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PUG-A-BOO

Happy Howl-oween!

See more photos of Lily the Witch by clicking here.

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TASTE TESTER

Taste testing some halloween treats

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SOME BUNNY LOVES YOU

Bunny has been sleeping in the game room.

Lily jumped off the bed and went all the way downstairs and tried to bring her up the steps... she needed some help so I got her for her and she happily went to bed with Bunny by her side.

I'm wondering if she was "pretending" to sleep here...

because a few minutes later she was licking bunny - so cute!

Unfortunately, a few minutes after that she was trying to rip her eyes out!!!

Bunny sleeps in the closet now.

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SPECIAL DAY

1989

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOTHER

She would have been 66 today. She is 25 in this photo .

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I was trying to be POSITIVE today... I woke up this morning and said whatever was to happen I would make it a good thing. That lasted for about an hour. To make this day even more special I did a little cosmetic surgery on the Xterra... Let's just say - don't believe the "clearance" sign in the parking garage when you see it.

After almost the entire morning dealing with that and being late for my appointment I went on with my day... I figured, since it was my mother's birthday, I would bring the fall flowers up to Mt. Carmel... It's always nice and sunny when I'm there. Hmmm, that sounds familiar... Really, though - the sun always comes out when I'm there. I did my Mother's grave...

...and all the other ones there... Grandparents and Great Grandparents - Persichetti and Imperi, Spicacci, DiGioia and Kerr, Uncle Vince and the 2 year old Tedesco baby that died in 1925. We never knew him but my Grandmother would always take care of his grave since it was next to her father's stone and my mother and then I have done it ever since. I still remember running down that hill as a little girl and tying palm around that lamb's head.

So I left there happy - at least I didn't get shot or anything - trying to stay positive... ;-)

I went to the grocery store close by there to try to find a real sunflower since my MIL never liked fake flowers... couldn't find one - which I had to explain to the security guard and cart boy who, I guess, "noticed" my every move. As I was walking out they asked why I didn't find something I liked... told them "no sunflowers" - and the cart boy said "if he grew sunflowers in his yard he would go home and get me one." Creepy - yet kind of nice so I took that as a "positive" - and I got in the car minus any flowers... (note to self: don't go there again.)

I went to Good Shephard after that and saw the stone for the first time. It turned out really nice.

I found a piece of bark that looked like a heart.

I was going to take it home with me but decided to leave it in lieu of a sunflower.

I thought it was kind of special.

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LOVED BY DRAG QUEENS EVERYWHERE...

Had a little fun at the MAC counter tonight. ;-)

I think I may have strep throat. ;-(

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TOT - TEN ON TUESDAY

1. I've been waiting to download the Hipstamatic App because I thought it said something about needing a 3G phone and I didn't think mine was but I took a chance and am glad I did. It seems like it works fine. Though I'm driving myself crazy trying to find the perfect combination. Photojojo has a guide here with 366 film/lens/flash combinations but I'm still confused.

2. Speaking of phones - I think my original iphone is gasping for breath. Every time I get an email the poor little ding sounds a little sick.

3. I watched Kit Kittredge: An American Girl movie the other day on HBO. Adorable!

4. Remember what I said about my love of school supplies? I was like that all my life. I went through a bunch of stuff from grade school and found all my "duplicate" unused favorite folders and notebooks.

5. I think I may have had the largest order in Community history today. I had three people bagging and they had to get me another cart to put my bags in.

6. I got an HDFS magazine from PSU and it looks like The Wishing Vent may be gone soon...they are putting up a new building in the next year. ;-(

7. Since this is my last week of my thirties (did I actually say that) I'm going to start working on my list of 40 things to do before I turn 41. Inspired by this list here.

8. The little boy next door (he must be about 5 or 6) ran along the fence this morning with Lily before he went to school. I was in my nightgown so I had to run back in the house but I watched them from the door. He kept telling her how cute and smart she was. For all you moms that used ASL to "train" your children it must work because he was "signing" for her to sit. She didn't but it was cute nonetheless.

9. I got a call on my cell phone this morning at 7:16 am. I didn't recognize the NJ, USA number so I let it go to voice mail... this is what I heard (in the best drawn out Jersey accent): "Sorry - wrong number - I was looking for my daughter Tiffany - I don't know - she must have changed her number again - I don't know - sorry about that sweetie { SILENCE } - what the hell did Tiffany do - change her number all these friggin times I turn around?"

10. Look at that tail... is she the cutest little witch ever?

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FROM THIS DAY FORWARD

Today would have been my parent's 41st wedding anniversary. I found their cake topper in the china cabinet.

Sometimes I think I'm the only person that actually wants to be married... all you see are ridiculous people that act like they can't stand being with the person they are with. I was never one to see if someone had a wedding ring on but, recently, I've been looking around when I am out. I was in Target and every couple (young and old) was fighting... or ten steps behind the other rolling their eyes and disgusted... or screaming at their kids and just wanting to get the hell out of there. It's really aggravating.

I often wonder what their excuses are to stay together... probably the tried and true - staying together for the kids song and dance or the sit around and wait and hope something will magically change routine or the poor me don't know if I can make it on my own bit... I'm sure there's a million of them. Just as there are a million reasons to quit.

