Morning Glory Alley

Vacation at the Cabin

2010-08-01T23:05:00.001-04:00

We had a great time at the cabin last week with family. It was so nice to see Richard's home and see how well he's doing. Leo and Kristen came for a few days giving us a chance to enjoy Tyler who is growing so fast and is just as fast on his feet. We went out in Andy's boat, hiked in the woods, and walked along the gorge at Stonybrook State Park. Plus, we had really wonderful meals.

I think the best part of our vacation though was the moonlight showers in the woods. Andy and Art got the water heated over a wood fire. When the mineral well water heats the water turns to a lovely shade of brown and it's time to ladle it into a bucket and carry down the hill and fill the larger shower bucket. Then you pull and fasten the rope connected to the pulley. This wonder shower has a lever to adjust the flow of water. You get wet, lather up,and rinse off. It felt sooo good. There's also an outhouse at the cabin with a very comfortable seat and a sign saying "Martha Stewart doesn't live here." I really think Andy and Mary should start a bread and breakfast!

SCRABBLE

2010-05-10T09:44:00.001-04:00

I taught Anthony how to play Scrabble and now I've met my match!

Anthony & Alex's First Holy Communion

2010-05-02T12:49:00.003-04:00

The following was published in the First Holy Communion program:

I love the Lord. My grandparents are coming over for Holy Communion, so I want to spend time with them. I want to spend time with my Dad who's usually in Haiti. He's coming home for Holy Communion! - Anthony

It was a wonderful day for Anthony, Alex and all!

Wren Houses

2010-03-04T17:06:00.001-05:00

Timmy and Bridget spent an overnight with us while Ted and Patti enjoyed an overnight of skiing. A win win situation!

We just happened to have a couple of unpainted wren houses in our attic -the grandkids all love to explore our attic! My dad and Richard had built these birdhouses years ago and I know they're for wrens because I called my brother Art the bird expert. Anyways the kids had a great time painting them and hopefully some wrens will find their new homes.

Leo J. Tanghe - 101st Birthday

2010-02-06T15:45:00.005-05:00

Today in memory of what would have been Dad's 101st birthday I am posting an excerpt from his diary of 2/9/87.

Went to Art's to celebrate my birthday. Present were: Andy and Mary Kay, Susan, George, Andrew, Alan, Linda, Mike, Karen, Chris, Linda & Brad.

I gave the people a puzzle to solve

QUIZ
xU
_____
EDWIN

with a check for $100 for the first to solve it and call me. Soon everybody was quiet as a mouse, working on it, but nobody got it during the evening.

2/10/87 Marian called at 6:45 a.m. to tell me she solved the puzzle. I sent her the check for $100. Linda Moore Tanghe called in mid-afternoon to tell me that she solved it too. Nobody else called about it.

2/6/10 I'm not offering a hundred dollars but does anyone know the answer? And Dad Happy Birthday. I imagine you're chuckling!

Haiti Earthquake

2010-02-03T14:32:00.004-05:00

Bill and I enjoyed visiting our son, Peter, and his familiy in Florida this past November. We were happy to be with them for Thanksgiving. Pete has worked for the State Dept in Port-au-Prince, Haiti for the past two and a half years. He comes home as often as he can to be with Roxana and their two boys. He finishes this assignment in August and his next assignment will be Tijuana, Mexico with his family. Bill and I were considering going to Haiti this May.

On Jan 12 when we turned on the news we learned there had been an earthquake about half an hour earlier in Haiti. I was concerned and called Roxana to see if she had heard from Pete. When I called she was just learning about the quake from her sister who called. About an hour later she called back to tell us that Pete had sent her a short text message that he was ok. She was unable to contact him. She thought Pete had probably still been at the embassy at that time. Later she learned he was in his home which is a little ways out of the city and about two blocks from the Montana Hotel which fell.

Pete experienced the huge quake with crashing glass but his house did not fall. Three neighboring homes did collapse. One of these was the home of an embassy family where Peter helped to get three seriously injured people out of the rubble and carry them a long distance on makeshift stretchers to a place where they could receive medical aid. He worked very long hours at the embassy with little sleep. When he did sleep it was in his chair or on the floor. Meals were military rations. He was able to call Roxana through a line which went through Washington but could not call every day. With all the after shocks everybody at the embassy was on edge and would run outside of the building whenever they felt tremors. The embassy is a newer building and better constructed. A lot of people tented outside the embassy and there were very long lines for showers and bathrooms.

When we visited in November Peter was planning a Christmas party for the Haitian bodyguards and their families. It was the first time families were being invited and Pete had a list of all the childrens' names and ages. We went to Toys R Us to get small gifts for these kids. We heard later the party was a great success and the kids loved their gifts. They have very little. Pete said many of these children died.

About a week after the quake Pete posted on facebook. "I want to thank my family, friends, co-workers and DS Brotherhood for all of your wishes of support this week. It means a lot to me. It has been horrific, heartbreaking and unimaginable. To all my Haitian friends the human spirit that comes through in a tragedy such as this defies words. You are strong!"

November at the Beach

2009-11-17T20:28:00.001-05:00

Last week we had Timmy and Bridget for an overnight visit and their Mom & Dad enjoyed an overnight in the city. The weather was unusually mild for November so we went to First Presidents Beach in Long Branch where a new playground had just opened a few days earlier. The kids had a ball. There is also a huge skateboard park and a roller skating hockey rink there. It was all pretty exciting. It was a good day!

Beach Days

2009-08-26T21:10:00.001-04:00

Summer has flown by! We had a wonderful week camping in the Adirondacks, we enjoyed Eileen, Lauren and Thomas' visit with us and in the past two weeks I got to the beach three times! Today I went with Christine, Katie and Stephen. The water had good size waves but the kids did great. Cameramen from NBC news were at the beach today and I thought just maybe one of us might be on tv - not me. Well, none of us were and it turned out the story was about high levels of bacteria in the water on Monday and the need for more testing. Great!!! I was there Monday enjoying the afteraffects of Hurricane Bill!!!

