I should say praised, so much it turned me off on them, even they are good.

The pens are so light, it's hard to read the letter.  This is better.

Wed. I go out to lunch with Bensons. Hollertzs, Deckers, & Fostroms.  Warren & Anna will pick me up & we'll go to Holiday Inn for lunch.

Barb started painting my room.  She's divided the job into 3rds & the 1st 3rd is completed.  The West wall.  The other 2 have doors & windows to break it up.  Looks very nice & I like the blue color - light to med. blue so it's not too dark.

It looks like the corn at Hatch Patch will soon be ready.  Grows fast in this weather.  Read in the paper one farmer in the Erie area has corn to sell already.  They usually say "knee high by the 4th of July".

Paul, do you remember Roxy Sasserson from church.  Don't remember her married name - she is sec'y at Sheffield & Kim told me that her oldest son & wife had a baby recently.  In the 3rd month, the Dr. tho't something might be wrong & something was wrong & the baby is a mongoloid.  The first born.  I might have had a few problems with you kids but at least the 4 were normal.  And I'm very proud of you all now, as I was then.

With that I'll bring this to an end.