What happened to "till death do us part?" or "for richer or poorer?" or "in sickness and in health?" I don't mean that as a joke. I'm completely serious. If you want to consider sacred contracts and commitments and promises... marriage should be right there at the front of the line. Why is it so easily discarded?

I don't think that anyone walks down that aisle with the hopes of their marriage falling apart and believe me, I'm not saying that I did everything right in mine. It just seems like people today put more time and dedication and effort into their kids sporting events or their work responsibilities or whatever else they make a conscious effort to create and maintain than they do with their marriage. You only get what you give. My parents, on the other hand, had an unexpected stop in their marriage. They had no choice in the matter. My mother died 2 months before what would have been their 25th anniversary.

I found this article online that went through each of the big VOWS and kind of explains it better than I can. You can read it by clicking here.

For those of you planning to get married - think about what you are doing and if you are committed enough to keep your promise and vow. Those of you that are married - what did your marriage vows mean to you? Then and now?

Or did you just get married for the cookies? ;-)

320/365

I WAS ALWAYS A BIG HDT FAN...

I came across this picture of me and RoseBud (9/23/07) and thought of this...

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discovered that I had not lived." ~ Henry David Thoreau (Walden, 1854)

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WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS

There is a place where the sidewalk ends

And before the street begins,

And there the grass grows soft and white,

And there the sun burns crimson bright,

And there the moon-bird rests from his flight

To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black

And the dark street winds and bends.

Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow

We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,

And watch where the chalk-white arrows go

To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,

And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,

For the children (and dogs), they mark,

And the children (and dogs), they know

The place where the sidewalk ends.

{Shel Silverstein}

I hate that there are no sidewalks here. I think the Bud misses her walks and seeing other people and especially other dogs. I came across these pictures from a couple months ago - I don't think I ever got around to posting them.

Every time on our way back home from a walk Lily would jump up and give me a kiss! Every. Single. Time. It was like she was so happy to be out and wanted to thank me for taking her for a walk. I NEVER got a picture of that. :-( I tried but it was always too hard to do it myself mid kiss. After the kiss she would always go a little crazy and want to play.

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FOF - Five on Friday (five things I'll miss - travel edition)

I went over my FIVE a little. ;-)

TRIPS

RANDOM STOPS

PRE-TRIP UNO

NAME CUPS

BEACH BIRTHDAYS

MURPHY DAY TRIPS

THE CAMERAS

LATE NIGHT ROOM SERVICE

TRAVELING DOG

THE JOURNEY

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I want to remember this so I thought I would add it here: I went to bed kind of early last night but something or someone kept waking me up in the middle of the night... Each time I woke up I looked at the clock and was surprised at what I saw. I swear on RB I saw this: 12:34 am... 1:23 am... 2:34 am... and 3:45 am. I guess no one wanted to come to "visit" during the 4 am hour. ;-) Was it a full moon too? It looked like it. And to add to my night of strange encounters with numbers as I'm writing this I have 1111 emails. Weird.

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THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR WALKING

November 2008

October 2010

They were made for walking, Lily, NOT Eating!

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FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD

Every time I make Chicken Divine I think of Divine Miss M (Bette Midler) and every time I think of Bette Midler I think of Delores DeLago... I remember seeing her as Delores on an HBO special in the early 8os and cracking up over it. You can see it by clicking here. All of us got a big kick out of the balls - redone at a later show.

Anyway, my point with the DIVINE is I'm obsessing again over getting my cookbook of favorite recipes together. I haven't figured out what exactly I want to do... book, digital scrapbook, blog??? I started my recipe blog awhile ago and then quit because I wasn't quite sure what format I wanted to use or what I should call it... now I really don't know. I've been photographing everything we're eating in the hopes that one day soon I can get my act together.

While we are talking about food... just wanted to mention that I received a very nice letter in the mail with a gift card from Eat N Park. They asked for me to give them another try so they can show that my experience there was an exception rather than a rule. Words to live by and I certainly will. I guess they really are the place for smiles.

I think I need a snack now. ;-)

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TOT - TEN ON TUESDAY

1. I got The Dad a new egg dish so we HAD to make deviled eggs.

2. I lose my lens cap at least once a day.

3. I had to take the guys down because I couldn't stand looking at them. ;-(

4. I sent the Cooking Channel an email and told them that with all the people that go to bed hungry in this world, their tag line of "STAY HUNGRY" is completely inappropriate.

5. I remember when I thought she would never sleep in... now I can hardly get her out of bed in the morning.

6. She wanted me to mention this: "'boiled chicken is the yummiest thing in the entire universe!" Wags ~ Lily

7. I love these cotton candy and fairy tale pumpkins!

8. I'm not very good at puzzles but I am a pretty good detective and all the "pieces" are coming together perfectly.

9. I've been to Target three times in the last four days... every time I drive by here I think about how I hate this road...

10.Whenever I bring something back that smells like home - Lily goes crazy.

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GRANDPETS SPOILED HERE...

Some people posted pictures on the meetup page - I found this one there... I really need to teach The Dad how to hold The Bud... especially while wearing a dress!

You know how kids like to play with the box the toy came in more than the toy? So do dogs.

YOU CAN'T HANDLE THIS BOX...

Could she be any cuter?

Really... could she?