296/365

WITH SIX YOU GET EGGROLL

That was one of my favorite Doris Day movies... ;-)

Anyway, awhile ago I met an old friend for dinner at Taipai Toyko. We sat up front. I got this fortune in my cookie. I just discovered it down at the bottom of one of the pockets in a tote bag I had.

It's funny how when you get a fortune or a horoscope or read an affirmation that you have this big ah ha moment like - that's it! That's how it shall be! It's a virtual pat on the back - way to go - 'at a boy! I kept it - so it must have meant something to me. But fortunes and affirmations and wishes and thoughts don't mean anything unless you work at achieving it yourself and stop blaming everyone else for holding you back...

My niece played hookie from school last week and came over and we went to lunch... before that we were looking at some of my art (and hers!) and she said "you could totally sell stuff like this..."

I think she may be right... if only I could find my paint brushes! ;-)

On a side note: where did the addition of "...in bed" at the end of your fortune come from??? ;-)

295/365

DISCOVERED

I discovered a few things today...

Putting the drawers back in my dad's dresser I found a package of 43 cent knee highs from Hills and an old bra that were my mothers...

Going through some bags I found the outfit I wore on my first plane ride and the shirt I had on when we got engaged... and the Mickey sweater I wore when we told everyone at a "Friday Night" at my Dad's.

Setting up a tree, underneath some fabric and moss I found the pine cone that Madison gave us when we first bought Dixon House..

The stockings and bra were a surprise but the other stuff (and so much more) were all saved. I'm having trouble deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. I'm getting a little consumed in all of it. I don't know where it's going or what to pack it in - what are forever memories and what should just be thrown away... It may be easier for some but I've always had a strange attachment to "things." I was told by a few that it's because I don't have any children but I'm not so sure that's the case. I think I would just have more "things" to have to catalog and find a place for. I know they are just possessions but they are my possessions - with meaning and stories and almost a life of their own. Let's just say trying to consolidate 40 years into a collection of Rubbermaid bins to put god knows where for god knows how long has been a bit overwhelming.

On a side note... I was downstairs and forgot I "put RoseBud to bed" last night. When RoseBud died we brought this stuffed pug (which is actually a purse) down to the living room and it stayed on the couch until we got miss lily bud.... She would sit by me while I was doing my work and I would jokingly put a blanket on her and say goodnight when we went to bed... I did that last night but by morning I forgot she was there. I was going through some things in the game room and looked down and wondered how Lily got downstairs so fast and covered herself up. It was just the Pretend Bud. ;-)

Goodnight, Puppy Dog, wherever you are.

294/365

TEN ON TUESDAY

1. Figured I should do something with all the stuff I already had: The Wishing Star Party Plans.

2. I really feel bad for people with arthritis... EVERY bone in my body hurts from moving things... even my phalanges. Something isn't making sense here.

3. I still haven't found a storage unit I like and officially have my things in 4 different places...

Again - that making sense thing??? Hmmm...

4. Health scare averted!!! My cousin was a little worried about a test she was asked to come back for but all's well that ends well. I guess my godson has to rely on his dad AND mom to get him to vision therapy and know when to buy school shoes and ok his prom date now. ;-) I had a similar scare last month but it was all in one day and I just had to worry about if my dad knew what dog food to get Lily! ;0)

5. I locked Lily in the car yesterday... both sets of keys AND the puppy dog! She was all strapped in in her seatbelt and just wanted to take a nap... she got a little annoyed with me knocking on the window every minute to make sure she was still conscious while we were waiting for the AAA guy. Here she is giving me her TALK TO THE PAW look.

6. I'm not sure if this is the guy we met in Disney or not but did you hear the owner of the Segway corporation died in a freak accident??? Very sad story but I have to admit (this is terrible) when I heard about it all I could think of was the Price is Right cliffhanger game. I "heard" the yodeling and everything. RIP, Jimi - your Segways were fun.

7. Speaking of #4... Love the Zapata trees.

8. I think LB can use a storage unit of her own...

9. I don't know if it's some sort of facebook ID but if you go to my photos this number always comes up = 1616216122. Thought that was interesting.

