Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Ten on Tuesday

1. Since I only posted pictures last Tuesday, I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do.  Our Cincinnati trip was great.  All of our family was there except for our youngest son who lives in NYC.  The grand kids had a great time seeing each other again; they usually only see one another on vacation in May and at Christmas or Thanksgiving, depending when our Boston grand kids are in town.  My son and his wife in Cincinnati had the whole weekend planned out, so there was lots of together time and swimming at the hotel for the kids. 

2.  I'm leaving for Boston tomorrow morning.  My niece is getting married in Marble Head on Saturday, so I'm going up a few days early to hang out with my Boston grandkids.

3.  I get back in town Monday night, and we are hosting our neighborhood 4th of July breakfast on Wednesday.  We basically just have to have tables, chairs, coffee, juice and a couple of egg casseroles.  Everyone else brings dishes.  We have lived in this house for 15 years, and every 4th the neighbors celebrate all day--breakfast together, the Webster Parade at 10, lunch at 1, Amelia Ave. parade and photo op after lunch, games at one house in the afternoon, pot luck supper at 5, talent show at 6 and Webster fireworks at 9.  We have lots of new, young neighbors, so we offered to host the breakfast to meet them.  Our in-town kids usually come for the potluck dinner, and maybe will come for the breakfast since we are hosting.

4. I didn't go to garage sales week before last because of being out of town, but this past Saturday I hit a really good one.  A lady used to have a children's shop and was selling lots of her samples, lots of christening gowns, and things like fabric, ribbon, embroidery blanks and some little dresses that can be monogrammed.  I bought a lot of bibs, ribbon and fabric, and a few little dresses for Stephanie for next year.  I also hit a sale where they had lots of children's books, so I bought about 30.  The good thing was the mother and daughter were recommending them to me, which were good and for what age, so I think I got some good ones.  With all of the grand kids, someone should be able to use them.

5.  Three of my grandkids birthdays are in July, and two in August.  I usually shop way ahead of time, but with going out of town a couple of times I haven't done much.  We did find a doll house on Craig's list last week and go look at it for Sara, whose birthday is the first, but it wasn't in very good condition.  Luckily we didn't buy it, because my daughter said no more doll houses.  They don't have room.  We bought Katie a big one for her birthday in December, and Sara told me she really wanted her own.  However, I have to listen to their mother so I bought Sara an aquarium and will get fish to go in it.  Jack's birthday is the third, but I might just take him shopping when I get to Boston and let him pick something out.  It's hard to know what toys they already have since I'm not there that often.  And Corinne's is the 29th, but I'm making something for her when I get back from traveling.

6.  My husband went to the doctor last week for his regular check up, and the dr. said he was pre-diabetic and had gained 15 pounds in the past year.  He came home and decided to cut out the junk food and eating between meals, and in a week he lost 7 pounds.  I cannot believe it.  It takes me six months to lose that much weight.  I might just have to cook some fattening stuff so he doesn't lost it so fast.

7.  I thought about writing about Jerry Sandusky last week, because I was so outraged that they were saying he might go free.  When I learned he was found guilty on 45 of 48 charges, I was relieved.  I do not understand how so many people knew what he was doing and looked the other way.  I also do not understand why we have so many perverts around, either.

8.  I went to my cardiologist yesterday and got a good report.  He said my heart problems have not worstened so I don't need the surgery yet.  He said I could go another twenty years with aortic stenosis, or I could need surgery next week.  I'll opt for the 20 years.  I noticed, though, doctors all call me Mrs. McLellan now instead of Margaret; I guess because I'm older than all of them.

9.  I was also so upset over Karen Klein, a grandmother in her sixties, being bullied on the school bus last week.  I cannot believe children would talk to an adult that way.  I know we were never allowed to show disrespect to adults when I was growing up, and I do not think my own children would ever do something like that.  I just don't understand how children have so little respect for adults.  It's bad enough bullying other children, but a grandmother?

10.  I saw on Yahoo this morning that John Edwards and Rielle Hunter broke up last week after the release of her "tell all" book.  She was severely criticized for having the affair with Edwards when everyone knew his wife was dying of cancer.  She says she was judged harshly, and if we want the truth we will read her book.  One of the comments on Yahoo was, "NO we do not need to read the book. We know she went after John, though it doesn't take away his guilt.  We do not need to know what a woman who has done what she has done, has to say about anything. And to talk bad about Elizabeth, makes her the worse trash ever."  I couldn't agree more. 

