Happy Sunday evening!

I spent the afternoon today cleaning out my closet! Forty-eight empty hangers later, I have a large garbage bag ready to take to the Goodwill and have also uploaded 36 photos in preparation to sell some of my better clothing items on eBay! Tonight I will take a stab at compiling eBay ads and posting some VERY CHEAP auctions! Some of the clothing are very nice and thought I might be able to sell them online...we'll see! (even a little extra cash helps pay for Starbucks!) I'll keep you posted on the auctions!

I am learning that an added benefit of having my daughter living with me is that she enjoys COOKING! I am enjoying a slice of really TASTY green pepper, onion and black olive pizza that she made just moments ago! (Had to snap a photo!) Wish you all were here so you could enjoy a slice too!

Well, I did it! I purchased a TV this evening!

It has been over a year since I packed up my television and this past spring gave it to my daughter who was in need of a new, digital TV. Because my daughter lived out of a very small bedroom in a house with other college girls in PA, she decided to put her TV on a very high corner shelf in her bedroom.

This week my daughter moved to CT to spend a few months working and living with her mom (me) in CT. I'm so happy to have her here with me and am hoping for the best for her related to work and leisure for the next few months. I sort of figured that Megan wouldn't be moving the TV that I had given her last spring with her when she moved to CT and I wondered how long she would be content to live without a television in my home! I honestly think she would have lasted a bit longer, but today I suggested that perhaps we should do some TV shopping! Meg was obviously agreeable with the idea and after a trip to Best Buy, we decided to check Wal-Mart before purchasing at Best Buy. After finding a clerk at Wal-Mart that actually had some knowledge of the television sets that were on display, we decided on an economical, 19" flat screen model and purchased at Wal-Mart. About $250.00 later, we left Wal-Mart with the new TV!

Meg placed the TV in the living room, thinking that would be a better location than in her bedroom...just in case I may also want to watch the TV on occasion. Well, already tonight I joined her to watch Seinfeld on FOX network. The color was great, contrast and other settings seemed perfect and everything was just right! And the bonus is that it seems that since so many shows are now going digital, I am able to pick up many more digital channels than in the past! I don't have cable, but am able to get many channels with a decent set of rabbit ear antenna.

So, all seems well in my home tonight! Meg watched a bit of the Penn State football game and then turned the TV off! I snapped a photo to share on my blog! Yes, the new TV is currently sitting on a dining room table that is in a corner of my living room. My home furnishings really aren't designed to have a TELEVISION SET as a focal point...so we sort of improvised and used the dining room table! I'm sure the TV will be appreciated in the next few months!

I am brushing up on my piano playing this evening as I will be accompanying the hymns tomorrow in church! I'm looking forward to that ministry tomorrow at my church in Darien, CT.

Best wishes to all....

Hi friends....

I am a self-professed a-political "pilgrim", passing through this land and on my way to heaven. That makes me normally not inclined to be involved or active in the political realm. This year, however, I actually registered to vote and I may well cast my vote this November. Tonight I am anxiously awaiting the presidential debate!

Unfortunately, I feel that the situation in our country most likely won't get any better, no matter who is elected president this fall. I take my rest and find my peace knowing that I am simply an 'alien' in this land and my home and inheiritance are in heaven. When 'push comes to shove'....all that really matters is the condition of our soul....not our wallets, our home or our jobs.

It sounds idealistic, but it's Truth. In the last chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon writes:

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." NIV

Anyone for "Pheasant Under Glass" ?

Well, I might be a 'country bumpkin' but I sure never had to cook a PHEASANT, or any type of wild game, before today! I'm actually not even sure that what I cooked today WAS pheasant!

I returned to work today after a 10 day vacation and as I was scanning the refrigerator for suitable food to prepare for lunch and dinner, I found some type of GAME item, dressed and ready to cook, and in a vacuum sealed bag! UGH....I was pretty sure this food item was in the fridge for MY benefit....so that I could prepare it for dinner tonight! When I asked my employer (I'm a nanny, for any new reader) what type of bird this was, she said she had no clue, nor did her husband! But, she DID know that a friend had given it to her husband and it was ready to use, as it had been frozen and recently thawed.