Movie Post

2009-07-29T08:06:00.003-04:00

Last night we saw Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. It was good. Visual effects were marvelous but the movie doesn't make the story too clear. I didn't read this last book. Bill did - but quite a while ago. We thought the movie seemed a little long. Also the theater was freezing - should've worn a sweater. Maybe I would've enjoyed it more if I wasn't so cold!

4th of July in Matawan

2009-07-05T20:35:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was the 4th of July. We had a party here to also celebrate Christine and Teddy's birthdays. Tyler swam in the pool for the first time and he really loved it. Leo played with him moving him through the water making an hmmmmmmm sound for a motor boat. When Leo stopped, Tyler went hmmmmmmmmm. He wanted to keep going! I think we have an early talker here!

No picture of Bridget here. Bridget fell out of the wagon and hit her head on concrete. Her parents took her to the emergency where it was determined she had had a mild concussion. After a cat scan and 4 hours later she cleared to go home. She came home happy because they gave her a stuffed dog which she named Maxy Princess Shadow.

We are looking to seeing our town fireworks tonight from our backyard.

Father's Day

2009-06-22T21:52:00.004-04:00

Bill and I spent Father's Day Weekend visiting Leo and Kristen and Tyler. This is Leo's first Father's Day as a father! So it was the right time to take a picture of the three generations. On Sunday we visited two beautiful parks which are part of the Delaware Water Gap National Park System. There has been a lot of rain lately so the many waterfalls there were very impressive! The weather was on the cooler side making hiking comfortable. Tyler enjoyed the hike very much also.

Today we went kayaking with Leo. We went on a small lake. We were hoping to go on the Delaware but the water is high and running very fast now and Leo didn't think it was a good idea. We had a real good time even though for a while we were getting rained on. Ahead of us and behind us was blue sky. But we're good sports! Maybe we're in training for our camping vacation! Kristen has gotten Tyler a raincoat so he'll be ready!

Bridget's First Dance Recital

2009-06-14T21:28:00.003-04:00

Bridget was so precious in her recital! Her number was called I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU. Six little girls came on stage in their pink tutus, each with a teenage dancer at their side. The little ballet dancers lifted their legs and and did their turns and then they were on their own. Throughout their dance they sat on the floor and pretended to talk on their phones. Without a doubt it was the best performance of the show - although some brave dads did a dance called Thriller which was a thrill! Think we can get Ted on stage next year?

Busy Hubby

2009-06-08T17:09:00.002-04:00

Bill is getting close to retirement - less than two months. Presently he works three days a week. That gives him time for other things like opening our pool which we did today and working on our back porch steps which meant dealing with another problem - a tilted brick column. Art suggested Bill brace it with a board to give it support. This worked - thank you Art. Next posting I should have pics of Bill taking a nap, playing his banjo and swimming in the pool to show I'm not a slave driver!

End to a Great Weekend - Visit Leo, Kristen and Baby Tyler

2009-05-26T20:14:00.002-04:00

On the way home from Rochester we made a stop in Pennsylvania. Tyler is as cute as ever and I have to show him off. He has begun solid food now and likes his peas! Leo is recuperating very well from last Friday's surgery. We ate a delicious pork dinner from the grill, enjoyed playing with Tyler and relaxing on their porch in the quiet country. The weather for the weekend was beautiful.

50th Wedding Anniversary

2009-05-26T20:01:00.002-04:00

Art & Marian had a wonderful dinner to celebrate their anniversary. It was so nice to get together with family and friends who came from near and far. So nice to see everyone! It was a great party! Thank you Art and Marian!

Art & Marian's Backyard Picnic

2009-05-26T19:46:00.004-04:00

Saturday nite they had a wonderful picnic in their backyard which is absolutely beautiful as you can see.

Twins plant tomatoes and more

2009-05-20T22:25:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I had a really great time with Timmy and Bridget. We worked together to plant four tomatoe plants, six impatience, a geranium, and lettuce, carrot and bean seeds. Mommy was a good worker too! The kids kept working until we finished. They are fascinated by grubs and worms which Timmy is more eager to hold than Bridget.

We were so busy I didn't take any pictures while working but after a nice cold drink the kids looked at their plants and sat in front of their garden gate. I will follow up on their family garden.

Bill's Retirement Party

2009-05-13T20:38:00.001-04:00

Bill is retiring very soon and his office had a surprise party for him this afternoon. Because Bill has a history of fixing things at the office the theme for his party was Bob the Builder. He got Bob the Builder clothes - boots, overalls, flannel shirt and plastic hat. And since Bill usually makes morning coffee they gave him coffee and a coffee plant. He also got a bottle of Scotch and a National Geographic of 500 places to travel to.

The food was excellent. They had enlarged photos of Bill throughout the years and there was a lot of joking and laughing.

I must say their excuse to get him to his party was pretty poor. They sent out an office e-mail announcing a mandatory meeting about health benefits. Bill insisted he wasn't going to go since it didn't apply to him. He had his suspicions and gave them a hard time about coming. I had thought he was completely surprised. He was surprised to see me.

Spring Helpline Hours

2009-05-01T20:40:00.002-04:00

As a Master Gardeners we are required to do 10 hours of helpline, 20 hours of community service and 10 hours of education yearly. Usually helpline is done in the office answering phone calls. However, Master Gardeners are invited to attend different events with their displays and handouts and answer people's questions at these functions. So, would we rather be in the office answering the phone or at Earth Day celebrations in Shrewsbury and at Bayonet Farms? Including our helpline booth at the NJ Flower Show we now have completet our 10 hours. Actually, my fellow Master Gardener, Dorothy, and I have gone above and beyond with 10 and a half hours!
The weather was unseasonably warm this year but everything is blooming now!

Super Fun Family Visit

2009-04-21T13:41:00.002-04:00

Art & Marian, Linda, Jim and Matt spent the weekend with us. They arrived from Rochester early Saturday afternoon. Christine and Teddy's families were able to join us for the afternoon. The weather was summer like! Sunday was cooler but perfect for outdoor activities. We began by going to Sandy Hook National Park where we first visited the Nature Center and checked to see if the photo of Leo windsurfing about 15 years ago is still part of their exhibit. It is! Then we walked the nature trail through holly forests and then along the beach where we saw quite a few large horseshoe crabs and a lot of pretty shells.

