New Ideas Welcome

Tamarack in West Virginia

2011-02-25T13:43:00.005-05:00

We discovered Tamarack during a web search for top places to visit in West Virginia. We were headed out on a road trip to tour the state and Tamarack was listed as a must-see in the southern city of Beckley.

Here's a description from their website: "Located in the center of the eastern United States, Beckley, West Virginia, is the home of Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia. Tamarack welcomes half a million visitors annually as a one-stop shop for West Virginia culture, heritage, handcrafts, fine art, regional cuisine and music. Tamarack is how you will see and treasure West Virginia."

We expected to arrive at Tamarack around noon, so planned to eat lunch there. The website let us know that it was cafeteria style dining, but that the chefs were top-notch. When we arrived, we were ready for lunch before we looked around. Here's what we experienced:

My meal:

Collard Greens: perfectly flavored, cooked with bacon
Tangy Coleslaw: no mayo in this - plenty of oil, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, and green pepper
Dirty Rice: red rice with bits of hamburger, sausage, peppers, and corn
Green Beans: cooked southern-style, meaning much softer than we eat them up north, and boiled with a bit of bacon or ham. Mighty tasty.

Daughter's meal:

Hunter Chicken: nicely roasted chicken with a chunky tomato and pepper sauce
Mashed Potatoes: how can you make mashed potatoes better than they already are? Somehow, Tamarack chefs did - these were the best we've ever tasted, and as smooth and creamy as you can imagine.
Creamy Coleslaw: this is the more traditional version, and the sauce was absolute perfection.

Tamarack was such an unexpected culinary pleasure. I highly recommend it to anyone who is heading to southern West Virginia. We perused the many shops after lunch, and I was thrilled to find a new cookbook for my collection: Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread, and Scuppernong Wine.

Feed Blog Posts to Twitter

2010-01-24T08:19:00.005-05:00

Some time ago, I implemented a process by which every blog post on New Ideas Welcome will feed automatically to @LoveANewIdea on Twitter. My problem is, I recently had to do this again for a different blog/Twitter account, and couldn't remember how! I also can't remember which feed tool I used for this blog, so couldn't undo this process even if I wanted to! Yikes.

Usually, when I do some technical process like this, I write a Tech Tip post, so I can remember how to do it the next time it's needed. Since I didn't do it before, I'm doing it now. Here's the process I just used when I needed to create a Blog-to-Twitter feed:

Visit Twitterfeed.com
Click on Sign Up and input requested info
Back on your own blog, on the right side of your top toolbar, you should see an orange RSS feed button. Click on this and the RSS feed URL should appear in the address bar (this URL will look different from your regular blog URL). Copy this address.
Back on Twitterfeed.com, give your feed a name of your choosing, like Personal Blog.
Next, paste in the RSS feed URL.
You'll then be given options for where you want this feed posted. Click on Twitter.
Authenticate your Twitter account by inputting the requested info, and click on Allow.
Click on Create Service, then All Done

Voila! Your new blog posts will now automatically be tweeted through your selected Twitter account. You techie, you!

PS You can also feature a feed of your recent Tweets in your blog. To do this, just go to your Layout and click on Add a Gadget. In the search box, write Twitter. Many options will appear...just pick one you like. You'll have a few customization options, like how many Tweets should appear at any time, etc. Pretty easy.

Waaay Behind on Posting

2009-12-29T16:18:00.005-05:00

Yikes - how did I ever get soooo far behind on blogging?! Well, no excuses, but I do have some good reasons:

Facebook: I started using Facebook several months ago, in anticipation of launching an official business Facebook Page for work. In order to create a business Page, one must first become a personal user. I did that, and WHOA! Turns out, it's pretty addictive. Part of its attraction is that it's just so quick and easy. And, it's really fun to connect with others. So, I think my attention and time quickly moved from Blogging to Facebook.
Social Media for Work: My time has also been much taken up with managing Facebook, Twitter and a blog for work, in addition to managing 5 websites, which leaves little time for my personal applications. It's a lot to give adequate attention to all at once. There are some cool tools out there that help people manage multiple profiles, and these come in handy. But still, spending so much time on these for work means less time spent for pleasure.
Refining Blog Focus: I've also been toying with refining the focus of my blog. "New Ideas Welcome" was my first foray into blogging, and is primarily a tool for me to learn to use the blogging platform as well as the many convenience and tracking gadgets out there. I'm thinking of keeping this blog but also creating another one, on a more focused theme. We'll see.

So, anyway, that's what's been keeping me busy. No excuses, but now you know where I've been!

Fresh Air Fund Visit

2009-08-25T18:23:00.005-04:00

In a not-too-long-ago post, I mentioned that we serve as a host family for the Fresh Air Fund.

Our Fresh Air child, Eternity, was here for a fun-filled week with us, and is now back in Brooklyn. It was her third summer visiting us. While she was here, we:

Picnicked (one of her favorite things to do); she LOVES sweet midgets pickles, tomato & mozzarella salad, chunks of bread torn from the Italian bread loaf and slathered with herb cheese spread, and Beach Bunny Cake from my Retro Beach Bash cookbook.

Visited just about every waterfall in the Berkshires and surrounding area, including Bash Bish Falls, Mt. Hope Farm, and the Cascades.

Shucked corn, roasted marshmallows on rainy nights over candles, and played LOTS of board games.

Here's a slideshow of some of the things we did and places we visited:

It was a fun week, and we enjoyed having Eternity with us. We're looking forward to next year. And, if you have a home in a rural New England area with an available bed in it, hosting a Fresh Air child is a really easy way to help someone in need. Give it a try!

Latest Berkshire Organics Delivery

2009-07-03T17:00:00.002-04:00

Here's what we found in our bi-weekly Berkshire Organics delivery (we get the "Berkshire Basket"):

Local - Organic Practices

4 ears Corn - Family Farm, CT
1 bunch Basil - Swartz Family Farm, Amherst, MA
1 bunch Watercress - Swartz Family Farm, Amherst, MA

Certified Organic

1 head Lettuce - Markristo Farm, Hillsdale, NY
3 Pickling Cukes - Warner Farm, Hadley, MA
10 oz Green Beans - Warner Farm, Hadley, MA
2 Onions (Vidalia & Red) - Deep Root, VT
1 Bell Pepper (Red or Yellow) - CA
1 lb Carrots - CA
3 Peaches - SC
2 Nectarines (White) - CA
3 Apricots - CA
½ pint Raspberries - CA
1 Pineapple - Fair Trade
5 Bananas - Fair Trade

This delivery comes on Friday and we leave for the Cape early Saturday am, so this is perfect timing. We'll have wonderful and fresh produce to take to our beach cottage, to counteract all the fried seafood we'll be eating!
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Web Site Story

2009-07-03T14:12:00.007-04:00

Eric Tenin, of Paris Daily Photo blog fame, recently shared this cleverly humorous video on Facebook. It's a really smart and well-done spoof of the musical, "West Side Story," with a modern day online twist:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Isn't it fabulously funny!

Moroccan Night Recap

2009-06-28T13:45:00.010-04:00

Oooh - exciting to get to travel to foreign lands for the night! Our Moroccan Night event was so much fun...here's a quick recap:

Table - after scouring the house for exotic table setting items, we ended up going with an animal print undercloth topped with smaller red cloths. Then, we used animal print napkins (found for just a few dollars at Home Goods) in red napkin rings (Dollar Store). From my Real Simple cookbooks, I've learned the lovely simplicity of using multiple clear hurricanes filled with candles and small items - for our table, I used a mix of earth-toned stones (Dollar Store again) under cream candles.

Apertif - I couldn't find Anisette (I think I'm going to need to begin making the trip to Nejaimes when I have parties; my usual liquor store seldom knows or has the off-beat things I'm looking for.) Anticipating this from past experience, I looked up substitutions online before going to the store and learned that Sambuca would work, so I used that instead. A bit of the liqueur is poured into the bottom of the glass, a few ice cubes are added, then it's topped with cold water. It's an interesting and light drink to begin the evening and to set the ethnic tone.

La Kemia - the appetizer table was so pretty and fun to create. In Moroccan homes, this is served on a round table in the center of the room and everyone gathers around the many small dishes. No utensils are used - it's all finger food. Our coffee table just happens to be round, so it worked out perfectly! Everyone's favorite were the Lamb Kabobs, ala Alaskan Dave. Dave - thank you so much for spice rub recipe - it couldn't have been more perfect! Anyone interested in the spice rub mix, just check out the Comments section on the original Moroccan Night post.

Dinner - the cucumber and mint salad was light and refreshing - we used lots of mint from our garden. Warmed flatbread made a nice accompaniment. Then, we had Chicken with Olives...large chunks of potatoes are also cooked with the chicken, along with tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and spices, so it's an entire meal in one pot. We also had a tasty spinach souffle. And, one of our guests, who was smart and DID go to Nejaimes, was able to find a lovely Spanish Montecillo Crianza red wine for us to share - very smooth and delicious.

Dessert - I was sadly unable to find Turkish Delight during my shopping, so substitued baklava, and served dates along with it. And, no Moroccan meal would be complete without sweetened Mint Green Tea, which is served in glasses rather than cups. (I happened to mention my search for Turkish Delight at dinner, and one of our guests brought us a box of it the next day as a thank you gift - yum!)

For anyone interested in more photos, here's a slideshow:

We all really enjoyed the exotic fare. We had our tea and dessert as we learned to play Royalty - my uncle won both rounds. Can't wait for the next theme dinner - I'm waiting to be inspired by another culture. Any great ideas?
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Sauteed Braising Greens

2009-06-21T08:29:00.004-04:00

Yum. In our recent Berkshire Organics home delivery basket, we found a bag of what I thought was a mesclun-style salad mix. However, upon reading the newsletter that was included in the delivery, I discovered that it was instead something called a "braising mix."

The newsletter tells me that the braising mix includes: red, green, yellow, and magenta chard; yellow mustard greens; green frills mustard greens; ruby streaks red mustard greens, red bore kale, winter bore kale; and red Russian kale.

This was new to me, and, happily, the newsletter also included a few recipe options. I chose the Sauteed Braising Greens one (courtesy of Markristo Farm in Hillsdale, NY...Hillsdale was the site of our recent photo expedition!), and we voted that it was FAN-tastic! Here's the recipe (I have modified it slightly to toast the pine nuts):

Heat saute pan over medium heat and add 2 T pine nuts; when nicely browned, remove nuts from pan and set aside
Coat pan with 2 T olive oil and add 2 cloves crushed garlic.
On medium-high heat, cook garlic for 2 minutes.
Place 8 oz. braising greens in pan (push down as needed to fit them in) and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add juice from one lemon, salt, pepper, 2 T raisins, and the toasted pine nuts and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Serve!

Easy, fast AND delicious - an all-around winner.
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Berkshire Organics

2009-06-19T17:10:00.003-04:00

Oooh, one of the local Tweeters that I follow recently mentioned getting his fresh vegetables from a local delivery service called Berkshire Organics. This was a new name to me, and upon reading the comment, I immediately Googled the company.

Their website provides plenty of info. I don't know how I never heard of them before...they're just down the road at the Burgner's Farm store.

(Note: to find the price list on the site, you need to begin the order form, where you'll see the basket options listed. Another Note: the website also mentions that they have been featured on Martha Stewart!)

From the price list, I learned that I could choose from different "baskets," meaning different types of produce would be included and/or different amounts, depending on which I chose. I could also choose a delivery frequency (I'm going with every other week). On the designated delivery day, my basket will be delivered to my house, and I can leave a cooler out or my door unlocked if I won't be home. They leave the food in one container, and on the next delivery, they'll leave the food in another container and pick up the one from the previous delivery.

Upon perusing the available basket options and prices, I decided to go with the Berkshire Basket, an assortment of seasonal organic fruits and vegetables, just right for two people. Even though this is a pricey option for me, I'm going for it for a few different reasons:

It's DELIVERED....HellO!
I'd like to support local growers whenever I can.
The produce is organic, meaning more sustainable farming methods have been used.
I always mean to get to the farmer's market, but never seem to find the time.
I can subtract this amount from my normal grocery shopping budget and just not buy produce at the regular grocery store.

And, when it is not our growing season, Berkshire Organics has partnered with other organic farmers who will be able to supply them with the produce they need for fulfilling orders. Today's order was delivered while I was at work (yay), and I also received an email alerting me to what would be included in today's delivery. Here's what we get:

1 quart Strawberries - Czajkowski Farm, Hadley, MA
8 oz Braising Greens - Markristo Farm, Hillsdale, NY
1 bunch Scallions - Markristo Farm, Hillsdale, NY
1 head Lettuce (Red, Boston, or Romaine) - Enterprise Farm, Whately, MA
1 pint Cherry Tomatoes - Somerset Organics, GA
1 Cucumber - Somerset Organics, GA
1 bunch Celery - C & B Farm, FL
1 bunch Broccoli - CA
1 head Cauliflower - CA
6 oz Blueberries - Cottle's Farm, NC
2 Nectarines - CA
3 Plums (Red) - CA
4 Apricots
2 Mango (Champagne) - Fair Trade
5 Bananas - Fair Trade

There are other items available as well - eggs, breads, cheeses, etc. I think I'll stick with just the basket for now, and see how it goes. But, isn't this a FABULOUS idea! Hope they can spread the word and get lots of customers so they stay in business a good long time...I like everything about this service.
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Last Day of School

2009-06-18T19:16:00.003-04:00

Lucky kids - they're now on summer vacation!

My daughter is officially done with her Sophomore year and can now be considered a Junior. Woo-hoo! To celebrate, we headed out to Misty Moonlight Diner in Pittsfield. We also happened to celebrate her 8th grade graduation here, so I'm sensing a trend.

Misty is one of those sock hop style diners with the checkerboard floors, formica tables, naugahyde chairs with metal legs, and oldies playing in the background.

They especially rock because they SERVE BREAKFAST ALL DAY! This is tops in my book. They also serve dinner all day. The menu is meant to have something for just about anyone. They even have blue plate specials - meatloaf, roast beef, roast turkey, pot roast - served with mashed potatoes and gravy, a roll and a salad.

You can also choose from a variety of appetizers and small plates, like quesadilla, potato skins, buffalo wings, hummus and veggies, etc. Then, of course, a selection of burgers, wraps, hot sandwiches, salads, etc. Really...you can get just about any American style entree you might be hankerin' for here.

We finally settled on...

