PARTY ON
I miss Halloween… and trick or treaters. I think Halloween is magical. I love the kids all dressed up and pretending to be someone else for a little while.  I loved Dixon House at Halloween time. My birthdays always consisted of pork chops and applesauce (even when David was mad.)  I didn't have pork chops today, not that I could have tasted them anyway.  I had no business being out. Seriously couldn't breath at all - all day and night. I went through a ton of chrissy's cold pills that I shouldn't even be taking with my other pills I take. I drove today. I'm not sure how. This is what we did…

We started off at Pechin's! My love of grocery stores!!  I'm so weird. We went to one of my favorite places. Pechin's Firehouse Restaurant.

We all got Pierogies and then we found out they had a pot roast special so we shared that.

We watched Giada while we ate!

After lunch we worked our way up the road to Nemacolin - stopping at a few stores on the way. We thought this was one of those lifelike cats that looks like it's breathing - turns out it was an actual breathing cat that just comes in the store to sleep.

Isn't this pretty?

We were headed to the Touchstone Center for Crafts when we saw this…

This birthday will forever be known as"the one with the zombie dog." This poor thing was dragging a deer up the hill. WTF? I didn't know whether to feel sorry for it or to look away because I thought he was going to steal my soul. I was creeped out and didn't want to go down that road for some reason and now I know why. I thought we were going to be eaten the whole drive down there. Looks like it was the deer who was going to be eaten. Crazy.

Dear, Trees…. I love you.

I debated on heading right to the emergency room because I couldn't breathe at all but we ended the night here for dinner. How could you revisit a name like that?

I got back and the pup was like aren't you ever going to stay in the house? I need to go to bed. Now.

LET THE CELEBRATION BEGIN
I had to go to the doctor over a week ago because I was having terrible ringing and pain in my ears. She didn't think it was anything and I went on my way with Flonase which I hate… a couple days ago I thought I was getting a cold and it seems like it's turning into something more now. It's my birthday weekend and I'm off the entire time so I had to suck it up. Chrissy, Cara and I went out today…

We went to Twisted Thistle in Leechburg for lunch.

The place was really pretty.

Food was ok. I couldn't decide between the grilled cheese and the apple salad (because it was so me) so I got both (it's my birthday) and we shared the poutine. I read about the corn fritters but they only serve them in the evening. The waitress said she would ask if they would make them for us and they did. Chrissy got the special. I think it was some chicken fettuccini thing and Cara got the chicken teriyaki.

We did some shopping in Leechburg and met a really nice guy at his fabulous home. Check out Sorisio's Antiques.  Some of the best old furniture I've seen is in his barn and go to the back room of his house - old spring house with fish in it and the most fabulous finds. Great place.

We are starting to feel like we are in Wayward Pines and can't get out of the same few places we've been going to. Ended the night in Vandergrift.  There were some witches out - I think it was their trick or treat night.

We ran into G&G for dessert - this is starting to become our place now. The girls got pie and I got the banana chocolate chip cake. It reminded me a little of the one we used to get at Bado's.

I got sicker and sicker as the night went on. I need to get to bed. Early morning tomorrow if I make it through the night. I can't breathe at all.

CREWEL INTENTIONS
I have been on a mission to find more crewel paintings since I started collecting them. I got the others for a really, really good price. We were out last week and found a couple.   I was just telling Chrissy how much my mother liked Amish stuff and we turned around and saw this. $5.

I splurged on this one... It was a whopping 15 dollars.

How many times am I going to say - well I'll just get it for my birthday?!? ;-)

MARRIAGE MATERIAL
I love old arcade cards. Found this one in a shop in Leechburg. $1. I didn't even notice what it was at first. The dates caught my eye. November 1st (my birthday) and November 8th (the day I got married.)