Sunday, June 24, 2012

A Pink Christening

Granddaughter Stephanie was christened last weekend, and many wore pink and beige.

I'm linking up to Pink Saturday on How Sweet the Sound: http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/
and to Mosaic Monday on Little Red House: http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Ten on Tuesday

Stephanie Margaret was christened on Sunday, so here are ten pictures of her:



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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Ten On Tuesday

1.  I finally went to Cardinals game Saturday and rode the Metro Link.  We won the game, and it was an interesting experience (you can read about it in my previous post if interested--haha).

2.  We had a fancy aunt lunch Saturday for my little sister, Patty.  I don't know how old she is, probably about 55.  Mostly we talked about my niece in Boston's upcoming wedding, where we were going to stay, the different events associated with the wedding, what we were going to wear...

3.  I had another good day at garage sales on Saturday.  I got lots of kids clothes, some vases since our garden is so prolific this year and I'm taking flowers places and not getting the vases back, a cute pitcher and platter with bunnies painted on them (I'm crazy about bunnies--decorative ones, not the ones that eat my flowers), four frames Beatrix Potter prints, doll house furniture, about thirty pieces new in the packages--I'm going to get a doll house for granddaughter Sara who's birthday is July 1, a couple of American Girl puzzles with picture frames, and my big find was a Jumparoo for baby Stephanie:


4.  We're going to Cincinnati this weekend for Stephanie's christening, which I've talked about quite a bit on this blog.  It will be lots of fun because all of our family will be there except our youngest son who lives in New York and can't afford it.  We're all staying at the same hotel so it will be fun for all of the kids.  I'm really getting anxious to see Stephanie again.

5.  I'm almost finished with the christening gown and very pleased with it.  I'll probably finish it this evening and take pictures and do a post on it tomorrow.  I'm smocking a bonnet now, which I can do while I sit and watch T.V., either Cardinal games or HGTV.

6.  I got another new embroidery card on E-Bay, which has over 5,000 designs, by Brother.  The only problem is finding the pattern I want since I just have the names of the categories, but each one has 20 or 30 individual designs.  I already had a Brother card with 65 categories, but this one has those 65, plus 35 Disney categories and 330 other miscellaneous ones.  I'm sure these are illegal, since Brother's individual cards cost about fifty to sixty dollars a piece, and I only paid $15 for it.

7.  We talked to retirement specialist last week about my retirement, and I'm in a lot better shape than I thought.  I'll have fourteen years in January, but I can buy years to add to my retirement.  I can use my annuity to do that, and I'll get more per month and earn more interest on my retirement account than I've been earning on my annuity anyway.  I also found out I will get a little social security.  I am in the Missouri Public School Retirement system, and we do not pay social security.  I was told that once we got into their retirement system we would have to forfeit social security, but the guy told me I will get a small amount, like a couple hundred a month.

8.  I realized recently I have not been posting my monthly goals for two or three months.  I have not lost any weight so there's not much to post in that area.  And I have been posting regularly, another of my goals. 

9.  I had a crazy thing happen with my Visa Card last week.  When I went to pay the bill I had a charge for $40.60 from a company in Blue Ash, Ohio.  That is where we are staying this weekend when we go to Cincinnati, and it was charged on the day I made reservations, so I figured it was from the hotel.  I call the hotel and they said they had not charged us anything, so I called Visa and asked them to look into it.  I was sure someone had used my credit card.  Then I googled the name on the Visa bill, and it was a company that owned Sew Beautiful, a place where I had bought the lace for Stephanie's gown.  The store is located in Huntsville, AL, but apparently they bill out of Blue Ash, OH.  What a coincidence!

10.  I'm trying to make all of my doctor appointments this summer to get everything taken care of before I retire.  I saw my primary care and my pulmonoligist a couple of weeks ago, and I have appointments with my cardiologist and gynecologist within the next couple of weeks.  I have to call my dentist back and also set up my colonoscopy, the worst of all.  I sure wish I wouldn't have smoked all of those years, but I'm lucky to have good insurance to see all of these doctors.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Our Winter Babies

Here are our four winter babies this summer:

Noah at six months.