Daughter: HOT buffalo wings with bleu cheese dressing and veggie sticks; they ended up being a little hotter than expected, but she still loved them.
Friend: Fried shrimp plate with french fries and coleslaw; it came with both cocktail and tartar sauces. The coleslaw recipe was good - seemed like the sauce had mayo, vingar, sugar, and salt...didn't detect any horseradish, and very thinly shredded and very fresh cabbage.
Me: Hot roast beef sandwich with plenty of gravy and fries; I don't buy white bread in stores, but this sandwich MUST be served on soft and gooey white bread. I could have used a little more gravy, because I'm nuts about it. I dunked my fries in my daughter's bleu cheese dressing - mighty tasty.

So, I go off to work tomorrow at 7 am and my daughter stays home to sleep until noon, and then rest afterward. Ah...the life!

4,000 Questions - #13: Cash

2009-06-15T20:13:00.010-04:00

Here's the background info on the 4,000 Questions posts...

Question #13: How much cash do you normally carry with you?

You know, for someone who works for a financial services company, with a bank office right downstairs, I seldom have any cash on me. And, I've discovered that most of my co-workers are the same way! We're so used to using Debit Cards for everything, or using online banking, that we just don't seem to have cash in our purses or pockets. In fact, I'm always a bit perturbed when I actually DO have to pay with cash, which is a rarity. Even fast food restaurants take Debit Cards now.

The photo at right shows the measly four bucks I found when I just checked my purse to answer this question.

TRIVIA: the term "buck" in reference to a dollar comes from the days when buckskin was used as a form of currency.

How much cash do YOU normally carry with you?
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Moroccan Night

2009-06-09T21:54:00.008-04:00

Hey, fellow bloggers! First, first let me apologize for my delinquency in posting new content. I realize I am waaaay behind, and will try to get back on track asap; life has just been a bit more than hectic lately.

Anyway, I'm planning an upcoming Moroccan Night and thought that would make a fun and interesting post. This all started when my uncle gave me a cookbook called "Casablanca Cuisine." He also gave me a card game called "Royalty," which I don't know how to play. So, I thought it might be nice to invite him to come to a Moroccan-themed dinner party, at which he teaches the guests to play Royalty! Sounds like a plan, right?

So, I'm currently looking around the house for Casablanca-style table setting stuff. I think I might be able to use a large old curtain I saved that had blocks of color - purple, fuschia, yellow - along with little tiny mirrors, for the table cover. I also have clear glass hurricanes, which I can fill with purple and gold candles, along with pistachios, to create a "look" for the center of the table.

As our background music, I think I'll purchase the soundtrack to "Casablanca."

And, here's our menu (from the cookbook):

Apertifs: according to the cookbook, we should serve Anisette before dinner - an anise flavored liqueur served over ice, with just a bit of water added
Appetizers: La Kemia, which consists of many little plates, containing things like pistachios, spicy sausages, a variety of olives, pickled green peppers, and garbanzos in cumin sauce
Salad: Cucumbers and Mint (fresh from our garden)
Main Course: Chicken with Olives, Cous Cous, and sauteed vegetables
Dessert: Turkish Delight, Figs, and Mint Tea

In addition to us, our Guest List will include:

My uncle (quite a character; over 6 feet tall, and with a white goatee; he was a hippie when I first knew him, and he now plays "Uncle Sam" in local parades, and holds Peace Vigils on Pittsfield's Park Square)
Doris (My uncle's housemate; a former librarian for the New York City library, and quite a personality; she asks the most interesting and random questions)
Ann (our neighbor from across the street; her dad was Norman Rockwell's studio assistant for so many years, and she is fun and full of so many great stories)
Ruby (our neighbor from next door; her husband died suddenly last summer, and I think she'd enjoy the evening out.
Syma (my good friend from Albany, who is always open to new ideas and new people)

So, that's the plan. Any suggestions from readers, to help make the night more memorable?

Books for Vacation

2009-05-25T18:48:00.010-04:00

Well, we've got our books all ready for this summer's Cape Cod vacation - books are priority number one when it comes to vacation planning. Here's what's on the list this year:

"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou - I've wanted to read this story of Maya's childhood for several years, and happened upon it recently at Barnes & Noble.
"The Outermost House" by Henry Beston - Beston wrote this story about his year of life on the Outer Cape, and what he experienced each season. I started it last summer and am about 3/4 of the way finished, so will hopefully be able to complete it this year.
"In the Footsteps of Thoreau" by Stuard Derrick - another book started last summer, it maps out the trail Thoreau took as he walked all of Cape Cod. It is broken down into walks that can be done in less than a day, and includes directions and anecdotes, along with quotes from Thoreau. I'm hoping to complete Walk #8: The Outermost Walk this year - it's approximately four hours long, and will take me out onto Nauset Spit and past the location where The Outermost House sat before it was washed out to sea during a violent winter storm.
"Cape Cod" by Henry Thoreau - we found this last summer at the lovely Ebb Tide Restaurant Gift Shop. I'm about 1/3 of the way through this first-hand account of Thoreau's walk along the Cape, including many illustrations of his hand-drawn maps.
"Most Loved Treats" by Jean Pare - no vacation reading list would be complete without at least ONE cookbook! This one is all about special cakes, desserts, and other treats. Some of them are bound to be good for Christmas baking and neighbor gifts.
"Essential Guide to Cake Decorating" by Alex Barker - just one more cookbook...I couldn't resist it, and it was on sale. It has detailed instructions and photos that teach about fondant, which I've never worked with, along with other useful decorating techiques.

Ooh...so exciting to think about relaxing on the beach, under the umbrella, or inside the cozy cottage, lazily reading books all day. Pure heaven!
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Cell Phone Photo to Twitpic

2009-05-22T19:25:00.011-04:00

Most of my Tech Tip posts are written so I can remember how I did something the next time I try to do it again!

I just had success with photographing this Airstream trailer trundling along the street in front of me, using my cell phone camera and uploading the photo to Twitpic. From Twitpic, the photo can also automatically post to my Twitter feed. Here's how it works:

First, of course, you need a Twitter account, which automatically gives you a Twitpic account; then you can just go to Twitpic.com and log in to it using your Twitter username and password.
In Twitpic, click on Settings, where you'll see your Twitpic mobile upload email address.
In your cell phone, create a new contact named Twitpic.
Next, scroll until you can see the email address box for the contact; key in the email address listed on your Twitpic Settings page, and Save the contact.
You are now ready to send a photo, so...take a photo with your cell phone. Then, select the photo and click on Send Photo. Key Twitpic into the To field, and use the Subject line to write in a description of the photo. Press Send.

That's all there is to it! Your photo will post to Twitpic, and also to your Twitterfeed, and you'll feel all techie!

iPod Songs: Wabash Cannonball

2009-05-17T18:31:00.010-04:00

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The story behind the song(s)...

By now, you've probably read my growing up story. My father called us gypsies, and we stopped our home on wheels just about anywhere at all (but usually in rural areas) as we wandered around the US. The modern term for what we did is "boondocking," but for us it was just everyday life - no modern conveniences, and water was lugged from nearby rivers and streams. Nowadays there are lots of books and online guides with tips for successful boondocking, but we somehow managed to get along without those. In fact, I think we could have written a few of them!

In the confined space of our gypsy wagon, and with 9 children, 2 parents, and several pets, there's wasn't room for toys or games, so we created our fun in different ways. We hiked just about anywhere you could hike. We played with things we found in nature. And, in the evenings after supper, we sometimes sang songs around an outdoor campfire.

My father played the guitar, the fire crackled, the stars shone in the dark night sky over Death Valley or a California beach, and we sang these songs. The Wabash Cannonball is one of my favorites, although I like all of the ones on this playlist. Listening to them on my iPod takes me back to those campfires so long ago, and our times out in the boondocks.
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Canning - Victoria Sauce

2009-05-16T17:29:00.003-04:00

In the manner of Alaskan Dave Down Under, I thought I'd document the making of my annual batch of Victoria Sauce (a fabulous rhubarb chutney that's great on ham or pork).

To do this, I highly recommend a canning pot, which, in addition to the large pot, also has a handy metal rack for holding, lowering, and lifting the jars and lids in and out of the water baths. I'm doing without, however, because we gave our pot away a few years ago, and I'm just using a large stockpot.

One thing you'll DEFINITELY want, though, is a Ball Canning Utensil Set, in addition to jars and fresh lids. The Utensil Set has a handy gripper for raising and lowering jars, a magnetic lid grabber, and a wide-mouthed funnel, which keeps your jars clean (this assures an effective seal).

Here's the canning process I use:

WASH and rinse jars, and set out to dry on a clean dishtowel, while you bring your large pot of sterilizing water to a boil.

STERILIZE jars and lids by submerging in simmering water that fully covers them. Be sure jars are not touching to avoid breakage, and leave in water for 15 minutes.

COOL jars and lids by using tongs and lid grabber to pull jars and lids out of water. Set them out to dry on the towel.

COOK the item you're canning while your jars sterilize. In my case, I'm making Rhubarb Victoria Sauce chutney. I love the sweet-sour scent that fills the kitchen when making chutney.

FILL jars, just to bottom of jar threads - the filled jars need a bit of air room at the top. Use the wide-mouth funnel when filling jars, which prevents spills on the jar top edge - very important! Wipe all jar top edges to remove any spills, just to be on the safe side.

LIDS and bands are then screwed on firmly, but not extra tight.

BOIL covered jars for 30 minutes.

COOL jars by using tongs, pulling jars out of water, and setting them on towel. After about 1/2 hour, check to make sure lids are slightly indented for a complete seal. If you find any that have not done this, set them back into the boiling water again. That should do the trick. Label jars with pretty labels available in the grocery or craft store. My favorites are some that I bought a few years ago, made by Susan Branch - so pretty!

PS - I swear by the Ball Blue Book, which is full of detailed canning instructions, plus lots of great recipes.
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4,000 Questions - #12: Values

2009-05-12T08:31:00.006-04:00

Here's the background info on the 4,000 Questions posts...

Question #12: What is the one family value you believe in the most?

Growing up, it was a given that individual differences were acceptable and "normal." We were living a rather unusual life ourselves, so not only was this value spoken and implied to us as kids, but we also lived it every day.

We learned that everyone should be able to make choices that suit their own lives and personalities, and that there is no right or wrong way to live, as long as you're not breaking the law or otherwise infringing on others.

It's obvious that this value has been embraced by my family. Anyone stopping by for a visit during a holiday celebration will find such a mix of characters and lifestyles, and every one is "right" for that person.

I try to continue to live this value, and am so glad I learned it as a child. I hope I'm effectively passing it on to my daughter.

What is the one family value YOU believe in the most?.

Photo Expedition - Route 22

2009-05-09T21:42:00.017-04:00

On Mother's Day, my daughter lets me choose the locale, and we head out on a photo expedition. This means taking a camera along, with plenty of charged batteries, and seeking out beautiful photo opportunities and taking hundreds of shots. It's fun, creative, and helps us look at things a little more closely and with an eye toward framing a great shot.

This year, we decided to head south down scenic Route 22 just over the border in New York. Here's what we found as we meandered along

(NOTE: I can't figure out how to slow down this slide show. If it's running too fast, just hover over it until the control buttons appear, then click Pause. You'll be able to continue playing it when you're ready, or use the arrows to view one photo at a time.):

We had a lovely meal (late lunch, early dinner) at the quaint and cozy Hillsdale Crossroads Diner. It was pleasant inside, with friendly servers, interesting old farm implements hanging from the ceiling, and the requisite aluminum diner backsplash. They serve breakfast all day (hallelujah!), so I had my favorite corned beef hash and poached eggs. My daughter had the special - popcorn shrimp and fries.

After that, we turned around and headed home again...still finding many great shots along the way. And, we still made it home with plenty of time to spare for uploading photos and creating slideshows!

PS - If you head out on one of these rural road trips, be sure to gas up the car ahead of time, pack water bottles and snacks, and bring cash! It can often be quite some time before you can get these items. We ended up needing cash to pay for our meal, as the restaurant didn't take cards, so went to the nearby gas station ATM. It only could dispense ONE $20 bill!
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Alphabet of Daily Life - K

2009-05-09T16:10:00.007-04:00

K is for the Kitchen...

This is the heartbeat of our home, where just about EVERYthing happens. When we first moved into our house, the kitchen needed our immediate attention. We had to get rid of the faux flagstone floor, the pink countertops, and the pink, black and cream striped wallpaper scattered with pink flowers. I also did my first tile install, including use of a wet-saw, by putting in a tile backsplash over the counters.

Cooking

Obviously, all of the cooking takes place in the kitchen. After a long day at work, it's nice to just pour a glass of wine, put a good CD into the under-cabinet player, and set to cooking.

I have a beloved cookbook collection (they MUST have pictures...after all, how would someone know how the end result should look without a photo?). And, the cookbooks are used to plan out menus, both for our weekly repasts as well as for parties and holidays. We try to eat something new as often as possible. It's also not at all unusual for us to serve a completely new dish that we've never tried before to guests. So far, everyone's lived.

Canning

Yup, love to can (but not fruits and vegetables). I make chutneys or preserves. My all-time favorite is Victoria Sauce which is a rhubarb chutney; we use it on ham and pork, and also give it out (very parsimoniously) as gifts. I used to have a fabulous old canning set, but gave it to Goodwill in the midst of our moving-into-our-new-house frenzy. So, I now use a large stockpot. It does the same job, but without quite the same degree of convenience.

Homework

The handy counter height table and chairs we added to the "empty" side of the room make great homework and other writing or creative work space. My daughter will often do her homework here while I'm cooking.

Holidays

For some reason, during holidays, EVERYONE ends up in the kitchen. I'm cooking away, usually handing out cooking tasks to others, and everyone mills about or sits at the table, chatting and sniffing the good scents. We're wondering if our recent living room remodel will entice everyone to move into that room or if they'll still stay in the kitchen?
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Hilarious "Diary" About the Gym

2009-05-04T14:35:00.007-04:00

Note: I did not write this! Someone emailed this funny story to me, and it made me laugh. And, I had just published the Elliptical Trainer Tips post, so this was especially timely. I tried to find an author's name somewhere, but didn't spot one...so, if you are the author, my apologies for not crediting you - please let me know.

Our business photographer happens to go to the same gym I do - Planet Fitness - and we recently commiserated about trying to build up our stamina as well as our muscles. Here's the funny email he sent to a group of us who are all painfully trying to get in shape...

A WOMAN'S WEEK AT THE GYM

Dear Diary,

For my birthday this year, my Husband (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me. Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try. I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Christo, who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear. My husband seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

MONDAY:

Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Christo waiting for me. He is something of a Greek god - with blond hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!! Christo gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring! Christo was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time he was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week-!!

TUESDAY:

I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Christo made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then he put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. His rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT-!! It's a whole new life for me.

WEDNESDAY:

The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot. Christo was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. His voice is a little too perky for that early in the morning and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Christo put me on the stair monster. Why the heck would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Christo told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. He said some other crap too.