We had a picnic lunch at the park, a tour of both the light house and the history house where officers used to live. We took the scenic ride home through Atlantic Highlands overlooking the bay and ocean stopping at Mitchell Monument Park to see the 911 Memorial and the view of Sandy Hook and NYC from a high eleavation. We also made a stop at Deep Cut Park to see the beautiful spring flowers. End of the day some of us were in the hot tub!

Monday was rainy so we went to the Monmouth Mall where our guests treated Bill and me and Christine to a delicious lunch at Charlie Brown's which is known for its fabulous salad bar. After tea at Christine's house we headed home. Bill started a fire in the wood stove and we just relaxed using the pool table, Bill's train set and Anne's slot machine. We also played Sequence. In the evening we got out my dad's old slides and did a lot of laughing.

This company is welcome any time!

Easter with Tyler

2009-04-13T19:47:00.002-04:00

This Easter Weekend we were in Hawley, Pa. with Leo, Kristen and Baby Tyler. As you can see Tyler is now begginning to walk. I took some video but unfortunately it was too dark.

On the way home we stopped to see Timmy and Bridget and their mommy, who made a very nice lunch for us. Timmy and Bridget colored some eggs for us!

2009-04-13T19:44:00.003-04:00

We had a delicious Easter Dinner with Kristen's family in Towanda. The group picture shows Tyler with both sets of grandparents and his great grandfather Lebo.

This year Easter fell on Kristen's birthday. Happy Birthday Kristen. Weather was cold and windy but sunny.

Out to the Movies

2009-04-08T19:34:00.004-04:00

Last night we saw Knowing. It's a science fiction film rated PG and starring Nicolas Cage and as one critic wrote it is frightening, suspenceful, intelligent and awesome. I agree. Bill didn't like the ending. On the way out I heard people saying it was different. It was! I sort of felt like I'd been riding a roller coaster!

March Birthday Celebration

2009-04-05T19:43:00.002-04:00

Last weekend we got together to celebrate our Birthdays. Bill, I, Patti, Peter, and Anthony were all born in March. Kristen's birthday is in April. It was actually Peter's birthday so although he wasn't present he was remembered. Teddy was away on a work trip but everyone else was able to come even Tyler who spent his first night at his grandparents home. Tyler has changed so much since we saw him a month earlier. He now vocalises to respond to you and he laughs! Christine did a good job writing about the day on her blog Simple Ordinary.

Hurray for Spring

2009-03-21T11:36:00.002-04:00

Huge clusters of snowflakes were falling yesterday for the first day of spring but the Daffodils were just waiting to bloom. I brought a few inside and they were happy to open up. Still waiting for my Snowbird and Super Snappy peas to show themselves.

My Birthday

2009-03-19T14:11:00.002-04:00

Yesterday turned out to be a really nice day. The weather was beautiful - sunny and in the sixties. I went to our monthly Master Garden meeting and our guest speaker was a tree whisperer. He claims he has healed many trees by touching them and talking to them. He gave a power point presentation showing various trees around the country he has worked with. The most impressive was a old tree in Santa Barbara. He sensed from talking with this tree that something happened about 80 years ago in a nearby parking lot. He asked people there to research for him. They discovered there had been an earthquake 79 years ago and the toxic waste was dumped in a near by parking lot. The town has put a barrier in the ground. We were given house plants to practice with during 10 minute meditative exercise. Very,very, interesting!

In the afternoon I helped some other master gardeners with a horticultural therapy program at Mana house which is a temporary home to enable single women with children to get on their feet and become self sufficient. They decorated clay flower pots using colorful tissue paper and glue. They then learned about different varieties of house plants and chose one to plant in their pot. We will be going there once a week for five weeks.

For dinner Bill took me to Charlie Browns where we had an excellent meal. Later we went to a restaurant in town, The Riviera, where they now have a jam session upstairs on Wednesday nights. First the house group plays. Musicians sign in as they arrive and are put into groups. They have a small free buffet which is very good. A friend's husband plays the drums and his family was there. We had a real good time.

Bill gave me a game of Sequence which I had requested. We had played this with Leo and Kristen and it's a lot of fun.

It's Been a Year!

2009-03-14T16:06:00.002-04:00

I started my blog March 2, 2008, over a year ago. I've enjoyed doing it. Now it's time to plant peas again. This year I'm trying two varieties, Burpee Super Snappy and Snowbird and I planted them on the 11th. It was a decent day and the soil was ready. Later I looked back at my post a year ago and read that I had soaked the peas in water with a little vitamin C for superior plants. My peas did do very well last year. Maybe I'll plant some more on St. Patrick's Day.

Another Movie

2009-03-11T09:12:00.002-04:00

Last night we watched The Confessions of a Shopaholic which is based on a series of books by Sophie Kinsella which I had read a long time ago and enjoyed but can't remember much about now. When Bill asked how closely the movie followed the book I had no idea. But we did enjoy the movie. It was light hearted and had us and the audience laughing.

Some Live Entertainment

2009-03-11T08:36:00.003-04:00

Friday night Bill and I went to a performance of The Secret Garden, a musical, at Brookdale Community College. It was fabulous!!! A friend's son, Zach, who attends the college, played a major role and was great. Zach has a wonderful voice and seemed to be so comfortable on the stage. He'd love to be on Broadway and I hope he makes it. The little girl, Mary, was wonderful to watch also. Her facial expressions were so good. I thought of our older granddaughter having that part and how marvelous she would be, of course. We were pleasantly suprised to get 3rd row center seats. I had only ordered our tickets a week earlier. The theater was only half filled which seemed a shame. Tickets were only $10 each.

But this is not all!! Monday night we went to our library to listen to Heather Mulvey play her guitar and sing Celatic and American Music. We had gone to her performance last year and enjoyed it very much. Once again it was a lot of fun to listen to her. She encouraged us to sing along to some of the songs we knew. Once again we did not have a full house. The show began with only four in the audience. By the end there were about 12 people present although 20 people had registered to attend. This program was free. We did buy her CD which she was in the process of creating last year.

For more entertainment we went to the movies last night. But this gets its own post.

