Girls just want to have fun!

Chelsea's friends, Meredith and Kelly (hereafter referred to as "tall Kelly" - you'll see why when you see the pictures) are visiting for 10 days from Indiana. This is Meredith's 5th trip (she qualifies as "family" at this point) and Kelly's first. We're SO glad to have the girls visit!!!!

Chelsea's best friend in Delaware is another Kelly (hereafter referred to as "short Kelly" - you'll see why when you see the pictures) and so (short) Kelly was also a big part of the week.

Saturday is (short)Kelly's birthday and so the girls took her to Knoebels - an amusement park in Elysburg, PA. - about 170 miles from Wilmington, DE - for a birthday surprise!

Michael took a couple pictures of them before they left:

(In the picture - Meredith, Chelsea, Kelly and Kelly - [YOU figure out which is which!])

(In the picture - Meredith, Chelsea, Kelly and Kelly - [You can tell which is which, right?])

They had a GREAT time and said that in spite of the long ride, Knoebels was a great place to go!!! Fortunately, they were able to split the trip into 2 days. They will spend the night with a friend who lives near Knoebels. What a HUGE help!


The girls have had a great week - lots of smiles - lots of memories.

(In the picture - (tall) Kelly, Chelsea, Meredith and (short) Kelly)

And this has been a wonderful week for Michael and me. We've really enjoyed having the girls visit and hope that they can come back often - and soon!

Something's fishy!

Lunch today with Richard today - just the two of us - always a treat!

At the end of my half-day work day, Richard and I went to Red Lobster for lunch.

Fish and shrimp - $9.50 (lunch special)
Biscuits - 150 calories each
Time with Richard - PRICELESS

Made my day! Thanks, Richard!

Location! Location! Location!

So! We had a grrrrreat spot at the Italian Farmer's Market (where we set up tables with our jewelry every Saturday from 9am to 1pm) - right under a big ol' shade tree. Pretty sweet! BUT... we were at the very end of the Market, which was okay - until there were several weeks where the vendors around us didn't show up.

That meant that we were out in no-man's land - alone - no traffic - no reason to venture down to where we were - unless you were looking for jewelry. I would say that most of our sales have been to people who weren't necessarily looking for jewelry, but when they walked by, they liked what they saw and bought it.

ANYWAY... (do you know ANYone who can drag out a story more than I can???) Two weeks ago, the manager of the Market noticed that we were out in left field (so to speak) and so LAST week, she moved us down 3 spots - next to Jim from Rosehill Plantery - who is next to the Amish Farmer (where most of the traffic originates). Great location! Good move!

Okay... so we're sitting next to Jim, watching people come up and buy plants. Those plants were disappearing faster than S'mores at a Girl Scout bonfire! BEAUTIFUL plants - hanging baskets - potted trees - great stuff.

Didn't take too long. Michael went over to check out the prices. Uh oh! Middle of the season! Great prices! We're done. I mean really... in the spirit of community and all that - we just HAD to buy a hanging basket... or two. Didn't we?

We did! Trust me!

Soooooooooo there wasn't a whole lot left by the time I got over there to voice my opinion (No smart comments, please! Bite your tongue. You can do it!). BUT we got a couple of really nice looking baskets with just the color we needed out front.


Michael was sure that he'd remember specifically what they are, but he forgot. Personally, I don't think it really matters. I refer to them as: the red and white one - and the red and purple one. It works!

Just to clarify... this is the red and purple one:


And this one is the red and white one:


If you're looking for a zing of color to finish the summer, or if you're looking for shrubs at mid-season prices, come and see Jim on Saturday at the Market or visit him during the week at Rosehill Plantery.

Next week they're moving us again - to the other side of the Amish Farmer and next to the Barbeque guy. *sigh* I'm sure that next Sunday, I'll be telling you all about the great barbeque we bought. Community - fellow vendor - support the Market - blah blah blah. We'll HAVE to buy something. You know we will!

Have a great week!

Thank you very mulch!

It's not everyone who can get excited enough about dirt to write about it, but I can! It looks soooooooooooo good!!!

We have a ranch, one-story house, so it seems like the beds in front (and on the sides) of the house are endless. Getting the beds to look the way we want them to look is a never-ending process and we're certainly not there yet, but it gets better every time.


My youngest son, Scott, has a friend (Ryan) who has always loved all things green - and so he started a landscaping business a couple of years ago. He's knowledgeable, reliable and a really nice guy, so we called Ryan and he's been slowly but surely getting us into shape.


One of our Azaleas died this year and so he took that out. The one next to it isn't much better, but Ryan suggested that we keep it for this year and replace it next spring. Sounds like a plan to me.

The Rhododendrum in front of the window is gorgeous! It's gotten a little high, but it's getting buds for next year, so we'll trim it next spring after it blooms.

Two years ago, Ryan planted a Dogwood tree on the corner and it's doing well. It's soooooo pretty in the spring when it blooms!!!