THURSDAY:

Christo was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late - it took me that long to tie my shoes. He took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. He sent some skinny broad to find me.Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine -- which I sank.

FRIDAY:

I hate that crazy Christo more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic little aerobic instructor. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it. Christo wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the darn barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

SATURDAY:

Satan left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing his voice made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.

SUNDAY:

I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my husband will choose a gift for me that is fun -- like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

Elliptical Trainer Tips

2009-05-04T06:55:00.004-04:00

I've been trying to make the switch from the treadmill to an elliptical trainer (the machine with foot pedals and moving hand grips) because I understand that it provides a better lower body workout. However, on the treadmill, I can easily do 3 miles at a Level 15/Random, but could only do 5 minutes or less at Level 1/Random on the elliptical. So, I asked others for advice. They all looked at me like I was nuts when I said I could only manage 5 minutes.

Being a problem-solver, I decided to figure this thing out. I've managed to move up to 10 whole minutes, using these tips:

Keep your feet near the front of the pedal, rather than the back. People who can do it will tell you to keep your feet toward the back, to achieve better results. Don't do it! The further back you put your feet, the further you have to reach for the hand grips and the more uncomfortable the workout. Save it for when you're a pro.
Do use your heels to push the pedals down, rather than your toes. This will give you a better back-of-the-leg workout, and will save the front of your thighs from screaming after only a few minutes.
Don't bother using headphones to watch one of the gym TV shows. First, since the headphone jack is powered by your workout, power stops if you stop or slow down too much. Once power stops, you have to turn the jack back on and re-select your channel, volume, etc. Second, you'll get into a much better groove if you listen to your own iPod or listen to the gym music - it helps you get into a nice stride that makes the workout feel less painful.
Use your arms to power the hand grips back and forth, rather than letting your legs do all the work. This not only gives you an arm workout, but also lightens the burden on your legs.
Keep your speed up to at least 2.5. If you go slower than this, it's really tough on your upper thighs. Slower is actually harder.
Don't go backwards at first. People will tell you that this gives you better results. However, if you are unable to do it for more than 5 minutes, it's not much of a workout. Instead, stick with going forward until your muscles have become used to the movements.

Following these tips will hopefully help other newbies avoid the "jelly legs" that I was getting by doing all the wrong things myself!
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Sanguine Sangria

2009-05-02T20:23:00.008-04:00

We have a new favorite thank-God-it's-Friday-it's-been-one-helluva-week place...it's a Mexican restaurant called Xicohtencatl and is pronounced she-ko-ten-cat.

It's in Gt. Barrington, which is a bit of a drive for us, but a pleasant one, especially in spring when everything is fresh and green and the tourists have not yet descended.

The decor is bright and excitingly ethnic with lots of color everywhere, and the Mexican music in the background adds to the light and festive mood. The outside seating is delightful - either on the the porch or down on the stone patio. We sat inside when it was still chilly in March, but were thrilled to be able to sit out on the porch this time, watching the setting sun. The porch ceiling above our heads was painted fuschia and orange, while the walls and porch posts are bright yellow.

On both of our visits, I've ordered the red sangria. Let me tell you how it tastes. For anyone who's seen the movie "The Big Night," you'll recall that Italian restaurant owners Primo and Secondo decided to hold a final dinner party with their dearest friends, and made one of their mother's very special recipes. The guests sat around the table, quietly savoring the delectable food...the best they'd ever tasted. Finally, one of the guests, Pascal (a jealous competitor), solemnly arose, walked slowly around the table toward chef Primo, took Primo's face in his hands and said in a husky voice, "God damn it, I should kill you! This is so f***ing good I should kill you!"

Yeah, the sangria tastes like that.

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Baby Animals at Hancock Shaker Village

2009-04-25T19:15:00.020-04:00

We've been to Hancock Shaker Village (HSV) many times...sometimes just to tour or show to friends who are visiting, and sometimes for a business meeting or special event. But, we've somehow never made it during Baby Animal time. So, today was the day to rectify this sad situation.

We couldn't believe how packed the parking lot was when we pulled in...we kept our eyes peeled for a car pulling out, and found a spot amidst many New York plates. The fantastic weather seemed to have brought everyone out in droves - 85 degrees under a beautiful blue and sunny Berkshire sky.

At the entrance, we met the very pleasant Laura Wolf, Director of Marketing, who helped us find our way to the Behind the Scenes tour in progress (my daughter brought along two of her friends).

I think this post will be different than some of my past ones, because we have 186 photos!!! So, I think I'll put lots of photos with some words, instead of the other way around. To get an expanded view of anything, just click on a photo.

Here, my daughter learns how to milk a real cow (as opposed to the fake one she "milked" when she was younger, in the Shaker Discovery Room)! The very funny and knowledgeable Bill Mangiardi skillfully oversees the whole operation...he named this cow Luna because she was born under a lunar eclipse. All the girls tried it, and even I was able to get the milk to squirt out. Imagine having the job of milking the cows before modern milk machines came about?

The girls have handfulls of a corn and molasses mixture that Bill gave them to feed to the sheep. Feeling little sheep lips nibbling against your palm is quite a sensation - pleasant, actually. And, not to worry - no teeth, no biting - just gentle nuzzling. These sheep had recently been shorn. You can see an adorable little lamb on the right - they don't eat the grain mixture yet...too little. We also got to hold a soft lamb...it was like holding a baby. (For all mom readers... afterwards, all hands were cleaned and sanitized with supplies handily provided by fellow tour guide Todd Burdick.)

The charming Rachel shows us Ash, the baby ox she has been raising and training (love her jaunty cap!). The calf is named Ash after the type of wood used frequently at HSV, and it's partner is named Stone, for the stone used in the round barn. The ox begins its training at birth, and the trainer herself feeds the calf from a bottle. The bond between the two must be quite close for a successful working relationship. If I remember correctly, Ash is about 500 lbs. here, but will grow to be about 2,500 lbs!

My daughter and her friends say Rachel is a schoolmate - quite impressive animal husbandry skills for one so young.

The girls hold the softest sweetest baby chick, while Bill is holding it's mother...a Peking Duck, which was also beautiful and very soft. The mom was a gorgeous downy yellow color with a long slick orange bill...right out of a Beatrix Potter book. The chick wasn't the least bit worried, and actually seemed to nod off to sleep in the girl's hands. A little bit later, we saw LOTS of adorable chicks in the Discovery Room incubator.

Peeking into one of the many sliding doors in the chicken house for eggs. Sadly, there were none in any of them at the moment. Bill told us that if we found one, we could reach in and take it home. He told us that they are quite tasty and have a much more yellow yolk than a store-bought egg.

Lots of little (and big) piggies! The girls actually held one of the
little oinkers, and we discovered that the hair on their bodies is quite bristly to the touch. The sows were covered with a pretty tannish color hair; they weigh about 250 pounds!

Tip: if you ever take part in a pig-catching contest, here is the key to winning...grab the pig by the hind leg. If you grab around the middle like most people do, the pig will wriggle out like a sausage, but if you grab the hind leg, it can't get away, yet it won't hurt it.

The girls help each other try on the Shaker girl outfits in the Discovery Room. It's nice that there are so many sizes available, so all ages can have a go at this. Love the pretty wooden hangers with string hooks, that hang on wooden pegs...just like the Shakers would have used. Their immediate impression was wondering how Shaker girls could work, or even live, in these clothes, because they were hot and the long sleeves were confining.

The girls thought that the Shaker boy clothes looked much more fun to wear, and liked trying on various tunics, vests and hat styles. They wondered if men wore pants under the knee-length tunics, as there weren't any pants in sight. The girls think they didn't. I think they probably did!

Todd teaches one of the girls to use the foot pedal on the hand lathe (Todd - my apologies if I'm giving this cool tool the wrong name!). It is a replica of a Shaker original...the user sits on the seat, puts the item to be shaped under the clamp, presses a foot pedal, and the item is clamped in tight. Then, a pretty hand planer (even the most mundande and utilitarian Shaker tool is pretty) is pulled across the item until it is the desired shape. Todd has worked at HSV for 25 years or more, and has lots of knowledge to share about the Shakers. We all agreed that if we lived here, we would hope that the woodworking house was our assigned task...it just smells so good, and has a cozy well-worn feel.

Naturally, every visit to HSV includes a tour of the famous round stone barn. No matter how many times you've seen it, it is always a marvel of clever design and simplistic beauty. It's round to make it easy for oxen to pull a hay cart in, someone unloads the hay into the aerated center, and the oxen then continue on around the perimeter and go out the door they came in. This avoids the difficult task of trying to get them to back up.

In the past, we've also toured the Brick Dwelling (where the Shakers cooked, dined, and slept) and other buildings in the village. Everything is beautiful and orderly...a Virgo's dream. All in all, a totally fabulous day - so Berkshire. And, the idyllic weather was just the icing on the cake. Thanks for a great tour, HSV staff!
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4,000 Questions - #11: Under the Bed

2009-04-19T13:50:00.003-04:00

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Here's the background info on the 4,000 Questions posts...

Question #11: What do you have under your bed right now?

All kinds of framed items! First, there is a VERY large painting...it doesn't "go" with my decor but I can't part with it...it was painted by my father when he was young and attending the Cleveland Institute of Art, and he gave it to my Grandmother as a gift. She hung it over the electric organ in her celery green living room (the same organ on which I taught myself to play simplified versions of Swan Lake and Dvorczak's New World Symphony), with a tall stylized red glass vase next to it.

Then there are about 6 other framed certificates and awards. When I was first changing careers, buying a house, and otherwise learning to make it on my own, I read a tip that suggested putting items in a personal room that offered positive reinforcement. So, I framed various certificates and awards and hung them in the family room. After having them up for many years, they took effect. I finally removed them several months ago...they just feel a bit pretentious to me now. I didn't know what else to do with them, so I just piled them under the bed, along with the painting.

What's under YOUR bed?
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iPod Songs: One Love

2009-04-18T09:20:00.014-04:00

The story behind the song...

Every time "One Love" pops up on my iPod, I am immediately transported back to Washington, DC. Here's what I'm seeing in my mind:

It's the day before Obama's historic Inauguration, and we're walking along the National Mall, near the Smithsonian Castle. It's very chilly but intermittently sunny, and as we stroll, we're marveling at the endless rows of port-a-pottys. There are thousands of bundled up people around us, who have traveled here from all over America, and even from other countries.

We've just finished a delicious snack inside the warm and bustling Castle, after triumphantly finding our way to the Mall on the crowded Metro. After eating, we feel refreshed and begin scoping out where we hope we'll stand during the big event (we didn't end up standing there - see the Inauguration posts to find out why).

At regular intervals along the Mall, we see crazy big trucks with massive TV screens, which we hear others call "Jumbotrons." Next to each screen is a tall crane, dangling sets of 16 huge speakers all connected to each other.

On the Jumbotrons and speakers we see and hear the special event that had taken place at the Lincoln Memorial the day before...speeches, songs, etc. Soon, someone appeared on the screen (I learned later that it was an entertainer named will.i.am.) singing a Bob Marley song that went like this:

One love. One heart.

Let's get together and feel alright.

When this song began, people all around us started singing, and if they didn't know the words, they started dancing together. We hugged, and tried to learn the words. It was such a beautiful moment of group happiness...I can't remember another time in my life when I've been in a similar situation - thousands of people all happy at the exact same moment and sharing that feeling with everyone around them. I know it sounds corny, but the moment made me cry because it was so beautiful.

So, when "One Love" pops up on my iPod, back I go to Washington, with a smile of happiness on my lips. As my daughter and her friends say, "Good times."
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Living Room Makeover - Completed!

2009-04-13T17:56:00.032-04:00

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Okay, here are the promised before and after shots of our recent remodel...

First, a caveat - I accidentally deleted my ENTIRE file of Before shots when I was organizing my photos recently. These lost photos showed the room with all of the furniture in place, pictures on the walls, etc. But, I do have a few that survived in a different folder, and a few scattered about from different events or posts. So, those will have to do.

Here is a quick look at 3 of the 4 sides of the room, so you can get a glimpse of the updated room.

And, here's a view of the Before and After, including the details of the changes we made in each shot.

BEFORE: ......................AFTER:

To make this fabulous transformation, we:

Got rid of that busy wallpaper, varnish and all.
Then, we used our lovely new green paint on the walls (it's a Ralph Lauren color, but the paint can only features the color formula and not the name, so I don't know what it's called).
Painted the trim Vermont Cream, and the ceiling bright white instead of the old dingy beige.
Got rid of the busy silver mirror and substituted a sleek off-white one with beveled edges (gotta love Home Goods).
Put in all new white ceramic switch plates and outlet covers, and got rid of the 1960s dingy ones.
Re-arranged the ENTIRE room layout, so all furniture is now in a new spot, including the leopard chair.

BEFORE: ..................................AFTER:

This wall is probably the most dramatically different. For this transformation, we:

Moved the sofa to the opposite wall, so it's now under the big picture window which is across the room from where the sofa is in the above photo.
Moved the very large entertainment center out of it's dark corner next to the big picture window, and centered it on this large wall, where it seems MUCH less bulky and imposing.
Pulled two bookcases from another room and flanked the wood cabinet with them.
Brought our favorite books from another room for the shelves, along with the photos that were scattered about the living room, and a basket from one of the bedrooms.
Found two fabulous abstract prints (Home Goods) that were a great color match, and also brought in the theme of movies...now we just need an Oscar statuette for one of the shelves!
Found a fantastic faux movie camera (Home Goods) for the top of the right-hand shelf.
Bought very inexpensive mood lighting at Home Depot - one lamp for each shelf - lots of symmetry going on here!

Isn't is an amazing difference!!!

BEFORE: ..................................AFTER:

This corner also shows the marked difference in the look and feel of the room. What was once so busy and fussy is now calm, orderly and serene. To me, this hardly looks like the same house.

We're donating the huge couch and chair to a single mom who really needs them, and are waiting for the delivery of two brown loveseats that we found on huge clearance. We're also donating the huge and heavy glass and brass coffee table and will purchase some type of wood side tables and coffee table once the remodeling coffers refill! And, she'll also get the fussy tasseled lamps, but we're keeping the vase of curly willow, which is now moved to the next corner of the room near the picture window. Once the loveseats come in, I'll post a before and after of the window side of the room (I also have to figure out what's going on those windows - right now, we're curtain-less and living in a fish bowl!).

Overall, we're just so pleased with our new room and love spending time in it. It was well worth all of the hard work.
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Lotsa Cooks in the Kitchen

2009-04-13T05:53:00.008-04:00

Hurrah - the living room painting was finished in time for Easter, and the furniture moved back into the room. We were quite pleased with the results and had plenty of oohs and ahs from guests.