Another Movie Nite

2009-03-04T21:39:00.003-05:00

Our latest movie was Slumdog Millionaire which just won a number Oscars. The movie shows the poverty of Indian slums, but even worse we see the cruel lives of orphans trying to survive and being so abused. There is more violence and cruelty in this film than I care for but there is also love and hope. The acting by the children was wonderful!

What Would You Say?

2009-02-24T19:35:00.002-05:00

Hi, Ammy!
I am creating a story,(110 pages) about these two kids, one prophecy, two separated worlds and an ongoing plot that i have been working on for a while. One kid is named Never, and he lives in the underground world of the Faeries, who, up till the Great Faerie War lived with the humans Above. Of course, then the humans enslaved them, no matter the age, to cure the human sick. The faeries didn't do much magic unless it was to heal people up till then. But the humans didn't care. after a rash kidnapping of faerie children, the faeries fought back. Hence, the Faerie War.
The human is Amora. She is part faerie, and lives on a mountain. She is only connected to Never via the prophecy.
My original story was about a kid named Mike who had his parents taken away by the humans.
Do you want me to send the story to you? Please say yes!!!!
KATIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ROBIN HOOD ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now what do you think I said? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nine Years Old

2009-02-23T16:50:00.001-05:00

We had another birthday party on Sunday. Stephen was born on George Washington's birthday - something he's very proud of. We had a nice gathering including the twins and their parents. Leo and Kristen and Tyler couldn't make it because of snow. Here we had light rain with the temperatue in the 30's. Stephen's other grandparents were also there along with his Uncle Frank. We had a very nice dinner of pigs in the blanket, broccoli salad and jello salad and of course cake. And of course there were presents. Stephen's big gift this year was a MP3 player which can also be used to view pics and videos.

Drinking Sap and Designing a Closet

2009-02-21T20:31:00.002-05:00

This morning Bill and I left for Basking Ridge. While Bill and Teddy worked on a closet, Patti, the twins and I went to nearby Lord Stirling Park and took part in a maple syrup demo. We actually got to drink sap from the sugar maple tree. It tasted pretty much like water with a little sweetness. I couldn't taste any maple flavor. The demo was very interesting and infomative and geared for both adults and kids. At the end we got to sample finished syrup. And when we got back we checked out how the guys were doing. They did great. Tomorrow we all get to party for Stephen's birthday!

Catching up on Movies

2009-02-19T09:35:00.002-05:00

A week ago Bill and I saw The Reader. It was very riveting. The time went so quickly because we were both totally so engrossed in the story in which a present day German man thinks back to his youth when he had met an older woman and fallen in love with her. While in law school he observes war crime trials he is shaken to see this woman from his past among the defendants being tried. The movie left me wondering about these characters and human nature.

This week we saw Coraline in 3D. A critic wrote that it was visually dazzling but strangely joyless. That's exactly how I felt. We saw previews for coming attractions and there are more 3D movies coming soon. Although not as good as the 3D you experience at Disneyworld, the 3D is incredible. I was glad we saw it! Actually, this is a movie we paid for because not all theaters show it in 3D and I doubt our small theater where we get free Tuesday nite movies through cablevision will show it in 3D.

You're Welcome

2009-02-19T09:22:00.003-05:00

Bridget and Timmy sent us the nicest thank you note!

The Little One

2009-02-19T09:19:00.002-05:00

Tyler celebrated at the twins birthday party, too. This was Tyler's first big outing and he got plenty of attention. He was very well behaved! His cousin Stephen's birthday will be this Sunday. I hope the weather is good and we'll see Tyler again for more partying!

Happy Birthday Timmy and Bridget

2009-02-18T16:36:00.002-05:00

Timmy and Bridget celebrated their 4th party at their home with lots of family and friends. There was plenty of food, lots of presents and even a football game. Can you spot Bridget in the pink? One of her gifts was a pair of sparkly pink shoes. Timmy tried tackling his Grandpa Cullen. Maybe next year. Their new cousin Baby Tyler was present for his first birthday party. It was a great day.

New Jersey Flower Show

2009-02-16T17:27:00.002-05:00

Friday I volunteered as a Master Gardener at the annual flower show in Edison. Our booth was near the front this time so we had our usual garden questions plus we were kept busy answering questions about where things were and also about the ballot and raffle box which was at our booth. Plus we helped Rutgers do a survery on people's perception of what plants are considered invasive. Spring is in the air!

Jackie, We love you!

2009-02-12T19:51:00.004-05:00

A reading from the Book of Proverbs

Who shall find a valiant wife - a woman of strength? A pearl of great price is she.
Her husband's heart has confidence in her and benefits from her wise counsel.
She initiates good not evil, every day of her life.
She opens her heart to the needy, she is generous to the poor.
Yet she does not neglect her families' needs nor priorities of her own.
She is known for her dignity and strength. She laughs at the days to come.
She often speaks with wisdom and she teaches in a kindly way.
Those who are close to her praise her. Her family extols her.
Many are the women of proven worth, but you have excelled them all.
Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting, the woman who is wise is the one to praise.

These verses read this morning by Jackie's daughter Maria are so fitting. Jackie was a precious pearl and we will miss her so much. We met Jackie in 1968 and have been close friends since. We are family. We have shared baptisms, birthdays, picnics, First Communions and weddings. There are so many memories. This is a difficult time, but Lord, we are all so thankful for the gift of Jackie in our lives.

2009-02-12T19:37:00.005-05:00

The Marucas, Wheelers and we have celebrated New Years together since 1976. These pictures are from the 80's. We have a little tradition of gifting each other with radishes, bananas and salt. It's a long story! Our old acquaintance will never be forgotten.

Happy 100th Birthday !!!!!

2009-02-06T09:33:00.002-05:00

Today is the 100th birthday of my Dad, Leo Joseph Tanghe. I see him as a giant of a man with many accomplishments in life. He was the father of six children, had a doctorate degree in chemistry, worked for Kodak most of his life, studied mushrooms and birds. He loved photography. Most important he was always busy doing for others. He died at the age of 89 and I think today there's a big celebration in heaven.