10. 1-800-COMCAST and I are getting a little too close for comfort.

293/365

COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET

I had to take everything out of the china closet for a carpet install today... as I was doing so I came across these favors.

Apparently, that china closet is where marriages go to die.

292/365

THIS LITTLE PIGGY

This little piggy has claimed residency here in this very spot since we bought our bed...

She was the first thing my mother-in-law ever bought me - over 20 years ago. She got her somewhere on a trip to see Stephen and Sue in Atlanta.

Her name is Georgia.

291/365

PLEASE, MR POSTMAN, LOOK AND SEE...
IS THERE A LETTER, A LETTER FOR ME?

I love getting mail... it's like Christmas every day (except on Sunday.) Full of surprises - some expected, some unexpected.

I'm going to miss the sound of the mail dropping on the floor from the mail slot and the sound of the metal hitting up against the door - and hearing it all again as Tom drops a treat in the door after the mail.

How many people can say they cried and had a triple hug with their mailman? We did when we told him RoseBud died. He still tells me how much he misses her and how he thinks she understood and talked to him. He didn't know Lily as long, obviously, but they were becoming fast friends. She would run after him if she saw him on a walk and she waited for that second drop and sound of his voice if he heard her barking to "get her mail."

I made Tom cry again today at our doorstep... it was just a double hug though.

We'll miss you, Tom. Thanks for all the "treats."

290/365

DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES

289/365

THE BUG THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK

I think I may possibly hold the record for the shortest storage rental period ever.

I rented a storage unit around 10:00 AM. By 2:30 PM it was over.

I went home, packed some things and had a whole carload to bring back.

I got to the gate, punched in my code - the little screen said Hi Jeannine DiGioia - you are paid until 10-23-10... thought that was kind of cute.

I drove down the wobbly gravel path to what would now be my home away from home.

and saw this.

and many of his friends and family. They were on the walls, coming over from the other unit and flying in the friggin door.

I literally stood in the middle of this 10 X 15 cubicle crying like a baby imagining coming back in a couple weeks - opening up a box and 400 million trillion of these things all spilling out like a terrible movie.

I know these guys are everywhere and everyone is talking about them... I recently saw my cousin's facebook post - Stink Bugs are the new Kanye West - thought that was funny... Anyway, intentionally putting the majority of my possessions into this garage was a little too much to handle to begin with. Seeing this little bug party in F17 put me over the edge.

Little Stinkers...

Now what?

288/365

I'LL CALL... I HATE THE FALL

I used to LOVE the Fall... it was my favorite season...

Seeing the leaves change on the turnpike...

All the fall festivals...

The buttered bread at the soup booth in Hickory...

Trax pumpkins...

Sweater weather at PSU...

:-(

287/365

VEGETARIAN VEGETABLE

I looked down to try to find a pea to give to the puppy and I saw this... There's HOOP and ROPE and HOSE and POOR and POSE in there I guess but hope decided to display itself... Anyway, it was kind of a nice little greeting for a second and then I ate it.

286/365

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LILY!!!

Today is Lily's second birthday... she wanted to sleep in this morning - as usual.

But the smell of cupcakes was too much for her to take.

Finally got the ice cream cone cupcake pan to work!

We went outside to play... I have the first time she peed as a two year old and all the other fun stuff documented but I figured I should probably spare you the details. Here she is reminding me a little too much of RoseBud. ♥

First lunch as a two year old... ;-) I'll stop.

After lunch, we tried to go to the dog park...

LET ME IN - IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!

... but the gate was locked. (I'm starting to wonder if there was a different gate we missed because what's up with those large branches blocking the bottom of the fence???) Sorry guy I probably got in trouble by calling to complain. ;-)

We drove around for a little - which was just as much fun and then we went home and played in the yard again... Lily had her workout clothes on so we figured she should get some exercise...