There will be a before and after post on the remodel coming soon (although I inadvertently deleted the entire before photo folder, and have only a few shots of the original room scattered through other folders). It was a fairly big and time-consuming project, but we're so glad it's done and really like the end result.

Having the living room put back in order also meant the dining room was back to normal so the Easter buffet could be set up as we usually do. (The dining room had served as our temporary living room during this whole process.)

And, as mentioned in the Easter Brunch post, guests were invited to make their own omelets. We simply set out all the ingredients and let them do their thing. Eveyone seemed to like this option quite a bit, and just about everyone made one, kids included (and no mishaps of any kind!).

PS Flipping an omelet is much harder than one might imagine.
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Living Room Makeover - Ceiling Painting

2009-04-05T20:44:00.008-04:00

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I don't know about you, but the ceiling is one of my least favorite steps in a remodeling project. It's just so hard to reach and always requires lots of bending backwards and uncomfortable reaches. So, it gives me great pleasure to be able to say - the living room celing is DONE!

Here was today's project list:

First, of course, came the TSP, which serves as a cleaner and deglosser. I used the long-handled mop to make the job easier!
Then, it was rinsed well with plain water to remove all the TSP, again using the mop.
Then, time to "cut in" the white paint all around the perimeter with a 3" brush...this was a good leg and arm workout going up and down the ladder and moving the ladder around the room.
Next, I screwed the broom handle into the paint roller, and put on the first coat of paint.
After a few hours for drying, it was time to "cut in" all the way around again, followed by the second coat.

The end result looks great - what a difference the white makes. For some reason, past owners left all of the ceilings in the house a dingy beige color, and we've been steadily working to eradicate it, room by room. Once the white goes on, it makes such a stark contrast to the beige. The living room ceiling is now sparkly bright and fresh.

Next step will be spackling and priming the walls (nothing like the Easter deadline to make me get this done)...
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Easter Brunch

2009-04-03T18:17:00.010-04:00

We expect to have our usual houseful on Easter (which means I really need to get the living room painting finished!). We always do a brunch; here's this year's menu:

Mimosas
Deviled Eggs, Pickles, and Olives
Glazed Spiral Ham
Covered Dish Potatoes (made in the crockpot and delishly cheese-y!)
Omelet Bar (ham, cheese, green onion, red pepper, mushrooms, tomato)
Biscuits 'n Gravy
Sunshine Salad (a must at a family event...a variety of fruit, with pastel mini marshmallows and sour cream)
Mango Cupcakes (served on the pretty tiered Wilton cupcake stand)
Coffee & Tea (I'm going to serve the coffee Cuban-style, with condensed milk)

This will be our first year with the omelet bar...I'll set out the beaten eggs, the fillings, and a couple of pans, and let people make their own. Last year's egg decorating went very well, so I'm thinking this new interactive omelet-making might be a hit too.
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Alphabet of Daily Life - J

2009-04-03T06:32:00.002-04:00

J is for Jilly’s

The opening of Jilly’s signifies the official start of summer in our neighborhood. It’s THE ice cream spot on Elm Street. On a summer evening, we can find most of our local friends and neighbors there. It’s just a little storefront amidst a few businesses…nothing fancy or elaborate, but it’s just so homey. The people working inside are usually college kids home for the summer, and many of them we’ve watched grow up.

When my daughter was little, we lived just a couple of blocks from Jilly’s. After dinner in the summer, she and a friend would ride their bikes there, riding ahead of me while I walked behind watching over them. They were so cute stopping at each stoplight and waiting for me to catch up, their huge helmets making their little heads bobble, and feeling so important when they were a full block ahead of me “on their own!”

Then there was the important decision of what to order…they usually chose one of those flavor burst cones with the crazy tastes – like bubble gum or blue goo, and I am a devoted fan of the root beer float, which I remember fondly from A&W drive-thrus.

After getting our treats and LOTS of napkins, we would usually cross the street to sit on the steps of the dentist’s office, where we’d have a commanding view of all the people descending on Jilly’s after dinner…cars pulling up and elderly couples getting out, families like ours with bikes or skateboards, and groups of ladies out for an evening walk, everyone checking to see who they know in the crowd.

Now, we live further down off of Elm Street, so our walk is a little longer. But, making the hike is great justification for getting the sweet treat at the end. We figure our workout to get there qualifies us for additional calories. Spring is in the air, and we’ll be watching for the opening of Jilly’s any time now!
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The TV Diet

2009-03-31T19:36:00.008-04:00

We are about to do the unthinkable - live without a TV.

We currently don't have cable, and only get one channel (two on a clear day). It still comes in to us through the airwaves, through rabbit ears which we adjust carefully each night based on the weather. One day one of my daughter's friends was over and she asked, "Why does the picture on your TV look like that?" My daughter and I both glanced over at the TV, not realizing that anything was out of the ordinary, and noticed that to the uninitiated, the picture looked a bit wobbly. "Oh" I said, "it's raining out." "Seriously?" the friend asked. "You should see what it looks like when our neighbor revs his truck!" I told her. She just stared in disbelief. I guess we're just used to it.

The pending national switch to digital TV has forced us to make a decision between signing up for cable or skipping TV altogether. After watching reality shows for the past few nights, no TV has won out.

I spent most of my youth without a TV, but was mesmerized by it during the few years we had it and watched it any chance I got at friend's houses. As an adult, TV has always been on in the background at home, although we've never had cable. I'm afraid that if we had cable, I'd never be able to walk away from the TV and would get nothing productive done and the household would gradually disintegrate around us! It's just so hypnotic...even when I know the show I'm watching isn't really that great, I still watch.

So, since we have to make a decision, we're deciding NO MORE TV! We'll keep it to use with our DVD player to watch Netflix (which, of course, we could never go without!). I'll let you know how it goes...
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4,000 Questions - #10: Home Again

2009-03-30T19:07:00.006-04:00

Here's the background info on the 4,000 Questions posts.

Question #10: What do you think about young adults living with parents?

I have to admit, I've never really thought that adult kids moving back in with their parents was such a bad thing!?

This communal lifestyle is how families made things work during the Great Depression, and I have a sense that we may be getting back to this extended family living arrangement in our current economic times.

Maybe it's because I grew up in such a large family, so there's a certain comfort in having lots of people around and many hands to lighten the work. Or, maybe it's because we lived with my grandmother for several years, and had the same number of generations and people living in the house as The Waltons. Grandma, Grandpa, Ma, Pa, Mary Ellen, John Boy, and the rest of the Waltons were just the best and the houseful of kids made life so interesting - there was always something new happening.

Or, maybe it's because, as a parent, I know I'll do anything to make my child's life work out to her liking, no matter what that means. If it means her moving back in with me, that's A-OK. (Of course, she'll get to help pay the bills and do the house and yard work, but we'll cross that bridge if we come to it.)

What do YOU think about young adults living with parents?

African Drumming Class

2009-03-29T17:27:00.007-04:00

I occasionally get together with a group of fellow adventurers who are always looking for new things to try or new places to go. Our latest adventure was African drumming!

We went to a class taught by M'Bemba. Here's his bio:

M'Bemba has traveled throughout the world as a performer and teacher of West African drum & dance and is revered worldwide for his high level of mastery. As a native of Guinea from the Sousou ethnic group, he began drumming & dancing at a very young age. By the age of 21, he was acclaimed as a master drummer and invited to play for Ballet Djoliba, the most respected ballet company in Guinea at that time. Since moving to the U.S. in 1992, M'Bemba co-founded the Fareta School of Drum and Dance in NYC.

M'Bemba was very personable, very pleasant, and funny. His accent is quite heavy, and I sometimes had difficulty understanding his words, but he also uses gestures and animated facial expressions, and I was able to keep up. He has a nice way about him and never became impatient with his newbie students. It was amazing how quickly he had us all drumming with a fair amount of skill when just an hour before we knew nothing about this.

While he taught us drumming, M'Bemba also told us about life in Guinea, and how drums are such a part of the life there among the villagers. He also explained that city and village life are very different - the village is where one can experience traditional music, celebrations, and food.

The class was held at a place I'd never been before called The Warehouse (in Albany). In addition to the large classroom space, it is full of architecural salvage and other fun odds and ends for sale, plus a quaint cafe.

All in all, there were about 40 students in the class! One person in our smaller group had her own drum and the rest of us rented them. Mine was very cool, with some type of animal skin around the upper part and some type of shells that clacked around the base.

We started with very basic taps and slaps, and were very soon drumming away in unison. It's quite incredible to hear the cadence of so many drums all beating together. For some of the class, each side of the room was given a different rhythm to beat. When we all played our parts at the same time, it was fantastic. I kept wondering what this must sound like outside the building!

Alphabet of Daily Life - I

2009-03-27T06:50:00.012-04:00

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I is for Ice Glen…

Ice Glen is a local natural wonder – a wooded glen filled with ancient boulders set in a dark old-growth forest, and spotted even in summer with areas of ice that still haven’t melted. Walking up to one of the cave-like areas in the boulders gives one a whiff and a feel of very cold vapor trapped in the rocks.

I happen to have a penchant for this scent of refrigeration – odd, I know, but here’s how it happened:

When we first went to live with my grandmother in Schenectady, NY, my whole life had been spent traveling the US with my family in our “custom RV” which didn’t have electricity, and certainly didn’t have a refrigerator. One of the first and most important things I got very excited about at my grandmother’s was the refrigerator and freezer (hers was one of those avocado green babies!).

I still recall opening the freezer on the summer day we first arrived at her house…a gust of chilled white air rolled out into the sultry heat of her kitchen, which was decorated in varnished wood paneling, red dotted-swiss curtains and quilted calico appliance covers, and an avocado stove with turquoise pots and pans. I stuck my head inside the freezer to feel the coolness, and smelled my first scent of refrigeration. I've been hooked ever since. To this day, I will just walk up to the freezer, stick my head inside, and breathe in very deeply several times to get my “fix” of the scent of refrigeration.

That’s what Ice Glen smells like. I get to walk around in that scent.

Located in Stockbridge, MA, we traipsed through Ice Glen as kids when we “went back east” to visit relatives. And, we’ve taken our Fresh Air child there for the past two years. It makes for a short, relatively easy, and beautiful hiking experience (it's especially pleasant to bring a picnic to eat on one of the rocks). The boulders are fun to clamber over, though sometimes a bit slick with moss, the stone steps scattered throughout are enchanting, and the forest is truly dark and deep. We've always hiked in from the Ice Glen Road side, but we understand there's an entrance on the Park Street side, which we hope to try soon. (PS - be sure to wear bug repellent - you'll thank me for this tip!)

If one wants a strenuous and longer hike, they can head up to Lauras’s Tower, which is reached by a winding uphill climb through ferned and leafy woods. At the end of the trail is the tower, a lookout which is accessed by very steep steps and with a view that is far and wide. (I had vertigo when we were up there, and my knees wobbled climbing back down.)

A funny thing happened last year during our annual pilgrimage to the Glen. We met up with a tourist couple heading out as we were heading in. “Don’t bother going in,” the woman said to us. “It’s not worth it.” Little did she know that we dearly love this Berkshire treasure and find it well worth it!

Sugar Shack Time

2009-03-21T19:21:00.006-04:00

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All the local sugar shacks are busy creating maple syrup - days are warm and nights are cold and the sap is flowing. Sugaring time is the best time to go for breakfast, eat and buy fresh syrup, and tour the sugar house to watch the interesting process that, with the exception of a few modern adjustments, hasn't changed much over the years.

I happened to read about a new place to visit on one of the Blogs I Learn From...W hat I Made Yesterday. One of the posts mentioned a place called Ioka Vall ey Farm, which is about 25 minutes away (we later learned that Ioka is an Indian word for "beautiful"). We'd heard of the farm but had somehow never been to visit. So, off we went for Sunday brunch. We also thought it might be a great opportunity for one of our beloved "photo expeditions."

When we drove in, the farm parking lot was full of cars from MA, CT, and NY. We strolled past the cows being gawked at by the "city kids" on our way to the Calf-A, where we put our name on the waiting list for breakfast - about an hour's wait. Then we headed over to the sugar house, which was also pretty packed.

Inside, the sugarmakers were busy keeping a watchful eye on the syrup and answering questions about what they were doing. It was cozy warm, the air was full of the damp and slightly sweet scent of the bubbling syrup, and enormous clouds of steam were rising up to the vent in the roof.

A large old tree ornamented the interior, it's many branches reaching up to the roof. The floor was gravel. And, there was a really cool bench featuring small stumps of different types of trees. Our task, should we choose to accept it, was to put a tree stump on its corresponding name. We only got three right - cherry, birch and maple.

We then observed the sugaring process:

Plastic lines are now strung on the trees to collect the sap, and left there year-round, and the taps are also plastic. In olden times, the taps were wood, and the sap was collected in individual buckets which had to be repeatedly emptied. One of the old sugarmakers showed me the wooden tap he keeps close in his coat pocket - he made it when he was young from a piece of punky wood. A heated coathanger was pushed through the center and out the other end to make the hole for the sap. It has the polished patina of much use and much love.
Part of a sugarmaker's year-round job is maintaining the lines, which animals and nature tend to upset. They keep logs of when lines were put up, and have a routine maintenance schedule to keep them new. We were shown a length of pipe with some fairly impressive bear teeth marks. Hands also leave sweat on the piping, which turns to salt, which attracts smaller critters, so sugarmakers now wear gloves when handling the piping.
The sap from the lines feeds into the holding tank and a reverse osmosis (?) process is used to remove much of the water before the sap is boiled.
Then, the sap is poured into the large vat over the "Maple Pro Erable" woodstove. It roils and boils ferociously - when wood is added to the stove, it makes the syrup bubble even more and a de-foamer is added to maintain control over it. The sugarmakers prefer to do their work at night when the barometric pressure stays more constant - this affects how long it takes the sap to turn into syrup.
A large thermometer on the side of the tank tells how hot the syrup is. When it looks like it's at the right temp, a cylinder of fluid is drawn off. If it's ready, a long portable thermometer (think very large candy thermometer) will float at the right level between 2 red marks.
It's now time to remove any accumulated minerals, strain it, and determine the grade. The grade is determined by a combination of color and flavor, and is still a human-based decision-making process. Paler grades of sugar used to be in high demand, as maple sugar and syrup were used as the main sweetener in homes and a strong maple flavor wasn't desirable. Now, however, a maple flavor in the sugar is considered a good thing, so the darker grades are more popular. Only mother nature controls what grade the syrup will be; it's kind of like having a baby - you just wait to find out what you're going to get.
When ready, the syrup is poured into large barrels, and from there into correct containers.