Marin at five months.






Stephanie at four months.
Luke at three months.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Cardinal's Game

Well, I finally went to a Cardinal's game in the new stadium.  I say new, but it's seven or eight years old so it's not really new, just new to me.  I went with my husband and his brother, and we took the Metro Link downtown.  Now I can check those two things off my bucket list.  

The Cards won, 2-0, so that was good.  The atmosphere at the park has changed quite a bit since I was last there--lots more bells and whistles.  In fact, it was hard to watch the game.  There are cheerleaders, or maybe they're not cheerleaders but cute young girls dressed in short shorts and tight Cardinal tee shirts, who bring little kids on the field before the game, run all around between innings, and shoot tee shirts up into the stands every couple of innings.  We didn't even sing the national anthem before the game, which I thought was really strange, but there was constant loud music throughout the game giving it an M-TV atmosphere.  There were three twenty-something couples in front of us, and the gals were taking pictures of one another, laughing, talking, drinking beer and texting throughout the whole game, making it difficult to watch the game which they never even attempted to do.  There was a couple sitting next to me who brought all of their own food.  They started with a baggy containing a sandwich labeled "cheese" then pulled out baggies with "turkey," "tomatoes" and "lettuce."  They made their sandwiches and ate them with Doritos, then the guy proceeded to loudly lick all of his fingers.  During the seventh-inning stretch time he scratched his butt the whole time.  I kept trying not to look that way, but that was not easy to do because I had to look to see the game.  

The rides to and from on the Metrolink were good.  We had to wait about fifteen or twenty minutes for the train on the way down, but the ride was comfortable and delivered us right across from the stadium.  My husband and brother kept warning me that we would probably have to wait for two or three trains before we would get one on the way home, because so many people were trying to get on.  As soon as the game was over, we rushed right out toward the station.  My B.I.L. saw a Shrewsbury train pulling in to the station, so we ran down the ramp.  I don't think I've run in ten years or so.  We hopped on the train and even managed to get seats.  A young mother and her little three-year old daughter were sitting in front of us, so I talked to her all the way home.  Her mother kept telling her not to bother us, but I enjoyed her conversation.  That was a pleasant ride.  

Then we went to Imo's for pizza, which was delicious as usual.  All in all, I'm glad I finally went to the new stadium and rode the Metro Link, but I'm fine with watching the games at home in the air conditioning with instant replay and snacks available.  I'm really getting old.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Ten onTuesday

1.  I hit some great garage sales on Saturday, and got almost everything I was looking for plus some things I wasn't looking for.  I got two sets of white shelves for my sewing room which I'm still working on.  From that sale I also got a whole box of Harry Potter Legos for $5, (no pictures of these two things because my sewing room is still a mess and will take pictures if I ever get it organized, and granddaughter Katie already took the Legos home).

I also go two set of childrens' golf clubs and bags, for my Boston grandkids because they are going to take golf lessons this summer.


And I got a Bumbo for my Ohio grandbaby, which I had been looking for the past couple of weeks.


From another sale I got a crystal decanter, and a small end table which I had been looking for all spring.  We bought a couch from Craigslist this spring and the old end table was too wide to fit, so I had to find one which measured under 20 inches wide.  The crazy thing was the decanter and table each cost $10.  The gal gave me some long story about how the decanter was over 75 years old because it had been her grandmother's so that's why she wanted $10.  I didn't care how much it was--I have some other crystal stuff on my hutch cabinet and needed something tall to fit in.  And I think I got a great deal on the end table.


2. I finally finished all of the burp cloths I was working on.  Now I'm working on the christening gown.  Pictures next week.


3.  My daughter Kate turned 40 on Friday.  When I asked her what I could get her, she said all she wanted for her birthday was a divorce, but I couldn't give that to her so I got her an Ann Taylor gift certificate.  She's been trying to get divorced for two and a half years and it's been hell for her.
 