Then we went inside to get dinner ready. Lily doesn't really have a "favorite" meal yet... she hasn't had too many meatballs (like RoseBud) and she turned her nose up in the air when I suggested MY favorite (pork chops and applesauce) so we had this favorite:

Then came cake... Let them eat (cup)cake(s)!

It's my Birthday... It's my Birthday...

Presents!

We had our usual photo session... Most of the time she looked like this:

So enthused, huh??? I did manage to get a couple good ones, though. You can see a few more by clicking here. She's such a good puppy dog.

Here she is at ONE!

and at TWO!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LILY BUD. Lots of Love today and always! ♥♥♥

285/365

DESK SET

One of my all time FAVORITE movies is Desk Set. It's from 1957. Starred Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracey and Joan Blondell. Spencer Tracey is an efficiency expert that has come in to computerize the research department of a TV network. Katherine Hepburn is the know-it-all afraid the computer is going to take her job and the jobs of everyone in the department.

I can remember my Mother calling the REFERENCE department at Carnegie Library in Oakland when I had a school question and needed an answer or even just some random question - you got a real life person and they knew the answer or looked it up for you.

I'm still amazed by google. Pretty much anything you want to know - you can find... Just about anything... It's my own little EMERAC.

284/365

KISS, POOKIE...

Saw all these lovely little notepads at Joseph-Beth's... Couldn't help thinking of this:

"It won't work!

I look before I leap...

I love margins and discipline...

I make lists in my sleep...

Baby, what's my sin?

Never quit, I follow through.

I hate mess, but I love you.

What to do with my impromptu baby?"

283/365

A CHILDHOOD REMEMBERED

I've been going through some of my old toys - sorting through memories of long ago. The thing that first popped into my head was whether or not this stuff was safe... I worry so much now about everything toxic yet 30-40 years ago I was probably sucking on a ton of lead paint, never wore a helmet while bike riding, didn't wear a seat belt... you know normal life back then. It's definitely been a trip down memory lane. I have pretty much everything I ever had. I LOVED this elephant - do you remember these??? You pushed on the bottom and they "danced."

I found this suitcase of people...

I gasped and wanted to instantly separate them into appropriate baggies - mcdonald's people here... little people there... but I resisted since they've been living happily together for some time now.

I got on ebay and saw that someone was selling this for $180+

Hello Mr Potato Head!

Hotel... Motel...

I'm still trying to figure out what my favorite toy was... This Holiday Inn was well used! What was your favorite childhood toy?

I completely forgot about these but as soon as I rediscovered them it all came back to me... I wonder if I like ladybugs so much because of this favorite:

and I LOVE LOVE LOVED this puzzle!

MOO with me!

This goes W-A-Y back. I looked it up and it was produced between 1972-1977

I could go on and on... This doesn't even scratch the surface. I'll post more photos later. I found my tire swing and inch worm and baton and pogo stick... the Barbie townhouse and pool and bathtub and so many other accessories... I didn't even go through the Barbie dolls or games yet.

I don't have anyone to pass these down to or share them with (I'll admit I spent a couple nights in the closet crying over that) but it was fun to go through them again. I probably should have gotten rid of everything since I need the room but I couldn't do it. They were taken out, cleaned off, photographed, re-binned and put away again - for awhile at least.

282/365

Paul wanted to pop on here and say hello.

HELLO!

Not much to say tonight... I'm exhausted... have a sick puppy... ran around all night... realized that I can't really see very well driving in the dark... police chases that make me stay in traffic for an hour and a half are bad.. diners are good... liked how the deer (I almost hit) travel together as a family... tons of stuff I should be doing and don't know how I'm going to get it all done but I think I'm grabbing Lily and going to bed. Gone with The Wind was just on so as Scarlett O'Hara said... tomorrow is another day.

281/365

LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN...

This is as far as I got with my art work. Due to circumstances beyond my control I was unable to do my art class... all that money for supplies wasted! Maybe one day I'll be able to catch up - unfortunately I missed out on a lot of feedback from Claudine and the other students. ;-(

I signed up for this: The Art of Silliness starting today... Hopefully, I'll be able to devote more time to this one. ;-)