After watching and listening for a while, we headed over to the homey Calf-A. The tablecloths and curtains are in a cow pattern, and the table containers are quaint baskets and painted tin cups. When we got to our seats we ordered mini corn muffins with maple butter, homemade (and delicious) applesauce, and of course pancakes and syrup, plus bacon and sausage. Everything was wonderful and we had such a terrific Berkshire morning. We bought a jug of syrup on our way out - a little pricey but we want to support a local farm. Then, a quick look at the animals, the hay, and the old farm implements, and we headed home. Nice day.
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iPod Songs: Morning Has Broken

2009-03-20T20:15:00.008-04:00

The story behind the song...

This song is red bandanas tied around shoulder-length hair, a cast iron woodstove, the scent of pipe tobacco, a floor lamp with a dim light around its base that stayed on all night, walking to the theatre in the rain and sitting through the show soaking wet and not caring at all, seeing the Po' Boys band at The Villa, cigarettes lit with the candle on the night club table so the light flickers against a profile…too cool for words, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Eric Clapton, and Cat Stevens, ping pong tournaments in the attic game room, yellowed copies of old Steinbeck novels, Tom Robbins’ funky “Jitterbug Perfume” followed by a bowl of beets, and eagerly searching for the answer to life, the universe and everything. 42.
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Why All the Buddhist Influences Lately?

2009-03-20T06:25:00.006-04:00

Out of the blue, my daughter asked me if I wanted to go with her to a local Buddhist mediation session, followed by a "What is Buddhism?" film lecture. Sure, I'm open to most new experiences, so off we went.

But it also made me think, "Hmmm...what's with all of the Buddhist incidents coming into our lives recently?" Here's what I mean:

Not long ago, I watched "What's Love Got to do With It," which is the story of Tina Turner's tumultuous life. In the movie, we learn that she turns to Buddhism to gain mastery over her situation, so I got to see how she worked this philosophy into her life, hear the chanting, the gongs...the experience.
We recently enjoyed a fabulous work/vacation to San Francisco, where we spent much of our time roaming around Chinatown. One of our goals while we were there was to visit a real live Buddhist temple. We did and we loved the beautiful altar and all of the offerings, although we didn't quite get how people worshipped there? We also bought a set of miniature Buddha figures in faux gold and jade, to help us remember all the fun we had on Nob Hill and in Portsmouth Square. I set one on my bedside table, as a reminder to have more adventures.
For my latest commuting book on CD, my hand pulled Siddhartha off the library shelf, which is the story of one man's journey to bringing to life the principles of Buddhism. I'm enjoying listening to it - Hesse's writing style is very flowery and lyrical, and there is cool sitar music between chapters.

We enjoyed the meditation and the lecture we attended, as I always like to learn new things, and everyone was very pleasant. I think we're going back next week.
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Funny Daughter Story

2009-03-18T06:33:00.005-04:00

So, I was making the usual St. Patrick's Day Irish Soda Bread, to go along with the heavenly meal bubbling away in the crockpot - corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots & onions, plus a side of mashed turnips, and a wee bit o' horseradish sauce for the meat.

I kneaded the dough on a floured surface while my daughter chatted to me about her day. I formed the bread ball into a six inch circle and set it onto the baking sheet. I was about to cut the traditional cross into the surface, to "ward off evil spirtits" when I said to my daughter, "Would you like to cut the cross this year?" She asked me why we did that, I told her, she quietly cut the cross without further comment, and we popped the bread in the oven.

Later, as we ate dinner, enjoying the hot-from-the-oven-and-covered-with-melted-butter bread, our cat Chloe was being her usual wild self. She is generally badly behaved and doing something she shouldn't.

The next thing I know, my daughter has hopped up and picked up the round loaf of bread from the cutting board on the table. She took it over to Chloe and said, "Chloe, look at the bread. Look at the bread, Chloe. Look."

Perplexed, I said, "What on earth are you doing?"

"Warding off evil spirits," she gamely replied.

Judgment Free Zone

2009-03-16T07:02:00.002-04:00

When I first signed up for a Planet Fitness membership, I noticed, but didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to, their slogan – Judgment Free Zone.

Since I’m at the gym several times during the week, and this phrase is emblazoned on many surfaces – outside on the sign, inside the gym, the locker room, the free t-shirts, the website – it’s quietly made a definite impact on me.

Every once in a while when I’m working out, I’ll get a little judge-y without even trying to – about someone’s outfit or some other silly thing. But then I look up and notice the slogan, and say to myself, “Uh-uh…none of that. This is a judgment free zone.” And, the thought quickly floats away.

I’ve realized that I’ve begun to use this same thought "workout" even when I’m NOT at the gym. I’ll notice someone on the street or in a meeting, doing or saying something I disapprove of, and then remember in my mind about the judgment free zone. And, the disapproving thought quietly slips away without much effort at all.

So, when I go to the gym, I’m getting a body AND a mind work out. Nice job, Planet Fitness!
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Living Room Makeover - Wallpaper Removal

2009-03-15T20:34:00.012-04:00

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We've finally decided that now is the time to re-do the living room. We've been wanting to work on it for some time now, but have been dreading the wallpaper removal.

When we bought this house 5 years ago, it was covered with wallpaper and pink things - pink kitchen counter, pink carpeting, pink paint, pink bathroom fixtures. We quickly got rid of most of the pink, but the wallpaper has been a longer process.

First to go was the black, pink and white striped paper in the kitchen and hallway, with floral borders. Then we tackled the peach, black, and aqua flowers and fans in the dining room. Next we dealt with the pink, blue and cream stripes and flowers in the upstairs bath. And, now we've come to the formal stripe in the living room - which someone has VARNISHED!

Many people tell us that they like this paper and don't understand why we want to get rid of it. I think it is pretty, but it just isn't the quiet serene style we're looking for.

Here are the changes we plan to make, in addition to re-doing the walls:

We are going to have a WHITE ceiling. For some reason, throughout this house, previous owners painted all of the ceilings the same grayish beige as most of the upper walls...not attractive.
We've already removed the fussy large (8' x 10') area rug that was in the room - we posted it on Craigslist for a while but didn't get any serious takers, so I gave it to my niece who was thrilled. We'll probably replace it with sisal or bamboo.
We're also going to get rid of the sofa - just too big, heavy, and clunky - and opt for two loveseats instead. Sadly, this will mean no more hide-a-bed sleepovers in the living room for my daughter and her friends.
We want to trade the glass and brass coffee table for two square Pottery Barn style cherry tables, with lower storage shelves; they're easily re-arranged and can double as seating during large parties.
We'll trade in our random occassional tables for more square-ish side tables, and trade in the embellished lamps for simpler, sleeker ones.
The BIG entertainment center will move to a different wall and I think we'll flank it with two bookshelves pulled from another room.
No more drapes! We'll try Roman shades or wooden blinds (or maybe even shutters?).

So, today was Begin Removing Paper day. Our past wallpaper removal experiences have been pretty straightforward:

Put down plastic tarps and absorbent towels/sheets around perimeter.
Use the paper tiger to score the wallpaper. (My daughter thinks it's called that because of the growling sound it makes as it's rotated across the paper; I think it's called that because of the "claw marks" it makes in the paper.)
Dampen the paper with a mix of warm water and wallpaper remover ("Chomp").
Peel off the decorative top layer.
Re-wet the remaining inner layer.
Pull off inner layer and rinse glue off walls.

Well, today didn't quite go this way. The varnish really threw a wrench in the works. We followed the same steps, but found that the top layer just didn't want to come off. Instead, it was painstaking hours of nudging strips off with a putty knife, re-wetting the paper, scraping, etc.

Tonight, two walls are done, and two to go. We'll keep you posted!
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Lazy Saturday

2009-03-14T18:28:00.003-04:00

Every once in a while, a glorious thing happens...we get a Saturday (or sometimes a whole weekend) on which nothing has been scheduled and there's nowhere we need to be. The day is ours to use as we will, which is such a delightful prospect.

Today is just such a day. Here's how we ended up using this lazy Saturday:

Woke up late - 10:00! It's so nice to just sleep until we're no longer tired (a very rare occurrence).
Read the paper; laughed out loud at Zits...it's always right on the money about life with a teenager.
Discussed how we might re-arrange the living room once the wallpaper is stripped and the room is painted the new green color we chose, and what furniture to keep, give away, or replace with something new. Daughter gets the nicely-shaped curvy corner table to refurbish to her heart's delight - she's decided to collage it, which is her special talent.
Brunch - buttermilk waffles (from the freezer) with blueberry syrup (from Big Lots, one of our favorite bargain shops) and hot tea (I'm currently trying Newman's Own Organic Royal Tea) in our Entering Provincetown mug.
Decided that today is the momentous day that the living room project will begin. Photographed living room to document the before and after look.
Daughter went to dad's to stay overnight.
Blogged for a while - checked my stats counter to see how many visitors stopped by, read and responded to any comments, and read the new posts of the Blogs I Learn From. Last night's visitors came from Australia, Tanzania, Maine, and Missouri. Also checked into Twitter and posted a Tweet...discovered 2 new followers added during the night, which brings me to 94.
Watched a little bit of a Netflix - "Mostly Martha"; tried to watch "Grapes of Wrath" but the DVD is unplayable (this is a replacement DVD for the first one that was unplayable). It turns out that "Mostly Martha" is the same movie as "No Reservations," which I just finished, but it's in German and with different actors. Who knew?
Moved furniture (listening to the iPod for extra energy) from living room into dining room...this will be our temporary living room while we're working on the remodel.
Prepped living room for messy wallpaper removal, and scored paper.
Thawed chicken for dinner, and made chicken parm with angel hair.
Relaxed for the rest of the evening!
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Leprechaun Traps

2009-03-12T06:23:00.001-04:00

When my daughter was in elementary school, she learned about making leprechaun traps and was determined to create one for herself so she could catch her very own miniature man. Each year, she would set busily to work a few days before St. Patrick’s Day to devise and build her trap.

She made the traps out of the odd assortment of things one finds around the house, plus scraps of this and that from our well-stocked craft room. Usually, a discarded shoebox, saved for just such a project, was involved, along with lots of glue, glitter (to lure him), scraps of soft and pretty fabric, dishes from her Barbie stuff, and anything shiny and gold.

Once completed, she would set out the contraption near the front door, just before her bedtime routine on the night before St. Patrick’s Day.

And, each year, she’d go down first thing the next morning to check on the trap to see if there was a leprechaun inside. Each year, she’d find that the little treats she’d set out to lure him in were gone and in their place were gold covered chocolate coins and a tiny note with tiny lettering, that read something like this:

Ha! You thought you could catch me but you didn’t. Don’t you know that you can’t catch a leprechaun and you won’t get my gold? Nice try, though. Better luck next year, and thanks for the treats.

She was always sadly disappointed and just couldn’t figure why this year’s incredible design had failed. And, the following year she would be even more determined to improve upon her entrapment devices and lures. She stopped setting out the traps once she got into middle school and she never did catch one.

I miss those traps.

4,000 Questions - #9: Personality

2009-03-11T21:01:00.011-04:00

Here's the background info on the 4,000 Questions posts...

Question #9: What one personality trait would you like to have?

This is something I've actually thought about often. I think about it any time I see someone who is calmly even-tempered in just about any circumstance. That's the trait I'd most like to have.

I'm not sure how they do it, really...people with this type of personality just don't seem to get ruffled no matter what's happening. They are still happy, sad, concerned, compassionate - they just don't ever "lose it" over situations.

This seems like a desirable attribute because it must make life so much easier to manage...for both yourself and those around you. And, it probably wreaks a lot less havoc on the nerves! I'm working on learning this, but it definitely doesn't come to me naturally.

What personality trait would you like to have?
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iPod Songs: I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing

2009-03-10T18:50:00.004-04:00

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The story behind the song...

Way back when, Coke make a pretty cool TV commercial...

It was such a happy, feel-good ad, and everybody sang along to it - I still find it so moving. (I really don't recall how we happened to see that commercial, because we didn't have a TV then!) Anyway, as part of that Coke promotion, you could somehow get a free 45 record of the resulting hit song, "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing." My big sister, Ruthie, who was 10 years older than me and in high school, got that record!

At this point in our travels, we were parked in Manitou Springs, Colorado. Ruthie was so excited to get this record and have it as her very own. We didn't have the money or the space for lots of possessions, so owning this special personal property was a real treat. She was sooo careful with it and wouldn't allow anyone else to touch it. She'd put that funny looking whirly-shaped little insert into the center of it and set it spinning on the family record player, and we'd sing that song with her.

I added this song to my iPod in remembrance of Ruthie, who is no longer with us but who will always be cherished.
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Alphabet of Daily Life - H

2009-03-09T17:41:00.007-04:00

H is for Hybrid...

My number 1 reason for buying a Honda Accord Hybrid a few years ago was NOT savings on gas! Surprising, I know, but I had an ulterior motive. Here are my reasons, in order of importance:

Voting with my pocketbook: the only way car manufacturers will create Hybrids is if there is enough demand to justify the expense of building them. So, each time I purchase a Hybrid (or other alternative fuel vehicle), I'm casting one more vote that helps manufacturers know that consumers want this type of green technology.
Commuting costs: I like getting an average of 30-35 mpg on my 25-mile drive back and forth to work (and even better on the highway), which means I use less gas. Some people (who don't own Hybrids) argue that since you pay more to purchase one, that kind of eats up the gas savings, but again, I bought it to have my vote counted. And, I'm sure the costs to own Hybrids will come down as demand increases and more options become available to consumers.
The environment: I like sending a significantly lower quantity of smog-forming and global-warming emissions into the Berkshire air.

People sometimes ask me if I have to plug my car in at night! Nope. As a Hybrid, the car uses a mix of gas and electric power to function. The gas runs the engine, the running engine charges the special battery, and the special battery helps give the car additional non-gas power when it needs it. Also know as Integrated Motor Assist (IMA). An odd feature of IMA is that the car totally shuts off at stop signs. It's completely quiet - no motor running at all. It took a little getting used to as a driver, and can also be startling to passengers.

It's also addicting to watch the dashboard indicators that show current average mileage and whether the battery is currently charging or helping the motor.

If you're thinking of buying a Hybrid (and I hope you are) here are my tips from first-hand experience:

Buy the warranty: my hybrid battery ended up needing to be replaced (I understand this isn't a common occurrence), which would have cost me over $3,000 - thank goodness for warranty coverage!
Don't just assume you'll get a tax credit: the rules are so specific and may not apply to your purchase. I was surprised to discover that my purchase didn't fit any of the tax credit parameters...no credit for me.

Overall, I LOVE my Honda Hybrid. When I'm ready for my next purchase, I'm hoping to get a Honda Insight! I hear it's meeting or surpassing the Prius as far as mileage. Anyone interested in getting a Hybrid Newsletter can contact Brad Berman - it's great for doing pre-purchase research.
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Dining for Women - Uganda

2009-03-08T12:02:00.006-04:00

Our latest Dining for Women event will benefit BeadforLife in Uganda.