Well, as much as I dreaded the task, I set out to determine what to do with it and how to prepare it! My employer has an old (vintage) cook book that I occasionally use, (cause my mother has one just like it!) and wouldn't you know....there was a recipe for PHEASANT! Also were instructions to prepare Quail, Snipe, Duck and other small birds. UGH!!!! My suspicions were confirmed as I read that this smaller bird (whatever it was) should be prepared just like chicken. I followed the preparation instructions, added some garlic and thyme and water, stuck the bird in the oven and headed to the playground for about an hour this afternoon!

Viola! This bird turned out much like chicken and was well received by all the kids! The children never even batted an eye as they chowed down on the meat that I'm sure they suspected was chicken! I must add that I also made a pot of black beans and rice, in case the entree didn't go over too well, and that is what I ate for dinner! It's a stretch for me to even eat chicken off the bone so I certainly wasn't about to try this unknown bird! It seemed a bit dry, but the recipe stated that it would. I suppose tomorrow I'll need to take the meat off the bone and stretch the meat to make another meal. Anyone have any good ideas?

Well, guess now I can add one more recipe to my file and one more cooking experience under my belt! I felt a bit like a real 'pioneer' today!

Please note the new format of this blog! Don't forget to change your settings and title of this blog on your favorites list! THANKS!

I spent the last 10 days on vacation from work! It was a lovely vacation but I am very ready to get back into the groove of work and routine! I love my job and look forward to work tomorrow.

While on vacation, I visited my family in central PA. I enjoyed the slow, quiet life in the country but am very happy to be 'home' in CT. My grandson, Tucker, is now just about 4 months of age. Of course, I think he's the cutest baby ever!
















The Beaver Fair, an agricultural “county fair” was in full swing (their 80th year!) the week I visited PA. (If you visit the link to the Beaver Fair, on the right side margin of the home page, you can view the logo that I designed and created a few years ago for a contest sponsored by the fair organization commemorating the 75th year of the Beaver Fair!)

Following are a few photos from The Beaver Fair in Pennsylvania!

Hi Bloggers...

I am officially announcing tonight that this blog will be taking on a new 'identity'. I will no longer be posting details of my work experiences or information about my charges or the family that I serve. While it was enjoyable for me to recapture the sweetness of childhood and the uniqueness of the children for whom I care, I want to honor the privacy of the children and their family and will no longer share the everyday activities of my charges or my interaction with them with the blogging community. Though I made every effort to be sensitive to the identities and privacy of the children and family, it seems I inadvertently exposed some information that could have been potentially dangerous or revealing for the families of clients of my employer. I am extremely sorry for any inappropriate posts and certainly never intended, as my employer knows, to jeopardize the integrity of her business, clients, work or family. I have expressed my apologies to my employer and am happy to shift the focus of my writing to another aspect of my life!

I am, however, a bit uncertain of the direction I will go with my blog posts in the future. My hope is to find some snippets of life that will be of interest or encouragement to others. I actually think my life is quite boring and uneventful save for the interesting job that I have caring for the three best kids on the planet!

Perhaps I will share my "country bumpkin gone city slicker" perspective of life in Connecticut. While I don't see myself as a 'city slicker', I DO definitely feel I still carry within me my 'country' roots and values...and, I definitely live in the city and am part of the busy and crazy tri-state area that surrounds New York City,one of the busiest cities in the world!

Having just returned from the rural life of central PA and back to city life of CT...I can testify that there is GOOD and BAD everywhere one travels. There is no PERFECT location, nor is there a PERFECT type of person. We must always learn to appreciate the 'not so good' stuff in life along with the GOOD things. Perhaps, my blog posts should focus on finding the GOOD in all situations and all people. I'll think about that....seems it would sure be a positive exercise for ME...to write with that focus in mind. It would do us all good to continually seek out the GOOD in other people, places and things.

Till I have more time to think about my 'new' blog.... Goodnight and God bless us all!

Oh my....there is always a FIRST for everything! I am 53 years old and never called in to a 'talk radio' station....until tonight!

Anyone listen to 77 WABC news radio? It's out of NYC but I actually listen via the web. I have been enjoying the various programs lately and the commentary on the political race and other issues. Tonights' program on the Bob Grant show was focused on the anniversary of the attack on Sept. 11, 7 years ago. Mr. Grant was asking listeners to call in and share their recollection of that terrible day.

I called in because I felt it important to share my perspective as someone who did not live in this tri-state area during the time of 9-11. I had heard mentioned in the past, the very significant way that 9-11 effected almost every person who resides in the tri-state (NY, NJ and CT) area.