SICK PUPPY
Lily Bud got a prednisone injection yesterday so I woke up to this this morning. I hate leaving her when she's sick. ;-(

RUFF NIGHT
We made it through the night though it was rough. She was nervous the whole night - or was that just me?  We stayed out on the couch till about 3 am then went into bed. Every time she finally fell asleep I would wake her up because I thought she wasn't breathing. I had to take off today to take her to her vet. He wasn't entirely sure it was all from the hot peppers. She has been there every year at this time except for 2013.

I don't know what it was but we need a nap!

VISIONS OF ROSEBUD DANCED IN MY HEAD
Remember that farmer's market I said we stopped at the other day?  Hold that thought.  I was out for awhile and  I got back and was doing some things in the back room and The Dad calls me and says The Bud is biting her foot off. I stopped her and she seemed ok and about a minute later she starts running all over the house… pushing her face into every cushion and pillow… shaking her head, etc…

I didn't know what to do so I gave her a Benedryl and called Carey and sent her video of what she was doing.  She was obviously having a reaction to something. She wasn't calming down so I had no choice but to put her in the car and take her to Avets. That ride wasn't fun - to say the least. I was calm but hysterical and getting more and more angry at a certain someone as visions of RoseBud danced in my head. We got to Avets and there had to be fifteen cars in the parking lot. She seemed to have calmed down slightly so we waited. In a little bit she seemed to be ok.

We went to Target's parking lot - in case it was just a false calm before the storm and she was going to do it again. We called Carey and I decided to head back to the house. She went in, got a drink and went under the dining room table and did it again! Not as bad but still acting weird.

I figured out it had to be something in the house. Upon investigating… I found hot pepper seeds under the table. The Dad stuffed the ones I got the other day at the farmers market and he or she must have tracked them all through the house - he's a bit messy in the kitchen. I think she got them on her paw(s) - rubbed her face - and started to freak. I googled a little (and of course called Carey again!) and discovered some assholes that were giving their dogs hot peppers for fun.  I also read about giving them milk. I figured I would take the tummy ache (if that happened) and gave her some cheerios and milk.  It seemed to help. I just wanted to buy some time and avoid a $500.00 emergency vet bill...

DOODLEBUG
I'm always doodling. Chrissy got me this pen  - it's a magnifier and has a flashlight on it and it has rosebuds on it. ;-)

TREASURE HUNTING
We started off at a sale at the Salvation Army drop off center in Delmont then went to Apollo.

We stopped at some Farmer's Market on the side of the road.  I'm not even sure where it was, I'm rubbing off on Chrissy. She didn't even hesitate and just pulled right in. It's usually me that goes off the path and stops every place I see.

YAY for Birch Beer!

Our adventures have been bringing us to some magical places. I will take a back road any chance I can...

We were trying to find our way to the 1824 Walker Farm House in Leechburg. The GPS couldn't find it but we called and were directed there… he told us to turn around and make sure the sun was coming through the driver's side window. If it was, we'd be headed in the right direction. They actually weren't open (we didn't know that) but they opened for us.

We are finding so many interesting places on our travels.  Not that I was such a city girl but I didn't realize there were so many cows and barns so close by. Do you remember the movie Baby Boom?  Every time we go out and go into a little store I get back in the car and feel like I need to start a baby food company!

CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION?
She was big and hard to push. She was loud and a little rough but I liked her and she liked me. I took her to Kennywood last year in her old wheelchair that went as slow as slow can be.  Seriously it took us like 45 minutes to get into the park. We watched a movie one night - it was my late night - we watched Last Vegas. We laughed and laughed.   A few days later I found out she died. I wasn't there. A lot of people have come and gone. In fact, very many as of late. I didn't really expect her to go. Even being in a lot of pain she still came out to most things - usually complaining all the time. She loved scratch lottery tickets and only wanted to use blue bingo chips.  On game night - right before dinner -  she would always say... can I ask you a question?  Like it was really urgent. I would go over and she would laugh and say what are we playing tonight? We all got off topic one day while doing an activity and started talking about foods they would like to have that they don't get… pickled pigs feet and sardines were a couple of responses.  I bought some sardines the other day and had planned on surprising them with them.  I just looked at my desk and realized she'll never get them.