So, at this particular DFW event, we could purchase beads, with the proceeds benefitting this chosen organization, or simply make an outright donation without making a purchase. Buying the beads is much more fun! According to the BeadforLife website:

"Ugandan women turn colorful recycled paper into beautiful bead jewelry, and people who care open their hearts, homes, and communitites to buy and sell the beads. The beads become income, food, medicine, school fees, and hope. All net profits from BeadforLife are invested in community development projects that help people work their way out of poverty."

This also means, of course, that our meal was Ugandan!

I must admit, I have never cooked anything remotely Ugandan, nor do I know what is generally eaten in that country. As with any DFW event, participants are provided with recipe ideas, which is really helpful, and just one more example of the terrific organization exhibited by the DFW group.

In reviewing the available recipes, I decided I'd try Ugandan Kabobs with a yogurt dipping sauce. It turns out that in Uganda, a kabob is a meatball. After tasting my results, I can't say I'm a fan of these and wouldn't make them again, but it was fun to try for tonight's dinner. Here's what we had on our buffet table:

Beef Kabobs with Yogurt Dipping Sauce (my offering)
Kale with Leeks
Curried Potatoes
Paella
Couscous Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes, & Feta
Pineapple Peanut Bread with Cream Cheese (2 different recipes made with different types of flour)
Coffee, Tea and Amarula (liqueur made from the African Marula plant)

This time around, we didn't have the usual non-ethnic options for those not interested in venturing into the world of Ugandan cuisine...looks like people are getting more daring!

While enjoying our fabulous and adventurous meal, we looked at bead and jewelry options and made our selections. (Jewelry, pricing cards, and brochures had been sent in advance of the event.) The beads are beautiful - it's unbelievable what a clever hand can do with a few pieces of recycled paper. It was really fun to get to buy their actual products, and many of us did our gift shopping for upcoming birthdays and holidays. Over the course of the evening, we raised over $500 to send to BeadforLife!! And, we had a pleasant time socializing and chatting with other like-minded people who want to help the world in some way.

Can't wait until next month's dinner...
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Found a Cape Cottage

2009-03-07T17:32:00.006-05:00

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Yahoo - our search for a cottage near Wellfleet's White Crest Beach on Cape Cod been a success!

We were fortunate to discover three Ocean View Cottages, which we've driven by in the past, with an available week that suited our schedule! We're all booked, and this is the one we'll be staying in for the week starting July 4th (photos are from the Ocean View Cottage website).

The three houses sit between Ocean View Drive and the rolling Atlantic. They have their own private beach, and White Crest is a short stroll along the National Seashore.

We won't need to lug as much to the beach this year, because we'll be able to go back to the cottage any time during the day for food, drinks, or anything else we need. And, we'll be closer to P-Town, so maybe we can spend more than just one day there shopping and people-watching. Can't wait!

4,000 Quesions - #8: Excitement

2009-03-05T21:36:00.022-05:00

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Here's the background info on the 4,000 Questions posts...

Question #8: What's the most exciting thing you've ever done?

Hmmmm....exciting can have so many meanings. I think I'm going to choose Army Basic Training. It was an incredible experience on so many levels:

I was only 17, and really didn't understand the concept of signing my actual life over to the US government (GI stands for Government Issue), but had the chutzpah to do it anyway. I made the decison without my parents' knowledge, but had to get their signatures before everything became legal because I was under age.
To get to Basic, I went on my FIRST airplane ride ever. We actually walked out onto the tarmac and climbed up a set of steps that had been wheeled to the side of the plane.
It was the first time away from my family, and I was traveling all over the states BY MYSELF in my little "Lady Bug" (that I bought used for $300; I swear it's the car that is used for golf practice in the first few scenes of the movie Tin Cup). People would always beep and wave at me on the highway in my cleverly painted little car (thanks, family), covered with Army stickers.

I joined the Army because I came from a family of 9 children and there was simply no money for college. By joining, I could travel, earn income, AND earn money for college. Not to mention, I could attend college while on active duty, which I did, and ALL expenses were paid for.

There are just so many things about Basic Training that were new and different, I hardly know where to begin:

Before you read this next comment, and start to wonder about me, let me begin with this disclaimer: I don't currently use or own weapons, and am so glad I never needed to use one to hurt anyone, but I did learn to shoot at targets as a kid and always felt at ease on the rifle range. That being said...I really liked using an M-16! It has a regular and a semi-automatic setting; we only got to use the semi-automatic setting once in awhile, as it used up so much ammo, but it really was fun. I earned my Expert medal for the rifle and the Sharpshooter medal for the grenade.
I was in the best physical shape of my life, could knock out push ups and sit ups like nobody's business, and was a master of the "front leaning rest." (The only part of PT that I dreaded was running.)
I could low-crawl in the mud under barbed wire, knew drill and ceremony steps perfectly, and could move lithely through an obstacle course. Like all of the other soldiers, I felt strong and invincible.
I'm a sucker for precision, so my uniform, bed, locker, boots, patches, etc, were always according to regulation, which usually made my drill sergeants say, as they stood in front of me inspecting me, "Stone, always squared away."

A funny story I remember is from my very first formal inspection. I had never heard the term "Army brat" but sort of grew up like one. When the Captain, who was very scary to me, and his entourage got to me (remember...I'm a Virgo...everything in my locker was folded and placed EXACTLY according to the Army manual), he looked over me and my area and said, "Stone, are you a military brat?" As far as I knew, a "brat" was a derogatory term to describe an ill-natured person. So, I had two options:

AGREE with the Captain, and call myself a bad name.
DISAGREE with the Captain, and maybe fail inspection or make Basic life hard for myself.

What was I supposed to do? Standing stiffly at attention, my fingers gripped the seams of my pants and my eyes stared unwaveringly ahead. In my 17-year-old-oh-my-God-this-is-the-Captain stupor, I said the first thing that came to mind: "I don't know, sir." He just looked at me funny and kept moving on down the line of scared soldiers. I can only imagine what he must have been thinking.

Photo info: (yes, these photos were taken with a Polaroid, which was my first camera purchase ever...film is no longer made for these!)
Photo #1: Me after Basic Training graduation, in my Class Bs and my Clark Kents.
Photo #2: Crossing into Alabama on my way from South Carolina to Texas, with the odometer about to hit 100,000 miles and me in my old style BDUs (Battle Dress Uniform); now, they're made in a camouflage pattern, but the first set I was issued was this olive drab color.

Your turn...what's the most exciting thing you've ever done?
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iPod Songs: Sweet Surrender

2009-03-03T20:37:00.010-05:00

The story behind the song...

“Sweet Surrender” by Bread brings me back to the days when I hung out with my buddy Ronnie during my medic training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. (Some of you were introduced to Ronnie in one of my 4,000 Questions posts.)

On days off, Ronnie and I would spend rainy afternoons at the base activity center, where there was a room with record players and albums (yup – we were using actual record players, with arms and delicate needles, and big black vinyl records – I think the big ones were 78s?) available free for the soldiers’ enjoyment.

We’d carefully make our album selection, pull the large 12” square cardboard case with its wild graphics from the shelf, and set the record on the player. Using the lightest touch so as not to scratch and ruin the record, one of us would set the needle in place and the record would spin. And then we’d experience the height of technological sophistication for those days…we would each attach a headset into the jack on the player so we could each listen in our own set, but both at the same time! The headsets were huge, similar to what you might picture a helicopter pilot wearing today, but they were very techie back then. We thought we were pretty cool.

Then, we’d sit back and simply listen to music. Sometimes we’d mouth the words (we didn’t call it lip-synching back then) or laugh and smile at each other. It was a happy time. Ronnie introduced me to Bread, and I liked the band from the moment I heard their first song. After that, Bread was always on our selection list.

Nowadays, I create a list of things I’d like for birthdays or holiday gifts, to make things easier on my daughter. For some reason, I had been thinking about Ronnie, and our happy times listening to that music so many years ago. And I added "The Best of Bread" to my gift list. My daughter surprised me with it this past Christmas.

As soon as I put the CD into the player, I was transported immediately back. Back to that sweet happy time of innocence, adventure, new experiences and hesitant daring; a time when anything was possible and only the best could ever happen to any of us.
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Saying "Hi" to Commenters

2009-03-03T15:52:00.007-05:00

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Not long ago, I was reviewing new content updates on the "Blogs I Learn From." On one of the sites I visited, I clicked to add a comment. When I did this, I noticed something interesting...the blog owner had a note saying "hi" to their commenters, just above the text area where I could write in my comment. Here's the blog and note:

Taste With The Eyes: "Hi there! What an absolute pleasure to hear from you. I look forward to reading what each and every one of you has to say. Your comments bring this blog to life! If you have a question or a request or would like a more detailed recipe, I will do my best to respond. Thank you so much for visiting and I can't wait to explore your unique blog as well. Lori Lynn"

It had never occurred to me that I could say "hi" in advance to my commenters! So, I got busy searching around my blog admin to figure out how to do this, and here's the easy process I discovered:

In your blogspot admin, click on Settings.
Click on the Comments tab.
Scroll to about halfway down the page, and you'll see something called Comment Form Message.
Type any greeting you like in the available text box. This message will appear just above the box your commenters will write in when they want to leave you a message.
When you're satisfied with your greeting, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Settings.

Ta-daa...give it a try on your own blog!
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Alphabet of Daily Life - G

2009-03-02T15:00:00.020-05:00

G is for (Mount) Greylock...

The highest peak in Massachusetts is right in our backyard! Mount Greylock is 3,491 feet high at the summit. It got it's name because the peak is often locked in grey clouds or mist - a sight I often see as I drive to work in the mornings. (Photo at right is from the mass.gov site.) On the right side of the mountain you can see a patch of treeless brown - this is the site of the Great Mudslide that happened there a few years ago during a particularly rainy season.

Someone I know has a large molded-vinyl topo relief map of Berkshire County, showing the height of Mount Greylock, the Taconic Mountains and the Berkshire Hills, as well as the depth of the valleys in between. In looking at the map, one really gets a sense of how the mountains protect the cities and towns below. This same feeling is evoked when standing atop the mountain and surveying the expansive view, especially if you use the available binoculars.

Appalachian Trail

If you've read Bill Bryson's humorous "A Walk in the Woods" (I listened to it as a book on CD from the library during my daily commute), you'll know that the Appalachian Trail wends across Mt. Greylock on it's way to Vermont and into Maine, where the trail ends. In the book, Bill and Katz (I think Katz was still with him at this point) stop to pick up a few supplies in Cheshire, and I know exactly where they were from Bill's description of local roads and buildings.

Greylock Ramble

For years, the town of Adams has sponsored an annual Greylock Ramble, designed to reunite the locals with their mountain, and to help visitors discover it. (Not sure if this event still takes place?) On Columbus Day, hundreds of hikers, including many families with children, slog up the slightly muddy (depending on the weather each year) Cheshire Harbor Trail to the peak and admire the breathtaking views. Various family members and I have made the trek in years past, and it was a fresh and new experience every year.

Bascom Lodge

A favorite feature of mine on the mountaintop is this rustic lodge, built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) in the late 1930s. It is beautiful - made of native schist stone and red spruce - with a large old fireplace in the main area and an aging screened porch full of picnic tables along the length of the back of the building.

I've stayed overnight at Bascom and the experience was charming and just a bit hippy-ish. In the dim evening light, someone was playing the guitar in front of the fire as we lounged in cabin-style chairs and rockers. Later, we had a hearty family-style meal in the large dining hall, with many friendly and talkative strangers. We slept in a spartan, but clean and comfortable, room, which I imagine is heaven to an Appalachian Trail hiker who's been roughing it out in the elements.

If I remember correctly, Bascom Lodge is currently in search of new caretakers.

March Cataract Falls

When my daughter was young, we hiked EVERYwhere in Berkshire County...she was such a trooper. (Sadly, she doesn't enjoy this anymore.) One of our day trips was to March Cataract Falls. We drove up the mountain and parked near the Sperry Road camping area. From there, it's a reasonable hike through a fairly flat wooded area with a floor of luscious green ferns that rustled against our feet as we walked - me with the backpack containing our picnic and her sashaying ahead of me with her pink Little Mermaid backpack and a walking stick. We ate lunch sitting on the rocks near the falls, and then had time to wade and splash and play a bit before heading back to the car.

War Memorial

Another feature on the top of the mountain is the 93' War Memorial. It's shape is often used in local advertising. I've never been up the many steps to the top of the memorial - I believe it's been under construction any time I've gone up there.

A favorite memory of mine is taking my daughter up to the summit one summer evening. We sat on the stone wall near the base of the Memorial, and listened to the Berkshire Highlanders bagpipe band play "Amazing Grace" as the sun set slowly behind them.

Hudson River, Native Americans & Oscar

2009-03-01T21:04:00.025-05:00

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A friend and I met up to visit the Albany Institute of History and Art today. Our plans were to view the new Hudson River Panora ma exhibit, as well as to hear the featured speaker: Joseph Bruchac's "First Voices of the River: American Indian Stories and Traditions of the Hudson."

We are both museum mavens and soaked up the learning while viewing the special exhibit and the galleries. In addition to the new show, there are also many of the intricately detailed "Hudson River School" paintings, with their dark foregrounds and pale receding backgrounds, which creates such an illusion of depth. Some of the interesting artifacts we saw while checking out the Hudson River Valley's history included:

an icebox - quite literally, just a chest-sized wooden box with a metal lining and a fitted lid, used for storing food along with the heavy ice blocks that were sawn from the river in winter, with a hole in the bottom for melted ice to drip out. Since the water dripped down over the food in the box, we also saw old advertisements admonishing housewives to be certain they were buying only the best "sanitary ice."
a beautiful cast iron parlor stove molded to look like a house in Amsterdam.
an intricate wooden tabletop stereoscope, which allows one to view two side-by-side images which, when viewed through the lenses, gives the image a 3-D appearance; these images were the main source of news photos for the general public in the mid to late 1800s, before photos could be reproduced in newspapers.
huge and beautiful family bibles, with scrawled records of births, marriages, and deaths.
replica birch bark and dugout canoes (the dugout was made by burning the wood in part of a log, and hacking out the ashes).

While walking about, we happened to step into a small "what we're working on" room. In this quiet room, behind a large glass wall, visitors can peer into a vault of artifacts that may appear in an upcoming exhibit. And, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but an OSCAR! A real, genuine, honest-to-goodness Academy Award. It's the first one I've ever seen in person, and it was such a moment for me.