4. I went to lunch Friday with some friends from work.  One had move to Texas in April and came back to St. Louis for a wedding.  We sat and talked in the restaurant for three hours--it was a great afternoon.  Mostly we were complaining about our husbands who are all retired and decided we'd all keep the ones we have, though we'd like to take the positive from each one and make a perfect man.  It's kind of funny that all of the wives work part time just to get out of the house and see other women.
 

5.  Saturday we went to Wayne's brother Jeff's and his wife Judith's for dinner.  He is a great cook.  He made barbequed ribs and potato salad.  I made lemon bars for dessert which they raved about, but they're really easy to make.

6.  The Cardinals are in a slump.  They lost four out of five games to the Mets.  I sure hope they pick it up soon.

7.  One of my favorite blogs to read is The Bearded Iris.  It can be "R" rated at times, but it's just hysterical.  The gal is a great writer.  Last week she and her husband were taking a ride in the country and took a picture of a young mother cutting her grass on a tractor holding a tiny baby.  She thought it was really cool, but apparently lots of people blasted her saying how dangerous it was.  She finally decided to close the comment section of her blog.  I don't understand why people think they have to give their opinions when they aren't asked--or why they even read blogs they don't like.  She was pretty hurt by all the negativity.  If you get a chance, google her and check out her blog.  It is really funny.

8.  Since I took off Friday to go to lunch with friends and get some stuff done, I had another three-day weekend.  I think I'll do it again this weekend.  I have plenty of vacation time and personal days accumulated and it's pretty slow in the summer, so I may as well enjoy myself.

9. I am so excited about my embroidery patterns.  It's a very long and complicated story, but I have two embroidery machines and each has a different system to download the patterns from the computer.  However, since I got a new computer in September I have not been able to use any of my designs saved on my computers for either machine.  So I copied them onto a thumb drive and put them on my lap top I use with my sewing machine, and all of the sudden I was able to access all of them on that computer, combining the two programs so I can use any of them on my newer machine.  I know that sounds confusing, and it is, but I now have over 5,000 designs whereas I've only had a couple of hundred since September.

10.  There was a neat article in this past weekend's newspaper.  There is this high school for troubled kids, those who have dropped out of traditional schools or are homeless, and someone from St. Louis came forward and donated enough money to send all of them to college for four years--any school of their choice.  There were about 24 students who graduated, but none of them had any means to go to college, so they found out at graduation that their tuition would be paid.  Whoever donated wanted to remain anonymous.  Isn't that great--there still are some good people in this world.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Hair Cut

I went to get a haircut this afternoon and the oddest thing happened.  I go to Great Clips where you walk in and wait your turn.  It's cheap and I usually don't have to wait more than fifteen minutes.  So I went in and gave my name and they told me  it would be a few minutes.  

Then a man walked in with a lady right behind him.  The man started to give his information, and the woman said, "Wait a minute.  I am before him.  I pulled into the parking lot first and he just walked faster than me."  I thought they were together, and she was just kidding, but obviously not.  She looked to be in her sixties, with gray hair, and I looked at her to see if she was kidding. 

Then I was called to get my haircut and I asked the beautician, "Did you hear that woman?  Was she just kidding?"

The beautician told me "No, she comes in here all of the time.  She's not kidding.  She's a little off." 

Then another beautician took the man within a few minutes, and I heard him telling his beautician that he is a school psychologist. The woman's name was immediately called and she sat and the chair next to mine.  The beautician was very nice to her, and proceeded to cut her hair.  The woman told the beautician to be sure and cut the colic in her hair the right way so it didn't stick out.  The beautician asked where it was in her hair, and the woman didn't know, telling the beautician she needed to find it.  Then the beautician asked her where she worked, and she said Wash U School of Medicine.  I wondered what she did there, and she proceeded to tell her she worked in the mail room, sorting mail.

The incident made me think about the way we expect people to behave, and how we react when people don't act as expected.  First I was humored, then I was a bit nervous when I found out she was a bit impaired wondering what she would do next, then I felt sorry for her because the world must seem like an unfair place to her. I'm big on fair, and often get upset when people are not what I consider "fair." I wondered, too, why the man who was a psychologist didn't let her go ahead of him.  He could see it would be a very short wait.  I then had to ask myself, if I had walked in at the same time would I have let her go ahead of me?  I hope so.