POOP - THERE IT IS
Field trip to Walmart today. Saw this.

GO TEAM... OR WHATEVER
I'm not a sports girl. I do watch the fights all the time because I grew up watching boxing. I always hope that Penn State wins and the Pirates and The Steelers and The Penguins and I'll watch the game if it's on but at the end of the day - I could really care less who wins or loses. Maybe it would be different if I had kids in sports - as it should be. I don't know. Whatev.  We were in G & G the other night sitting under this.

I thought about something. When I was married, my husband would always want to go grocery shopping or to IKEA during a game because it would be "less crowded." He was never one for sports - he'd be in the kitchen with the ladies when we went to Mum's for the game.  I needed to get some stuff done = errands and things I've been putting off so I went to Sam's today. I figured it would be empty. I was shocked at the amount of people -  particularly men - that were in Sam's… young, old, sporty and not so sporty, single and with their others… What's up with that? Maybe everyone hates Mchael Vick?  There were some that were there in their little costumes.

I assume this dude was checking the score on his phone - or maybe he was on Tinder - or maybe he was ordering some stuff on Amazon???  I don't know. Good for you, boys that don't feel like you have to be like all the cool kids. Sam's Club on game day is so much cooler.

YO, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I WANT, WHAT I REALLY, REALLY WANT
There are two big things I really, really want.  An endless pool and this truck.

I wanted to trade my car in the day after I got it. I've been holding out for the Jeep Truck. Please hurry.

WHAT I ATE
I will choose a diner over a fancy restaurant any day of the week. We were starving after the yard sale so we went directly to lunch before we hit the stores. I did a random yelp search and came up with this…

menu in a binder = love.

The only problem I have with diners is whether to choose the hot turkey sandwich

or the club sandwich.

Two of my favorite things in the universe.

Chrissy has been on a poutine kick.. She got a burger and I got a club sandwich. I will usually get the house special or something named for the restaurant. Bonus if there is a fried egg on it!*

I'm not a pie fan. I usually don't pass up a bite of chocolate cake. They didn't have any so I got one of the only pies I like. They had a chocolate mouse versus chocolate cream so I went with that. It was good. $3 dollar.




















* Note. I know I post a lot of food pics. Even though I'm fat I usually only eat half of everything - if that. The rest goes to The Dad or stays in the car all day until I throw it out.  I'm usually too busy talking and everyone else is finished with their food or I get so tired I quit eating.

WHAT I BOUGHT
We started out at a yard sale yesterday and we bought way too much stuff. I think they thought we were a couple so they just put everything together and gave us one price so I'm not even sure what anything cost individually but we got pretty good deals on everything.  I mentioned I worked at a nursing home so they started giving me things as we were leaving.

Here's one thing I regret buying.

Question to self - what the fuck were you thinking?

Question to Chrissy - why the hell didn't you stop me?

I actually do know what I was thinking… this would be an awesome kitchy side table in the house I don't have. It was $5 and I have $400 a month worth of storage units for it to go directly to so I'm good. It's a vintage Babee Tenda feeding table.

I got some stuff for crafts at work. I pinned this cute pumpkin craft the other day that used these paper plate holders. I'm probably not going to get to it, though, so I may have to re-work it into a snowman.

I asked how much this plastic chicken was and they just gave it to me so - obvs - it's priceless. Dirty flowers included.

I got a bunch of other stuff including old maps, some pyrex, a spoon rest that I want to make into a face, some flower paintings I'm going to redo, a mug holder, plastic bonsai… I also got this fab red metal tub and creepy baby.  God knows I don't have enough of either of those things.

What a fun day we had - even with the whole shoe thing I mentioned yesterday. We went to such cute places. It was like we were on vacation.