This particular Oscar was won by Edwin Burke in 1932 for Writing Adaptation of "Bad Girl." As you may know, I'm in the process of watching all Oscar nominees since the awards first began in 1929. I only recently watched "Bad Girl" even though I'm currently watching films from 1940; so many of the older films requested through Netflix end up on a rather long waiting list (though I'm very happy I can get them at all...many are so old and obscure). Anyway, it was such a thrill to actually SEE an Oscar, especially so close. Now, to hold one in my hands...

After our tour of the museum, we headed to the lecture hall. Today's speaker, part of the educational lecture series that accentuates the exhibit, was Joseph Bruchac. He is an accomplished author (more than 70 books!) and storyteller, reflecting his Abenaki native American heritage and PhD education in his work. (He and his son made the dugout canoe in the exhibit!)

As Joseph gave us historical accounts and wove mesmerizing tales for us, he also displayed his many other talents...he spoke and sang in his native language, and played the drum, rattle, and flute. Sometimes when he played the drum, he held the padded drum stick in part of his hand, and the rattle in another part. So, with every beat of the drum, the rattle kept time, and the combination made a lovely rhythmic sound.

Before he played his beautiful wooden flute for us, he told us the story of the first flute: once a tree had a dead limb, which left the branch hollow. Soon, a woodpecker came along and made a series of holes in the hollow branch. And, when night came, the wind blew over the holes in the branch and a lovely sound drifted out. And so we have flutes, which bring together the sounds of the plants, birds, and wind, mixed with the breath of man.

We learned that a young man would play his flute for the woman he was wooing. If she accepted his song, they were soon married. She then put words to his music, and that song became the lullaby for their children. Such a lovely circle.

Joseph's stories and descriptions of the history of the Abenaki and other New York tribes helped bring the Hudson River exhibit to life in a meaningful way. Such an enriching day.
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Blogger Comments Feedback

2009-02-28T17:50:00.010-05:00

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Thanks to everyone who voted in the recent Blog Comments poll! The question was:

What's your preferred method for responding to a visitor's comment on your own blog?

The Poll results were:

65%...I post a response in my own blog, below my visitor's comment.

24%...I visit my commenter's blog and leave a response in their most recent post.

12%...I like some other method; I'll leave a comment about it in your most recent post.

Comments about votes included:

Mouse Medicine: your sidebar question is a bit like intentions....although I might have a preferred method of responding to a visitor comment....I often get backed up and my responses to comments often go the same route as good intentions...unless of course a reader asks a direct question, then I do my darnest to reply and answer the question....often going to their blog or sending an email....

The Saltonstalls: I say leave them on both. We all like comments - so more is better right?

Alaskan Dave Down Under: I generally reply to comments on my blog(s). But if I find a new commenter then I'll go to their site and (if I like the site and content) then I'll leave comments there --but only about their post. I'll also see who's been visiting my blog(s) lately and how they got there. And again, if their site is interesting, I'll leave comments --but only "on topic".

Dudette in the Kitchenette: Both? I love getting comments too! So I like to comment on the other person's blog about one of their posts that I like or find interesting. Although, if someone comments on my blog and they've asked a question or I feel like I should respond, then I may write a comment on my own blog. There's no "right" answer, so I say, go with your gut! In general people usually appreciate a comment or a response!

Currently Purring: My rule of thumb is to keep the comments attached to the post they relate to. So I respond to comments on my own blog. When I get comments from someone who I don't recognize, I make a point to go to their blog to check it out. If I have comments on their content, I'll be sure to leave it there on their blog.

My overall takeaway from this exercise is:

If someone leaves a comment on one of my blog posts, I'll add a response to them on my own blog, below their note, as I've seen so many experienced bloggers do. This makes for a fun and interesting dialogue and the visitor will know that I appreciate them taking the time to both stop by AND to comment.
If I receive a comment from a new visitor, I'll take a minute to visit their blog in return, and leave a comment there, in addition to the response I make to them on my own blog.

There...that's settled. Thanks for your help, all you fabulous bloggers, you!

Alphabet of Daily Life - F

2009-02-27T18:14:00.003-05:00

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F is for the Fresh Air Fund.

For anyone not familiar with the Fresh Air Fund program, it's a way for inner city kids from lower-income families to enjoy a summer vacation in the country.

I'd heard about the FAF for several years, especially through news articles in our local paper, but had never done anything about it. Finally, one year I decided to just go for it and become a host family.

Hosting a Fresh Air child is an easy and low-cost way to help someone in need. There are no costs to apply or to host...the only money we spend are gifts we buy or events and activities we take part in. To get started, I just visited the Fresh Air Fund website, and submitted an online inquiry. Immediately, a local volunteer got back to me to help me learn more. In order to host, we went through a thorough screening, which included:

Criminal background check
Community references (as I recall, a personal friend, work supervisor, and school official or clergy person)
In-home visit, interview, and inspection

Once we made it through those steps, we were then asked about the child we'd like to have as a visitor. We could choose age and gender, and could also opt for a 2-week visit in July or a 1-week visit in August. Since my daughter is an only child, she thought it would be fun to have a "little sister" experience, so we chose a female in the 5 to 7 year range. And, our spunky, funny Fresh Air child came to visit!

Our first summer, we chose the 2-week visit, which we decided afterward was not the right option for us - it used up all of my summer vacation, and the kids tended to get on each other's nerves after the newness wore off. Our second summer, we chose the 1-week visit, which works well for us - I still get to take more time off for our "other" vacation, and everyone is still getting along by the time we say goodbye.

Our Fresh Air child will be coming again this summer, and we'll probably do many of the activities we've done before, including:

Lots of swimming at Plunkett Lake in Hinsdale - beautifully clean and quiet.
Lolling around at the luxurious Sand Springs Pool & Spa in Williamstown (they donate free admission to host families and children).
Picnics anywhere and everywhere.
Wading and exploring at Mount Hope Farm in Williamstown.
Going to the Hollywood Drive-in.
Hiking (nothing too strenuous!) nearby nature trails.
Cooking! She loves to cook and usually helps with anything going on in the kitchen. She especially likes banana pancakes (as she says..."it's not like; it's LOVE") and Beach Bunny Cake from my Retro Beach Bash cookbook.

Photo Info:

#1: The girls explore the pond near where the Fresh Air bus arrives in Bennington, VT. We have a picnic here (fried chicken, potato salad, deviled eggs, cake, and lemonade) before we get onto the road back to our house. This is also the place where we share the Welcome Bag - full of funny and playful things. Popular items are the fart putty, feather boa, and squishy gel things.

#2: Getting the bacon ready to go under the broiler, while the banana pancakes are cooking on the griddle.

#3: The local Fresh Air kids got to march in the Williamstown 4th of July parade!

#4: The girls sitting on the Eyes on the lawn of the Williams College Museum of Art. (These eyes light up with purple lights at night - very cool!)
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Alphabet of Daily Life - E

2009-02-24T19:28:00.006-05:00

E is for Electronics...

As you might guess from the recent e-Addictions post, we looooooove our electronic gadgets. Here's a little ditty that could be considered our theme song:

The things we find we just can't go without are:

computer (mine)
laptop (my daughter's, although I wish it were mine)
digital cameras
cell phones
iPods
flash drives (we use our flash drives constantly and usually have them with us wherever we go).

Then, of course, there are all the individual chargers, car chargers, universal charger, adapters and transmitters (that's the basket full of tangled wires) that are part and parcel of keeping all of these things alive. And, the battery charger and rechargeable batteries (because digital cameras seem to eat batteries for breakfast).

Last but not least is access to the Internet. I know this may cause fainting, but we only switched from dial-up to cable wireless a few months ago! And, we only did that because my computer was out of commission and the laptop needed wireless. So, I bit the bullet and had wireless cable access set up. We're so glad we did...we feel like we came into this century and have such fast Internet speed, which makes blogging a possibility. Not to mention that we can also answer our land line now when we're online. Soooo 21st C.

Now, to make a decision about the TV (we only get one channel - abc - because we don't have cable). It has rabbit ears, and if it's raining or snowing or the neighbor is revving his engine, forget it - no TV for a while. But we'll save that decision for another post.
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Oscar Night Recap

2009-02-23T06:08:00.004-05:00

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Yet another momentous night has come and gone.

The 81st Academy Awards show was so enjoyable this year. It was also different from any other we've watched because we participated in the live Twitterfeed as the event unfolded. This means that anyone watching the show, who also has a Twitter account, posted little snippets of their thoughts - 140 characters or less - as they occurred.

Watching this real-time commentary from people throughout the world added a different dimension to the experience. I don't know the final number of tweets posted during the show, but I do know they were coming in at a rate of hundreds per minute for a good deal of the event. The plus side of the Twitterfeed was hearing from such a large audience in real time; the down side was that I was often distracted from the show itself while reading the incredible volume of tweets, and sometimes missed important shots or comments.

On the food front, we've decided that this year's Oscar Night Menu was our favorite so far...we nibbled through the night and thoroughly enjoyed it.

As far as liking or disliking the show, we really don't think in those terms. To us, the Oscars are fabulous no matter what - each year is just a little different depending on the host and a few other variables. But it's all good. A few highlights from the night included:

Ann Hathaway as Nixon.
Hugh Jackman channeling Fred Astaire...puttin' on his top hat.
Acknowledgement of Meryl Streep's record 15 career nominations.
Kate Winslet's dad whistling in the audience so she could spot him during her acceptance speech.
Heath Ledger's family accepting his award, and being allowed to talk as long as they wanted.
Jerry Lewis winning the Jean Hersholt award...I watched him through teary eyes, remembering all the hilarious movies of his that I watched when I was just a kid.
Phillipe Petit successfully balancing an Oscar on his chin when the documentary about his life, "Man on Wire," won the award.

As far as winners, I won't recap that...you can find results on a million websites. According to my personal ballot, 46% of my predictions were correct. The only time I remember KNOWING someone would win an Oscar was the year I was watching Al Pacino in "Scent of a Woman." I could just tell as I watched him perform that this was a big one for him - he was so formidable. Looks like I wasn't quite so sure of my choices this year.

By this time next year, I'm hoping we've found a mini statuette to grace the center of our feast table. If anyone knows where we can get one, let me know!
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Oscar Night Menu

2009-02-21T21:55:00.002-05:00

Since Oscar Night is such a momentous and reverential night, we MUST have a special menu!

Some magazines and cookbooks offer full meal menus for this fabulous night, but we've always done "nibbles" - lots of delectable goodies that we can just graze on during the event. So, here are our nibbles for tomorrow night:

Sparkling Drinks
Cheese Tray: Sharp Cheddar, Port Salut, Havarti with Dill, and Herb Cheese Spread
Pate with Peppercorns & Pepperoni
Ciabatta Bread & Assorted Crackers
Condiments: Mango Chutney & Whole Grain Mustard
Hummus with Sea Salt Bagel Chips
Steamed Artichokes with Butter Dip
Grapes & Clementines
Assorted Olives & Pickles
Vanilla, Chocolate, and Cappucino Pizelles
Mini Chocolate Eclairs

My mouth is watering even as I write. I can't wait for tomorrow night...so exciting!

LinkWithin Widget

2009-02-20T06:40:00.005-05:00

Okay, I'm just tooooo excited to not post about this...

I happened to be checking out my "Blogs I Learn From" feed, to see the new posts fellow bloggers had put up. While I was visiting the fabulous A Beach Cottage, I noticed something below the most recent post.

At the end of each post, it read: "You may also like these stories:" followed by three mini photos, and the blog titles from past posts that go with them. Below the photos and titles was a link that read: "What is LinkWithin?"

I clicked the link to find out more, but was a little doubtful that I could use it because A Beach Cottage is created on typepad rather than blogger. I'm happy to report that I was wrong!

The LinkWithin widget has been created for fairly universal blog use - you simply select the platform you're using and the proper gadget/programming is selected for you...quite slick. If you want to try this for yourself, just click the link above (or below) and follow the prompts. It's that easy, and just looks so great! Plus, it helps keep past posts (which contain VERY important information!) from being forgotten.

See....

Williamstown Chamber of Commerce Breakfast

2009-02-19T20:07:00.027-05:00

Today, Williamstown came to North Adams.

This morning's Williamstown Chamber of Commerce meeting was held at the new Richmond Grille in North Adams' downtown Holiday Inn. Our featured speaker was Mayor Barrett, presented as the longest serving Mayor in Massachusetts! He recapped the changes in the community since he's been in office, and described the lessons he's learned.

His topics today were:

Look within when seeking rebirth: Mayor Barrett was talking about seeking growth and sustainable industry after the demise of Sprague Electric, which decimated the city. Many business leaders were looking around outside this area to find another company to come in to create more jobs, but were simply unable to attract any takers. Instead, a community of local artists, spurred on by the burgeoning MASS MoC A masterminds, began to take hold in the city. These artists were already here, but no one had considered them a viable source of economic stimulus. MASS MoCA, along with the local arts community, has become a major player in the city's rebirth and its economics. Their current Sol Lewitt exhibit is one of the most popular in the US, right here in this little community! Who'd a thunk it?
Keep it pretty: as any good Marketer knows, pretty shouldn't be underestimated! If something looks attractive, people will naturally be attracted to it. Mayor Barrett worked on the streetscape - there are now beautiful period lamps along the streets - and added flower gardens down the length of Main Street and made big strides in transforming the city from dreary to charming.
Transform defunct churches: one of the key features of the North Adams landscape is the steeples. They are lovely and are beloved by the locals. As the churches, both Catholic and Protestant, face declining parishioners, the church buildings are no longer needed for their original purpose. So, what to do with them? Mayor Barrett would like to keep the exteriors intact, but reuse the interiors for some alternative use. The problem is that the churches tend to be in disrepair by the time they're no longer in active use - for example, repairs to one of the deteriorating steeples will cost around $1 million! His next mission will be figuring out how to reuse the churches so that they remain an integral and charming piece of the northern Berkshire landscape.

The photos in this post were taken as I walked along Main Street to get to the breakfast meeting - such lovely art exhibits in the storefronts!

Photo #1: A view up main street, under freshly fallen snow.

Photo #2: A charming curiosity shop window display.

Photo #3: A glimpse of "Maya III" - an exhibit by Jarvis Rockwell (son of Norman Rockwell), featuring his extensive collection of miniature figures.
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Vintage?

2009-02-18T07:09:00.014-05:00

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I believe I have officially and unwittingly passed over some invisible threshold...and it happened so quietly and without warning.

We were at Wal-Mart recently, using the photo machine to scan prints that were taken the old-fashioned way, with a camera and film. I needed the photo to give as a gift and didn't have the negative (I know some people reading this may not know what a negative is, but believe me, we used them!).

The photo machine is great for making prints from prints, or for enlarging or printing in black & white or sepia. And, there's usually a long waiting line any time we go, even with 3 machines, so we're definitely not alone in our need for this service.