2009-02-06T09:27:00.001-05:00

This picture was taken on Dad's 29th birthday in 1938. First is my mother, Ruth, to the left, 2nd is my grandfather, Andrew Tanghe who was born in Belgium, 3rd my Dad, Leo, 4th my uncle Walt Kubber (married to my Dad,s sister, Edna), 5th my Aunt Mayme (married to my Dad's brother Harry), Aunt Edna, Uncle Harry and my brother Andy.

2009-02-06T09:16:00.000-05:00

Me and my dad Thanksgiving 1945.

2009-02-06T09:14:00.000-05:00

Dad and Mom are cooking raspberry jam in the summer of 96. Thanksgiving Day 97 Dad is showing his granddaughter Jodie how to use a slide rule while his great granddaughter Katie Rose watches intently wanting to learn too! And a photo of 4 generations including myself and Christine.

Snow at Our House

2009-02-04T09:15:00.003-05:00

We don't get too much snow at our house. Yesterday we had our largest snow of the season - 5 to 6 inches. So I got out early this morning to get a few pictures of fresh snow. I'm thinking about getting out my cross country skis!

Tuesday Nite Movies

2009-02-04T09:01:00.002-05:00

Last night we saw Doubt starring Meryl Streep. It was excellent. The topic is difficult - a popular priest possibly a pedophile, but Bill and I both thought this movie was exceptional. The acting was superb and the story riveting.

Ice Skating

2009-02-01T16:57:00.002-05:00

Yesterday Bill and I went to Teddy and Patti's so Bill could help Teddy put shelving in a closet. Teddy suggested I bring my ice skates because there is a place nearby where perhaps Patti and I could take the kids for skating.

Well, the last time I skated was a couple of years ago with my dear Roseabelle and we didn't do so well. In fact my dear friend gave me her skates after that outing because she wouldn't be needing them anymore.

So at the rink I put on my skates, stepped onto the ice and that's about as much as I did. Standing and moving a few feet was pretty much it. My skates just weren't working! Patti tried them on for me and she did much better than me but she wasn't exactly zipping around. She asked if I'd ever had them sharpened. I said "no" and she said "Well, I think that would help since these skates are probably 50 years old." I laughed , "No, not 50 years." "When did you get them?" Me: "Umm, in highschool." Time does fly!

But speaking of flying, Timmy astonished me. He's still three years old, has only skated a few times and he skates like a pro! He was zipping around on the ice with his hockey stick and hitting the puck. Bridget also did very well!

But now what do I do? Do I get 50 year old skates sharpened? Maybe I should borrow Timmy's skates?

Tuesday Nite at the Movies

2009-01-28T20:54:00.002-05:00

Bill and I saw Inkheart last night and we both enjoyed it very much. It was only released last Saturday. I had listened to the book on tape a year and a half ago and as far as I recall the movie follows the book quite closely. The movie has lots of adventure, good acting, and great scenes. It's a fantasy in which the main character brings people and things into existence when he reads books. It would be scary for small children but it was just right for us!

Inauguration Day

2009-01-20T21:00:00.003-05:00

Today Barack Obama became our 44th president. I watched on tv as he was sworn in and listened to his speech and saw a day of celebration. I am hopeful that Borak Obama will be able to help our country through these difficult times of war and economic depression. I believe it's a wonderful tribute to our country that we were able to elect a well qualified person for president who happens to be African American. May God bless America and its new leader.

12 Years Ago

2009-01-19T14:52:00.003-05:00

This was our first grandchild, Katie Rose. I used to be teased because I kept saying she was the most beautiful baby in the world. Well, she was. We've had a lot of fun with Katie. She was always a little chatter box and when she had nothing more to tell you she'd make up stories to keep us entertained. Of course her first day of preschool she wouldn't say anything about school because it was a secret - for a couple hours!

Katie Today

2009-01-19T14:41:00.010-05:00

Katie is now writing her stories. She is also an amazing poet. Katie has been involved with a summer theater called Kids in the Park since she was 7. She has had some major roles including Pinocchio and Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. This summer she plans to be helper at the theater where her younger brother Stephen is following in her footsteps.

At school, of course, Katie is an excellent student. She loves reading. She plays the clarinet in the band and sings in the chorus. But most important Katie is a caring and fun person to be with.

Katie and her father are sharing the birthday cake in case you're wondering about the candles!

First Family Photo

2009-01-13T19:25:00.001-05:00

How could I have left this photo out!

We See Tyler

2009-01-13T14:11:00.002-05:00

Bill and I left at 8 a.m. Saturday to see Tyler for the first time. There was a predicted snowstorm we wanted to be ahead of. We had light snow in the air but traveling was good. The trip took us a little under 3 hrs.

Well, I can now report that Tyler is one more perfect grandchild. He's cute as can be making little faces, moving his arms and stretching out his fingers. He doesn't cry much and is very good at eating and sleeping. Leo and Kristen make a good team taking care of Tyler. Leo is taking family leave and will be home until the end of the month.

We didn't get as much snow as predicted but we had enough for some good sledding in their backyard which we like to call Huckleberry Hill. The underlined words are a link to Kristen's blog to see us in action! Another year or so Tyler can join us out there!

Back to the Movies

2009-01-07T20:42:00.003-05:00

Bill and I saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button last night. It's an intriguing story about a man who is born old and eventually dies as an infant. He first meets his true love when he is about 70 and she is a child. For a short period of bliss they are the same age. We enjoyed this movie but we we both thought that 2 hrs and 45 min was too long.

Tyler's First Day

2009-01-05T21:40:00.001-05:00

This morning Leo called with the wonderful news that Tyler Scott was born at 5:05 a.m. weighing in at 7 lbs. 4 oz. and measuring 18". Poor mom had a rough time with almost 50 hours of labor and then a C section, but she's doing well. Leo got a couple of pictures sent out right away. This is when I love modern technology! So, Tyler, welcome to the world!

New Years 2009

2009-01-02T11:39:00.002-05:00

Since moving from Trenton in 1975 we have kept close with two wonderful families by celebrating New Years together each year. Part of our tradition has been giving very much anticipated gifts of radishes, bananas, and salt. This year we missed the salt because Rocky and Jackie were not able to come because Jackie is undergoing tough chemo treatments. It was a great day, but Jackie and Rocky, it wasn't the same without you guys and you are in our thoughts and prayers.