I have to say that I didn't even know these places existed. We have discovered so many interesting houses and stores and knocked on people's doors or called to tell them we were there and they just pop over and open their basement. I have no business buying anything but it's fun to look. I like this weird mix of primitive and industrial and vintage 50s so I'm always finding something.  I just love everything! This reminded me of those burlap scarecrows we made on Friday night!

LIFE ISN'T TIED WITH A BOW - BUT IT'S STILL A GIFT
The furnace guy had to come out yesterday so I knew I would be captive here at the house. That was a good thing. I got some laundry done and other chores I've been pushing aside. It was a Hoffstots night so Chrissy came over here to help me go through some things and try to use my space better… we didn't get too much done. We just stood around and discussed possibilities and she did a lot of measuring and drawing diagrams. We are different in that way. She likes to take measurements and plan things out. I just drag items all over the house and hope they fit. Two different methods - pros and cons to each. ;-)

I haven't been feeling that great so my method is proving to be more difficult.  We did plan out our Friday adventure. Well, she did. Seriously, she should be working for AAA because she is a pro at map searching and trip planning. Anyway, she is on a mission to go to every small town in our area. I got her into junking and her friend, Sally, got her into primitives and we created one insane chick. ;-)  Give her an antiques brochure and she's on it.

We were in Vandergrift and Apollo and Leechburg today ( I think)…

Let me start from the beginning, though.

The plan was to get a lot done yesterday so I could fully enjoy today.  Like I said, I didn't do half of what I planned (and never even made it to storage) so that always makes me feel a little guilty for leaving the house. It happens all the time… and then I go out all day playing and then I beat myself up over it later.

Story of my life.

The Dad still can't get his car in the garage and there is stuff everywhere and I need to work on my art classes and maybe take a nap…  Regardless, I still choose to go out on our adventures.

Every week it's the same thing. We plan on a time and I'm at least an hour and a half late…  I just can't get out of the house. Being off yesterday, I was (almost) on time today except for one little hitch.


















I couldn't fasten my shoe!

I felt terrible… Neither one of my hands were working… I was struggling.

Then a thought came into my head.

I can't take care of you anymore.

It often comes down to that.  You talk about words that haunt you…

I thought about it and was like - wait…

Who is going to take care of me?

Who is going to put my shoes on when I can't?

I'm going to be like one of those ladies at the nursing home, laying in bed waiting and waiting and waiting for one of the aides to come in after they pressed the call button 45 minutes ago. That is if I even make it that long. I'm kind of hoping I don't.

All day, I was a little off - because of my shoe. What's funny is I never actually fastened it. The whole day. That could be symbolic - I don't need anyone to help me - but, actually, I was so out of it I think I just forgot.

TRAIN WRECK
Talk about disasters… This computer is a mess… How on earth do I weed through everything? And the pictures. Uggh. I've been trying my hardest to clean up this computer and just got rid of some edits from a cover I worked on for Bill back when he did a project for the Altoona Railroaders Museum.  Did I ever grab those books?  Now I don't know. ;-(  Anyway, Remember old GF days… Remember that 4th of July and Lost in America with the perfect timing with the fireworks… being serenaded with Sweet Thing on our engagement… Good old days, huh?  I remember that vest from this video and still have fond memories of Bill's green blazer. ;-) Oh, that blazer.  BD is still one of the all time best story tellers around.

TRAX OF MY TEARS
Oh how I love this place.

We took some residents on a trip there today.

We had a good group and everyone had such a great time.

Do pumpkins make everyone happy?

I really don't think it's possible for a pumpkin to take a bad picture.

Take a look at this big guy!

And these beauties…

Everyone liked looking at all the displays and we would guess how much everything cost!

This sign was a big hit…

These trucks were NFS. Thank God.

Some haven't been out of the building in years. Could you imagine that? We ended up staying HOURS longer than expected. No one wanted to leave. We had to call the nurses and let them know everyone was ok. We had the van loaded with bags!  I tried my hardest to only get out of there with things we could eat. I caved, though, and got this red barn with a star. Come on. It practically had my name on it. ;-)