We look great in the spring with the Rhodie, the Dogwood, the Azalea, some Coreopsis and some really pretty Spirarea BUT this time of year, it's borrrrrrrrrring! We need some summer color. The side yard has more color than the front. We could always do some annuals, but I'd love to find some flowering bushes maybe that would give us color all summer.

The photo below of the Daylily is a typical "Michael picture" - beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! I could spend all day looking at the pictures he takes.


So! If you have any ideas or suggestions about how we can add some color, please let us know!

Have a fantastic Friday!

Public Enemies

It's Tuesday - $1 popcorn day - so Michael and I HAD to go to the movies this afternoon. We've been thinking about seeing "Public Enemies" for a couple of weeks, but the running time of 2 hrs. and 23 minutes was a bit of a put-off.

In the end, we decided that we couldn't let a Johnny Depp movie disappear from the theater without seeing it, so we went. (I already said that, didn't I?)

Johnny Depp was terrific, as usual. (I'm a fan.) He certainly made Dillinger human, which for me was a mixed blessing. I was kind of hoping that the makers of this film would take some liberties and make it a happy ending. That didn't happen. Not even close. In the end, history won out (was there ever a contest???). This was definitely not a "feel good" movie! (And not all of the bad guys were gangsters!)

I seriously considered leaving 5 minutes early to avoid the end. Instead I opted for the "cover your eyes" style of movie watching. It was only semi-successful - didn't change the end at all, but I avoided watching it, which worked for me.

My one regret is that I didn't get to see the blonde guy with the scrunched up mouth who "took care" of Billie, "get it"! Now, I'm a gentle soul, by nature, but with all of the bullets flying, it's a shame one didn't get that guy! (She said, sweetly)

Loved the "Pirates" movies, "Finding Neverland", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"; the whole list - and my favorite, "Chocolat". If it has Johnny Depp in it, I'm there. So, it's not surprising that I'm recommending "Public Enemies", too.

Go see it.

But don't watch the end.

Monday again (and again... and again... )

They keep coming - Monday after Monday. Okay... there are days in between, but it seems like every time I turn around, it's Monday again! And today, here we go again! It's Monday!

The only thing that salvaged today was lunch at Chili's with Richard, Michael and J.C. (from work). J.C. is a couple of years younger than Richard. They played on the same baseball team at one point (when they were both VERY young). And now poor J.C. has to spend every day across the hall from me at work.

ANYWAY... Richard was telling us about his golf game on Sunday and the man who played with his group. Well he played with them PART of the time and then Richard "found" him another single to join. Best for everyone concerned, trust me.

Richard was telling us about this guy and his poor etiquette - standing on the green holding the pin, being wasted (is being drunk considered poor etiquette?), and on and on and on. OBVIOUSLY it was NOT Richard's fault that he lost his temper and almost thumped the guy. Obviously not Richard's fault. Obviously.

ANYWAY, while Richard was telling us this story, Michael and I were laughing. It was funny! But J.C.???? J.C. was crying, he was laughing so hard! I thought he was going to fall off of his chair. Every time Richard tells a story, J.C. collapses in laughter. It's worth getting Richard to tell stories, just to see J.C. laugh! Sooooooo funny!

Back to the golf game. In the end, "the guy" went to play with someone else (with some encouragment from Richard). Richard did NOT thump him. But Richard's friends harassed him for the rest of the afternoon. He said that he'd be ready to take a shot and look up - and one of his friends was standing on the green, holding the pin. And then they'd all laugh.

I mean, really. What are friends for anyway? If your friends can't pick on you, who can???

Long story almost over - lunch was fun!

Laughing with friends is fun!

Laughing with your son is the best!

You have eyes just like my daddy!

Dinner with Julie, Richard and 2-year-old Kate (and Michael and Chelsea) at Red Robin tonight. What a great night to sit outside on the patio for dinner.

Kate came to me for a delightfully extended hug after she was finished eating, so we had a little time to talk - just the two of us. I was holding her, both of my arms around her so that she could lean back and talk. (Although she chooses to be right up in my face.) She asked me, "What color are your eyes, Grammie?" Before I could answer, she exclaimed, "You have eyes JUST like my daddy!"

"You're right, Kate. I DO!" I answered, grinning.

"Still looking, she remarked with certainty, "Your eyes are green, Grammie."

Then her pink, sparkly flip-flop fell off and she exclaimed, (again, about an inch from my face) "Grammie, my fllllip-flllllop fell off" with the JUICIEST "llllllll's" I've ever experienced quite that close up.

Of course, just about everything she does makes me laugh, so I wiped the "llllllllll's" off my face, laughing, and assured her that her father would pick up her flip-flop.

She seemed content with that, and so we carried on our conversation (with me still laughing) until it was time for her to give Michael and Chelsea a hug and for all of us to go.

I cherish those little moments with Kate. I run them over and over in my mind, smiling every time. She is soooooooo precious.

Life is VERY good!