One More Xmas Card - Anthony & Alex

2008-12-31T20:15:00.001-05:00

Another great card! Now our grandchildren are all accounted for. It looks like Tyler is waiting for 2009 to make his arrival! Alex has been predicting New Years Day.

All the Grandchildren Together

2008-12-28T22:00:00.002-05:00

On Saturday we had all of our grandchildren together. This doesn't happen often and it was a lot of fun!

Xmas Day

2008-12-28T21:13:00.002-05:00

For Xmas Day our plan was to get up early and be with Teddy and Patti and the twins Xmas morning. We were just ready to leave the house when the phone rang and we learned that they had a stomach bug. We were disappointed because we felt we had made the perfect plan this Christmas. So, we decided to take a walk along the bay at Keyport and then continue to our next stop Leo and Kristen's which is almost a 3 hour trip.

The weather was clear and temperature was above freezing so travelling was great. Kristen is still pregnant. Due date is January 6 and they are just waiting. We had a delicious ham dinner with them. Bill tried out Leo's quad and I tried his snowshoes. I made it up and down their hill. It was fun. Leo also showed us how he kayaks down his hill. That we didn't try. We stayed overnight and left the following morning so we would be home for Roxana and the boys overnight visit.

Xmas Eve

2008-12-28T20:56:00.001-05:00

This year we were with Chris and Adrian and family for Xmas Eve. For dinner we had delicious homemade calzones and tortellini soup and we opened our first gifts of the season. We left in time to attend 8 pm Mass at St. Clements. We have a new priest from Italy who had been asked to sing an Italian Christmas Carol which he did and it was beautiful. We felt blessed.

Happy Birthday Leo

2008-12-24T14:28:00.002-05:00

Leo was due in early January but arrived on Christmas Eve. Now 35 years later he is waiting for his first child, Tyler, whose due date is January 6, to make his entrance into this world. I scanned these pictures from Leo's baby book and now I think it's time for Leo and Kristen to have his book.

Bill and I are doing the travelling this Christmas. This evening we will have dinner with Christine and Adrian and family. Tomorrow morning we will get up early and go to Basking Ridge to be with Teddy, Patti and the twins. From there we will visit Leo and Kristen and have an overnight with them. Friday, Roxana, Anthony and Alex will spend an overnight with us. On Saturday we will have all of our grandchildren together - unless Tyler decides to come early!

Mr. and Mrs. Santa

2008-12-23T20:58:00.001-05:00

Mr. and Mrs. Santa stopped by to visit us. They wish everyone a very merry Christmas!

Christmas Caroling Party

2008-12-23T20:43:00.002-05:00

For the last five years Christine has been hosting a Christmas caroling party. The kids first practice singiing their carols. Then they bundle up and go around the neighborhood singing gleefully. They don't expect any money but if they do get any donations they put it in the poor box at their church. When they finish they have hot chocolate and cookies. This time they also decorated gingerbread men. I had fun being part this.

Greetings from Leo & Kristen

2008-12-23T20:32:00.001-05:00

Granddogs count too. So this is Satin and Wrangler and soon little Tyler will join the mix!

We got mail!

2008-12-16T20:41:00.003-05:00

Grandchildren Katie Rose and Stephen are ready for Xmas!

Christmas 62 Years Ago

2008-12-13T21:56:00.003-05:00

How about that Xmas tree! Fred in shorts! Art and Andy are in the picture with the tree. I was still two this Christmas and can't say I remember any of it, but I do remember many of the toys. The doll house was made of cardboard and I was allowed to play with it only on Sundays. My mother was right. She thought the house would last longer and I'd be more interested in playing with it if she made it special. I still have a few pieces of the wood furniture. I also remember the cloth doll with the black face. You could turn her upside down and pull down the skirt to reveal another head but I can't remember what the other head was! And tinkertoys were one of my favorite toys when I was a little older. I can't remember that doll or the high chair. But I must say it looks like Santa was pretty good to us that year!

Chrissy Doll - A Xmas Memory

2008-12-12T15:56:00.006-05:00

I was sorting through old folders and I came across a letter to Santa, written when Christine was about 6 years old. She had cut out a picture of Chrissy Doll from a catalog, taped it to her letter and wrote CHRISSY with her black crayon. My printing at the bottom says SANTA, PLEASE BRING THIS DOLL. Then she printed her name.
I remember I had already bought Baby Tender Love - a baby doll that feels like a real baby! Well, Christine had visited Santa in the store and told him she wanted a doll for Christmas and since she had told Santa her name was Christine he told her that she must want Chrissy Doll whose hair grew when you pulled it. Well, suprise, suprise, Santa brought two dolls that year.

Xmas Card

2008-12-12T08:52:00.001-05:00

We thought this was such a beautiful picture of our three year old twin grandchildren. Getting Xmas cards mailed can be a chore but we certainly love receiving them!

The Twins Come for a Visit

2008-12-07T20:44:00.001-05:00

Yesterday Timmy and Bridget came to visit us. I think they had a good time. We did! I baked gingerbread cookies with them and Grampy entertained them with his trains. Oh yes, their Daddy came too!

Mom's 100th Birthday Party

2008-12-06T21:36:00.001-05:00

2008-12-06T21:33:00.001-05:00

I had decided several years ago that I wanted to celebrate my mother's 100th birthday even though she had died at the age of 93 on January 4, 2002. I was babysitting my grandson Anthony the day I decided this. He was about 5 and he thought it was a great idea. He wanted to come and he then began naming some of his aunts and uncles and asking if we could celebrate when they die too! Well, we did include Anthony. He sang Happy Birthday on the phone along with us.

Present at our party were friends, Alice, Jim, Dorothy, Michael and Roe. We sang our traditional family song, Fill My House, before eating. During dinner we all talked about our mothers and it really was very interesting and enjoyable.

I scanned the first page of mom's babybook. It says:

Ruth Marion Howard was born at 403 Bear St. Syracuse, NY, Dec.5, 1908. at 8 o'clock A.M. Mrs. Merrett Learborn was her nurse. Dr. Peck was her doctor. On the eleventh day her mother gave her her bath.