I recall feeling the horror and grief of this terrible day, as people all over the country did, but it was not until I moved to CT that I began to realize just how profoundly this terrible attack effected the people of this particular area. You can talk to almost any person and each one will have known someone who lived and worked in the city at the time of the attack. It's a little like just 'hearing about' the death of someone as opposed to EXPERIENCING the actual death of a loved one. Intimate experience of an event changes one's entire perspective and view of that event. New Yorkers as well as residents of New Jersey and Connecticut experienced this terrible and tragic event in our nation's history in ways unlike any other residents of our country.

I must admit that I was a bit 'nervous' to call in; I don't speak well "off the cuff". I MUCH prefer to write or to read what I want to say. Bob Grant comes across on his radio program often as quite 'hostile' and I SURE didn't want to be yelled at like he does many of his callers! Because of the topic, I felt fairly 'safe' that he would respect my comments and listen. He did...and the call went well! He actually thanked me for my call.....which he DOES NOT do for too many of his callers!

If you have opportunity, check out the 77 WABC News radio web site and listen online to some very good programs and commentary. Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and others...

On another note: I began a 10 day vacation today at 3:30 pm!! Whoo Hoo! I have photos and experiences from this past week that I want to share, but just haven't had the time or enthusiasm to do the posting! I hope to relax and have some free time during my vacation and I'll update you all as I'm able!

May We Never Forget....September 11, 2001

(finished office space)

A few days ago, I mentioned that I was beginning a project to reorganize, compress and move my personal office space and all related items from a spare bedroom, into a corner in my bedroom. Well, the project is FINISHED!

Today I began my office project by preparing the desktop; covering a board that I purchased yesterday at Home Depot. Using white contact paper, I covered a 60" board that will replace a pre-made, 7 foot countertop that I used in my previous office space. Have you ever used contact paper to cover a large item? UGH, that task alone called for patience and diligence!

I then tackled what seemed like an insurmountable task, to clear off the current desktop so that I could move the two filing cabinets to the bedroom, providing the base for the new desktop.
(previous office space)

After all was moved to the new location in my bedroom, I decided to cover a few more items with contact paper to tie the desk, shelves and ‘cubbies’ together.
('before' space in bedroom)

I also purchased some fabric yesterday, found at Wal-Mart for $1.50 a yard, to make a skirt for the desk base and various other projects that hadn’t been decided on yesterday! I bought 5 yards of each fabric; one, as you can see is a dark and lighter plum stripe and the other is a plum background with creamy flowers…sort of a ‘calico’ type pattern. After the desk was assembled, I began making the skirt by simply folding the fabric to the correct length then taking tucks around the outside of the desktop about every 4 inches and anchoring it with a thumbtack! Pretty darn EASY and CHEAP!

The next project I decided to undertake was to cover a very unsightly ‘varnished’ door that leads to a storage closet directly behind the desk area. I covered this door with the dark plum stripe (using DUCK TAPE to anchor it...I won't show you the INSIDE of the door and no one else will see it either!) I then hung a 22-pocket shoe organizer on the front of the door, to use for storing small office type items. I also covered the ‘header’ of the organizer with a strip of the coordinating ‘calico’ fabric. (Very cute and "custom made"!)

I tend to go ‘fabric crazy’ when it comes to making over a room or decorating. I find it SO easy to simply measure and RIP!!! I covered a black plastic 5-drawer chest (from Staples) that I have used for years and it now looks like it fits right in with the new office décor!

Another project I did was to make a ‘skirt’ for a shelving unit that I use in the 'dressing area' of my bedroom. Many years ago, I became spoiled by having a large walk-in “California” closet and since that time, I have stored all my clothes on shelves instead of in drawers. (MUCH simpler and easier!) Since moving to this apartment, I have used ‘make-shift’ shelving including an over the toilet organizer that I had used in a previous home. For over a year, I have looked at a huge empty and unsightly space under the shelves (where the toilet would be) and where now my laundry basket has fit perfectly. Today I now have transformed the ugly space into a cute shelf, complete with calico ‘skirting’ that conceals the dirty laundry! One cool thing about this project was that as I fooled around, trying to attach the skirt to the metal frame of the shelf, I could not, for the life of me, think what type of bracket or fastener I could use to attach and gather the fabric. I finally, after trying a few options, decided that I would simply TEMPORARILY use clothespins and then scout around for a different type of fastener in the future. Well, just as I moved on to another project, I found a long strip of the dark plum fabric and, "VOILA", I got the idea to wrap a fabric sash around the entire shelf and simply HIDE the clothes pins! (except I think one may be peeking through in the photo) I secured the wide sash with a big knot and cut the ends to make it look so pretty! It turned out very cute and I had to take a photo of that project also!