She weighed 7 seven pounds and had long black hair.

Ruth was not forgotten her first Xmas. From Miss Marion Sewell of Jamestown, NY she received a solid silver spoon. From her Aunt Josephine, a pair of bootees, from her parents a baby carriage and a cake.

Well, Mom, sorry you didn't eat cake with us. It doesn't look as though you got to eat any of your first cake either.

Happy Birthday, Mom. You were loved by many!

Our Thanksgiving Trip

2008-12-03T19:21:00.001-05:00

On our way home we stopped to visit Leo and Kristen. When we arrived everything was coated with ice and it was still raining. Leo and Kristen are doing fine. We enjoyed a very nice chicken dinner with them. We didn't stay long because of the weather but we did get to see five deer in their backyard. When I stepped out to take this picture they all looked at me and then scattered some because of the flash. We also saw their new garage. We expect the next time we see them we'll see their new baby! This visit made the end of a very nice Thanksgiving.

Black Friday

2008-12-03T19:03:00.002-05:00

Friday after Thanksgiving, we met my friend Norma and her daughter Karen and two grandsons at the Rochester Science Museum. I enjoyed it immensely and so did the kids!

Andrew's New House

2008-12-03T18:45:00.001-05:00

We all had to walk across the road and see Andrew's new house. Suprisingly, this is the house that Andrew came home to as an infant. Sue and George were renting it at the time. Andy has been helping Andrew with repairs and the house certainly met everyone's approval. I was happy to see that Andrew has my parents, his grandparents, old bedroom set. He refinished the top of the dresser and it looks wonderful. We're very happy for you Andrew.

Thanksgiving Day

2008-12-03T17:00:00.002-05:00

2008-12-03T16:41:00.003-05:00

The family is enjoying another wonderful Thanksgiving at Andy and Mary Kay's. Art and Marian supplied the turkey. As always there was plenty of good food with turkey sandwiches later in the evening.

Anthony

2008-11-18T19:50:00.002-05:00

This is my grandson Anthony. He was born March 4, 1999. He loves football like his dad. This summer he went to a football camp with the Florida Dolphins where he learned a lot and also had a lot of fun. He gave football his all this year and his team won the Super Bowl. And imagine he is on a football card! Anthony has a lot of enthusiam. He's a good older brother and an A student. He made the honor roll and received the Principal's Certificate for Extra Effort. He likes to write and he may be the next one in the family to get a book published! I have five other terrific grandchildren plus one on the way and I plan do a post on each.

Sunny Florida

2008-11-18T15:25:00.001-05:00

It seemed like summer to us but it is November and Anthony and Alex did have school this week except for Veteran's Day. They wear uniforms and they live close to the school and are able to walk. On Veteran's Day we drove on I75 also known as Alligator Alley and yes we saw an alligator. Pete and Roxana have a beautiful pool in their gated community. The boys both take swimming lessons and do really well.

2008-11-18T15:21:00.006-05:00

The water was a little choppy but a lot of fun. We swam at both Hollywood and Ft. Lauderdale Beaches and we walked along Miami Beach. Anthony played football this fall and his team, the Green Bengals, won the Super Bowl. We attended the team's family picnic to celebrate. Congratulations, Anthony!

Disneyworld

2008-11-18T14:58:00.001-05:00

We had beautiful weather at Disneyworld. We had a day to spend at each of the parks, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Pete and the boys joined us at Hollywood Studios where we made sure to see The Toy Story which is new and take a trip into space. Then it was about a 3 hour drive to their home in Pembroke Pines.

All Packed!

2008-11-04T20:52:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow morning we leave for Florida. We will be staying at the Boardwalk Resort in Disneyworld for five days to attend the NJ State Bar Association meeting then we will go to Pembrook Pines for a week to visit Pete, Roxana, Anthony and Alex. We are very much looking forward to this vacation.

Today I went to the Liberty Science Center with Christine, Katie and Stephen. It was very interesting and a lot of fun. To see pictures that Christine took you can click on The Simple and the Ordinary which is listed on the right side of my blog under Places to Visit.

Red Riding Hood and Guitar Man

2008-10-31T21:08:00.001-04:00

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T20:26:00.001-04:00

2008-10-31T20:06:00.003-04:00

This Halloween morning Bridget was the first one up, but before long a silent Batman walked into the kitchen. He's a serious guy. Later I went to Library Story Time with Sleeping Beauty and the Hulk. Exciting day for me!

We talked to our other grandkids. Tonight they are Katie Little Red Rding Hood, Stephen Guitar Man, Anthony Screaming Blood and Alex Batman!

Morning Light

2008-10-30T08:56:00.005-04:00

We did get to the movies on Tuesday. Our choices were Beverly Hills Chihuahua which we already saw, High School Musical 3 which didn't interest us, Religious which mocks relilgion - we didn't think so - or Morning Light. So, we saw the light. This movie by Disney is really a documentary about 15 youths training and sailing from California to Hawaii in a race. We enjoyed it!

October Snow

2008-10-28T18:39:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was almost like summer and today we had our first snow. Although it snowed for a couple of hours the snow didn't stick. Northern areas of NJ got up to 4 inches. The tv news meterologist said this happens about every 15 years. Why aren't you impressed?

Porches

2008-10-26T16:41:00.002-04:00

My handyman Bill finished the back porch a few weeks ago and it looks great. And I finished scraping and painting the railings of our wraparound porch this week. that was a bigger job than I expected. Scraping is the tough part. Next step is painting the porch floor. We'll work on that together!

852 Stone Road

2008-10-24T23:29:00.003-04:00

Last weekend was a very busy weekend for Bill and me. Besides Andy and Mary's anniversary party, a 50 year grammar school luncheon, a birthday party for Andy and Art, we stopped at 852 Stone Road, the house I grew up in. The present owners bought the house from our family in 2002 after our mother passed away. They added an attached garage to the back of the house and took down the old garage. They also added a side porch and door. It looks great and I believe my parents would be very pleased to see the house being taken care of so well.

We were very pleased to be invited in to see the house. The kitchen is still the same as it was in the 50's. They plan to rennovate it. Upstairs they removed a wall between two bedrooms. The rooms have all been painted and are nicely decorated. I had left a copy of my father's autobiography for them when they bought the house. She said she appreciated it and told me that Mr. Whitman had stopped to see the house. After visiting the house he wrote a 3 page autobiogrhy about living there. He also sent them the above photos of his family. She let me borrow both the autobiography and the photos. He was drafted in 1941 and his father sold the house in 1945 while he was in the army. While living there they had a barn with 3 cows, pigs, a horse and chickens. Seven adult children lived in the home and there were three weddings in the living room. He wrote that his family loved 852 Stone Road. They were a gregarious family, very happy and hard working. They lived a Christ centered life. In fact, two of his sisters married ministers.

Our family also loved the house. That evening I learned that Mary Kay and her brother knew the Whitmans. Their parents had been friends with them. So now I am also a former resident of 852 Stone Road and I am glad.

We are St. Charles Girls

2008-10-22T08:02:00.002-04:00

We wear our hair in curls.
We are too old for toys,
But we're just right for boys!

Here we are 50 years later - Judy, Mary Ellen, Barbara, Diana, Carol, myself and Norma from the class of 1958! It is the strangest feeling to get together with old friends of 50 years ago! Norma is the only friend I kept in touch with through the years. You look at each other - you remember voices and the years disappear. I felt as if each one of these girls was my best friend. I especially want to thank Carol for doing so much to reunite our class. Most of the class was contacted, a memory book was put together, there was a reunion picnic during the summer, a group went to the cemetery to tend to the graves of the deceased sisters who taught us, and a DVD with pictures and music was put together by Norma's husband Ron. Also, thank you Norma for having us at your home and for the wonderful lunch you provided. I think the class of 1958 was some class!

An Invitation

2008-10-21T21:37:00.001-04:00

50th Wedding Anniversary

2008-10-21T20:26:00.004-04:00

My brother Andy and his wife Mary Kay celebrated their 50th anniversary. I was one of the bridesmaids. Andy and Mary prepared the food and it was delicious. Of course, their kids helped. They renewed their wedding vows - this time leaving out the word "obey". It was a great celebration!

Cause for Celebration

2008-10-14T21:28:00.002-04:00

Our daughter, Christine, has wanted to be an author since she was a child. As a teenager I remember her writing about a wealthy girl named Kate and her adventures with her friends at a boarding school, which included being kidnapped. First copies of this were hand written. Later she had a computer for the many revisions. Christine enjoys writing and she persevered. She joined two writing critique groups on line and met others like herself - some had books published. She has done a lot of historical research. Well, yesterday was her Big Day. She received a letter from a publishing company saying they had read her recent manuscript, liked it and are offering her a contract. The title of her book is When Mike Kissed Emma although this could be changed. It is a young adult romance novel. We are so proud of our daughter. She has persevered and accomplished her dream!

A Party

2008-10-14T21:08:00.001-04:00

This weekend Leo and Kristen invited the family to their new home in Pennsylvania for a barbcue. The weather was unseasonably warm - about 75 degrees and the leaves were gorgeous. Since we were together we decided to suprise Kristen with a baby shower. It was great day!

Promised Land

2008-10-14T20:51:00.005-04:00

The following day we went with Leo and Kristen to The Promised Land State Park. I love that name! The leaves were at their peak. There we took a mile long walk on an island before leaving for home. Travel time home was 2 hr 45 min.

Celebrating a Golden Anniversary

2008-10-11T21:32:00.002-04:00

We were so fortunate today. We got together with our old neighbors the Wheelers and Marucas. The weather was perfect and after a stroll on the boardwalk in Point Pleasant we celebrated Betty and Ray's 50th wedding anniversay with an excellent dinner at Baker's Wharfside Restaurant. During dinner we confirmed our plan to take that Alaskan cruise next year. We will have a blast!

Stephen's Box

2008-10-11T21:01:00.002-04:00

As his wife I know it's nice being related to Handyman Bill. He's always ready for a challenge, except perhaps climbing on a roof, and he's a hard worker who keeps on ticking. In the spring he built shelves for Stephen's room. Stephen had the idea of a special box and since grandson is a pretty good relation, his box was delivered!

Whitesbog

2008-10-11T20:42:00.001-04:00

The Master Gardeners watched as cranberrys were reaped in the historic company town of Whitesbog located in the pine barrens of southern New Jersey. On our bus tour we learned some interesting history of this area. Our tour guide was proud to let us know that she was a 6th generation cranberry farmer and also that her uncle was the Jersey Devil. This area also is known for its blueberries.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

2008-10-07T21:13:00.002-04:00

This movie is about a pampered Chihuahua named Chloe who is left in the care of the owner's niece. The niece decides to go to Mexico with a couple of friends and there Chloe is dognapped, escapes with the help of other dog friends and tries to get home. It's a good family movie with a lot of laughs although near the end I was ready for it to be over. Bill thought it was ok but more of a kid's movie. By the way, the dogs all talk. Drew Barrymore is the voice for Chloe.

Mary Zarinko - 65 years

2008-10-07T08:41:00.002-04:00

Mary Zarinko, the wife of Bill's cousin Tommy, passed away on Friday Oct. 3rd. She and Tommy had been married 44 years and had 5 children and 4 grandchildren. Their children were in the same age range as our kids and years ago we saw them every Easter at Aunt Gertrude and Uncle Jack's house. In more recent years we seem to see them only at weddings and funerals and now this time we gather at her funeral. Mary died from acute leukemia which was only diagnosed four months ago. Mary was a friendly caring person who loved her family so this is a difficult time for them. However, they do have faith. Lord, welcome your daughter, Mary, into your kingdome. Amen

Taking Down Trees

2008-10-03T22:43:00.002-04:00

Jr's Tree Service was here this afternoon taking down two large trees from our side lawn. These trees were too large to be so close to our house. We also have had a problem with roots in our sewer line. Jr's did a fine job and left us with plenty of firewood but I feel a little sad to see the trees gone. It looks so bare. Perhaps some bushes?