I THINK I have covered the basics of this project. The pictures probably don’t do the entire project justice...you are invited to come and see it in person!

I am very happy with the outcome of my new cozy bedroom office and it was SO inexpensive and easy! Oh..Another cool thing…I can now use my laptop at my new desk AND while I’m snuggled in bed, without having to even unplug the computer! YIPPEE! Isn’t life grand? It sure doesn’t take much to thrill me!

Hope you enjoy the photos of today’s project! My jaw is considerably better and I even forgot to take my meds at the scheduled time, which I guess is a good indication of no pain!

OK....here's my dentist update for anyone who cares!

After nearly 2 hours on the dental chair and at least 7 shots of novocaine, I still experienced pain. The dentist called in his associate and I received yet ANOTHER shot of novocaine...and still pain when the dentist blasted it with air. The conclusion was that I must have an odd bone structure at the area of this tooth and therefore the numbing would not get through to the nerve. Though, thankfully, all around the tooth was quite numb!!

My dentist's recommendation was that I go to a specialist who would be able to reach the BONE with novocaine, a procedure that is not done in my dentist's office. Added to the $1500.00 for the pending root canal AND the price of a crown on top of that, would be another $300.00 for services for the specialist! Anyone guess what my next question was???? You guessed it!!! I asked the dentist, "What about PULLING THE TOOTH"??

Obviously, that was not a scenario that my dentist wanted to do, but he realized that my finances can only go so far. I refuse to become deeply indebted with bills that I can not keep up with and that would quickly get over my head. Because I knew I would already be needing a temporary partial for a few other missing lower teeth, I opted to have the molar (today's problem) pulled and simply added to the lower partial. And.....did you know this? That when you get a partial...it doesn't matter HOW MANY teeth are included in it, the price is the same! So...I will soon become the proud (?) owner of a few FAKE lower teeth!

What is someone to do? You know? My dental insurance ran out in May and I don't see any type of good dental insurance in my future, unless I give up the job I really enjoy and go back to the work force where I would no longer be self-employed..so I was forced to make a choice today. It may not have been the optimum choice of many people, but finding myself in the pinch (literally!) that I was in today...I decided that I will simply have to adjust to life with a few fake teeth!

I must say, through the entire, 2 1/2 hour ordeal, God faithfully kept me calm and at ease. As I got up from the dental chair, I said to the dentist, "God is good, and so were you"! :) (He liked that!)

My employer ended up taking the kids to the beach this afternoon to meet a friend and she INSISTED I go home to recouperate! How nice! I finished up a few tasks while the kids were all away and by 4:45 pm I left for home. The evening has been quiet and I just finished my supper....a little cup of pudding!

Has anyone else ever had a tooth pulled on the dentist's chair? I'm getting pretty good at it and am always AMAZED how really simple and quick the procedure is! (And THAT is coming from a major 'dental-phobic')

Well, here's hoping we all sleep well tonight and have a blessed and PAIN-FREE Saturday!

This nanny will be heading to the DENTIST tomorrow morning! Grrr....I think I'd rather have a baby than a ROOT CANAL! Oh well, I have been dealing with pain for some time so the root canal should be a relief!If anyone thinks of it, feel free to offer a prayer on my behalf tomorrow morning! I am a HUGE 'scaredy-cat' with the dentist!

I DO recall many many years ago, when I was about 10 years old and needing to go to the dentist. My mom advised me to PRAY since I was feeling afraid. I prayed and asked God to somehow "make me not be afraid". Well....the testimony is that during my time on the dental chair, a young boy arrived at the dentist's office and for some VERY ODD reason, the dentist brought the young boy right by my side, to observe what actually happens while in the dentist chair! The dentist advised me, on the side, that it would be good of me to act "brave" so that the young boy would not be afraid. Wouldn't you know, that did the trick for me that day and I was as brave as any soldier on the front line! What's even better.....is that this was the first time in my life that I KNEW that God was real and that "He is who He says He is" and "He will DO what He says He will do"!!

God has a way of showing Himself to us....if we just ask!

I'll report back tomorrow! Have a good Friday!