We scanned the image, printed the copy and took it to the cash register to pay. The young guy behind the counter said (and I'm not kidding), in the most pleasant and cheerful voice:

"Oh, cool, a vintage photo. Where and when was this taken?"

VINTAGE!?

When did this happen to me? When did the photos from my younger days become vintage? I'm sure many others who have gone before me have had this experience already, but this was my first initiation into this new world called vintage. Well, I guess it's all downhill from here.

Unless vintage is a really cool thing?

The Photo is of my brother's wedding in about 1987, at the Lenox House, where EVERYONE had their wedding reception. Pictured in photo...
Front Row: my niece and flower girl Jessica, and Cindy, the bride and my soon-to-be sister-in-law.
Back Row: (all my siblings...only my brother Frank is missing; here's everyone including their birth order from 1 to 9) Lou (the youngest boy, #6), Garry (the oldest boy, #2), Eve (the wild baby, #9...I'm 10 years older than her), Sue (#8, our southern peach...lives in Georgia now), Sharon (#7, the fashion plate), me (the middle child, #5), Ruth (#1, the oldest of all of us...she took care of us so often that she was kind of like a mother to me), and my brother Bob, the groom (#4, the Harley Davidson rider).
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OMG - OSCAR Night!!

2009-02-17T20:23:00.023-05:00

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(I don't think I included enough exclamation points in the post title.)

Oscar Night is coming on February 22nd!!!!

I'm guessing that we approach this night the way many approach Superbowl Sunday parties (have only heard about Superbowl Sunday parties through folklore, but have never actually experienced one - sports just aren't our thang). For the momentous, stupendous, enthralling Oscar Night...

We need careful planning of the menu...choice nibbles and special treats, but nothing too stuffy, along with sparkling drinks. (Here's what Wolfgang Puck will be serving at the Governor's Ball...ours won't be quite that elaborate.)
We tune in for The Barbara Walter's Oscar Special at 7:oo (similar to the Superbowl pregame show?) and watch right on through to the end.
We comment liberally on clothing and personalities.
We check off our ballots to vote for our Oscar faves.
And then we settle in to listen to the chosen host, to see how the stars are at presenting, and to see if our selections are the winners.

It ends up being a pretty late night, but it is so worth it.

Some day, I would like to hold one of those gold statuettes in my own hands...preferably the one Vivien Leigh won for playing Scarlett O'Hara or the one Gone With the Wind won for Best Picture, one of the TEN awards it received way back in 1939.

Oscar Trivia: Did you know that the statuette is an art deco rendition of a knight? He's holding a crusader's sword and standing on a reel of film with 5 spokes, which represent the original branches of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS)...Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers, & Technicians.

Bette Davis thought she was the one who first called him "Oscar," because she said he looked like her first husband, Harmon Oscar Nelson.
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What's in the Car?

2009-02-16T09:02:00.030-05:00

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We were out shopping yesterday, and happened to be moving things around in the car to make room for our bags. As we did that, we were struck by how the content of one's car, which is so personal, can tell us so much about the owners.

The photo at right is of our car picnic...we needed to eat while we were shopping, but were tired of fast food. We went into Stop & Shop and found a few goodies - french bread still warm from the oven, marinated mozzarella, roasted garlic, olives & feta, and fruit.

For example, here's what's in our car:

Atlas: this is always in the car, stuck between the front seat and the console. We wouldn't go anywhere without it and use it for reference often. (My daughter learned how to read one when she was the "Navigator" on our road trip to Wyoming a few years ago. I learned to read one long ago when my father taught me how, so I could drive myself to my various military posts around the US in my little VW "Lady Bug.")
Mapquest Directions: we have a folder next to the Atlas that contains Mapquest directions to our favorite spots - Holyoke Mall, World Food Market, Northampton and Albany spots.

Electronic Gear: we can't go very far or for very long without our electronics! We have an iPod radio transmitter which we use often, an iPod charger, a cell phone charger (do we even own that particular cell phone anymore?), and a universal charger (has a "regular" outlet so just about anything can be plugged into it and charged).

Dry Cleaning: we call this "the perpetual bag of dry cleaning" as it seems to sit in the car forever and get moved from seat to seat to make room for the next passenger. I just never seem to get around to dropping it off (or picking it up).

Cleanliness Items: we have a fetish about napkins and wet wipes, and can't be without them. (Helpful Hint: I learned the hard way with my first few cars - wet wipes are NOT good for cleaning interiors! The alcohol dries out the vinyl and it eventually cracks.)
Personal Items: aspirin and a brush. We don't go anywhere without aspirin - it can cure anything, and there is nothing so debilitating as a bad headache. (A clever folded-paper water cup that came with some aspirin we purchased at a rest area during our Inauguration trip is somehow still in the car.) And, my daughter usually needs a brush at some point during a drive.
Ice Skates: my daughter used my skates a few weeks ago and discovered that they need to be sharpened; I wonder if they'll stay in the car as long as the dry cleaning?
Netflix: the last DVD I watched is waiting to be returned to the post office - Sunrise, 1931. I'm in the midst of watching every Oscar-nominated movie and am currently in the 40s, but the older ones get mixed in now and then as they come off the waiting list.
Book on CD: the case for my current commuting book on CD - John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" - still has 4 CDs to be listened to, and isn't due back to the library for a week or so.
Neck Pillow: we bought inflatable neck pillows at an airport shop during one of our trips - was it to Chicago or San Francisco? They're great for getting comfortable to nap on a plane, but also work well in a car.
Freezer Pack: this was forgotten in the car by my daughter - she used it on a bumped knee. This particular pack came in an order of smoked rambole cheese that we purchased from Amazon's gourmet shop online as a gift for a friend - it shipped in an adorable miniature cooler with these disposable freezer packs, which we reuse.
Games: just in case we need to pass the time, we have a few games in the car...sudoku, Chat Pack (asks random questions to spark conversation), and "52 Things to do in the Car" (like the alphabet or license plate games).
Blanket: we keep a royal blue fleece blanket in the trunk, for just in case it's ever needed. I was given it as a thank you gift from our local United Way after I trained their volunteers in public speaking, which I've done for a few years.
Goodwill: we usually have a bag "going" in the trunk, with items we're giving to Goodwill (usually clothes). We keep adding to the bag, and then drop it off some time as we're driving by their donation center.

Reusable Shopping Bags: we found these at one of our favorite bargain haunts - Family Dollar. For $10, we were able to buy 10 bags, of a decent weight, to keep in the trunk for use whenever we shop.

The "Usual" Stuff: does everyone keep this in their car? Car paperwork (registration, service bills, manual, copies of past "warnings"), pens, a dying flashlight, an umbrella, an ice scaper, wiper fluid.

It's interesting to think about how the various items we collect in our vehicles are so personal to our lives. They give a glimpse into personalities and lifestyles. Just curious...what's in your car?
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4,000 Questions - #7: Unrequited Love

2009-02-14T09:18:00.020-05:00

Here's the background info on the 4,000 Questions posts.

Question #7: Who was your unrequited love?

This one is in honor of Valentine's Day!

Are you out there Eddie Evjan? I first met Eddie, and his friend Ronnie Richardson, when I was at my 91C phase one training as a Medic in the Army. We were at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas and I had just turned 18.

Eddie and Ronnie were in my unit, and we usually ended up near each other in formation. Units like ours were often "assigned" to military ceremonies at the parade grounds. We seldom knew what the ceremony was for or who was being honored, but a show of troops, well trained in drill & ceremony and looking spiffy, was needed for effect. As we stood through these ceremonies, standing ramrod straight and listening to the drone of the speakers, we would often chat in quiet voices, moving only our lips.

During these chats, Eddie, Ronnie and I became fast friends and often hung around together in our off-time. At this point in my life, I had to wear black "Clark Kents" - military issue glasses; personal frames were not permitted. I also had a short and unflattering haircut and didn't know too much about makeup. And I was thin and wiry. Eddie and Ronnie liked our three-musketeer friendship, but I don't think Eddie ever felt anything more than that for me.

For me, it was a different story. Eddie was in my dreams and he was all I thought about as I learned how to fill syringes, give shots, and create and maintain a sterile field. He had black spiky hair and a mustache, and as I recall, he was Norwegian. He was a little older, maybe in his 20s. To most of us, he was an "older guy."

In my naivete, I began to display signs of liking him as more than a friend - unskilled flirtatiousness, "accidentally" bumping into him or brushing against him, constantly trying to be around him. The poor guy. I was just so smitten.

One night, we were walking back to the barracks together on a cool November Texas evening - the sky was wide and dark and full of stars that time of year. He was gently explaining to me that he really thought of me as a friend, but not more than that. My heart was broken, even as I knew this moment would have to come - I had sensed that my love was unrequited.

We stopped for a moment, standing on the sidewalk outside our buildings in the chilly darkness, with only a few street lamps for light and no one around. Somehow - I really can't recall how it was initiated - Eddie agreed to give me just one kiss. My god, he gave me the kiss of my life. It was long and soft and the world went away. I think he took care to make it extra special for me. Then we went our separate ways, and we didn't hang around as buddies anymore - I think he didn't want to lead me on.

I remember Eddie every now and then, and think of that kiss...that kiss...

Vacation Planning

2009-02-12T06:38:00.004-05:00

It's interesting how vacation planning really gets me through the year. I like everything about it...choosing a location, planning itineraries, budgeting, searching for restaurants to try...everything. In fact, thinking about this week that we go away is what I daydream about whenever things get really stressful and it calms me right down.

We try to spend one summer at the Cape and then the following summer somewhere else that we haven't been before. However, with the advent of our Fresh Air Child visiting for a week, this has modified our plans for the last couple of years.

Last summer was our week at the Cape. We usually go to an adorable little cottage in Dennisport, which we've stayed in for years. The nearby beach is Inman, where it's quiet and friendly, and the water is calm. We've enjoyed ourselves there and know our way around fairly well.

One of our day trips this past year was to White Crest Beach, along the national seashore. We happened to get there just when waves were at their peak, and the beach was packed with surfers. We spent the day boogie boarding. We were exhausted at the end of the day (especially when we had to climb back up that sand MOUNTAIN to get from the beach to the parking lot), but had the best time ever. We've used boogie boards at Inman Beach, but we usually just float on them or use them to keep our collected shells while we wade around in the water. But our experience at White Crest Beach was "real" boogie boarding. An exhilerating eye-opener.

We're going back to the Cape again this year, and want to spend most of our time at or near White Crest Beach. So, we're in the midst of trying to find a reasonably priced cottage somewhere nearby. I've seen a few, and am juggling various options - close to the beach, wifi availability, size, the adorableness factor, the setting, and, of course, within our budget.

If anyone knows of a fabulous and affordable cottage near White Crest Beach off of Ocean View Drive, please let me know!

4,000 Questions - #6: Supermarket

2009-02-09T20:34:00.017-05:00

Here's the background info on the 4,000 Questions posts...

Question #6: Tell about an incident with a child in a supermarket or store.

We really never suffered through some of the tough-parenting-situations-in-grocery-stores that I've seen so often on "Super Nanny," thankfully. I really don't know how I would have handled such monstrous ordeals. I've been blessed with a well-behaved girl. We've been grocery shopping together for many, many years, and here's how we've handled it during various stages of her childhood:

Toddler: when my daughter was under 3, she rode around the grocery store buckled into the front basket of the grocery cart, where I could see her and talk to her. Our first stop was always to the produce section, where we immediately grabbed her a packet of freshly sliced raw mushrooms or pea pods. These were her special favorites; she would munch away as we shopped, and then we'd just put the empty packet on the checkout belt and pay for the container. She's horrified now, to think that she ate raw mushrooms, but she loved them then.

Youngster: when she was a little older, my daughter LOVED to ride in the grocery cart that looked like a car from The Flintsones. We'd head directly to the book section, she'd choose a book or two to read as we shopped, and then off we'd head to get our groceries. She quietly and studiously read to herself as I filled the front of the cart. Then she could buy the books at the checkout, so she was always adding to her home library. (This photo isn't exactly like the one in our Stop N Shop, but it's pretty darn close.)

Child: when she was 10 or so, Mrs. Claus gave her walkie talkies for Christmas! Such a great gift for a girl this age. She would take her walkie talkie to the next aisle over and look for the item I had "assigned" her. She was just so funny, really. She would ask me detailed questions on her walkie talkie, taking extra care to make sure she chose just the right product. She doesn't know that I was so often rolling with laughter, even as my eyes were tearing with love over her precious earnestness as she whispered her questions to me into her walkie talkie.

Teenager: now she is often with a friend when we shop. I usually "assign" her the items that she'll be eating herself - granola bars, juice, and other snack foods. It's interesting to help her understand about unit prices and help her learn how things "work" in a grocery store so she'll be able to do this herself one day. I think she'll be a little more interested when she is actually shopping for herself and learning to make weekly meal menus and stay within a budget (although she IS a really good budget shopper).

Well that's our story of my daughter coming of age in the grocery store. Your answer...
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Alphabet of Daily Life - D

2009-02-08T13:43:00.009-05:00

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D is for...DDR

For those who are as yet uninitiated into the wonder that is DDR, this acronym stands for Dance Dance Revolution. It's an active video game that we run on Playstation. And, it's FUN!

This game first entered my consciousness a few years ago when a friend and I passed by an arcade in the mall and saw people playing DDR inside. It just looked like such an interactive and exciting game. As arrows move by on the display screen, players move their feet about the dancepad, and try to hit the arrows. Hitting the arrows scores points. We bravely tried it ourselves, but didn't do so well (extreme understatement). Still, I had the DDR bug after that.

Seeking to know more, my Internet research revealed many articles about using DDR as an exercise tool. In fact, it seems that some of the more forward-thinking school systems in various parts of the US are actually using DDR in gym class, to the great delight of students.

Based on what I was reading online, I learned that a usable setup would include:

Playstation or XBox to run the game (shockingly enough, we didn't already own one of these!)
A TV for video display (we were able to use an old one we had lying around)
The DDR game disc (there are quite a few game versions to choose from, though not always readily available in local stores)
At least one dancepad

It took some budgeting, but we eventually got all of these items and set them up in my daughter's area of the basement. We started with one dancepad, but quickly upped it to two. This allows us to do synchronized dancing and have a little friendly competition. One of the pads is thick, which my daughter likes because it cushions her legs during the movements, and one is the flat and uncushioned version which I like, because I can feel the floor beneath my feet and feel more capable on it. For games, we chose DDR Extreme II and SuperNova (our favorite of the two).

When we first got everything set up, and learned how to play, we used it almost daily. Now that I have a Planet Fitness membership, I don't use it as often, but still like it quite a bit. And, when my daughter has a group of friends over, they invariably end up doing a little DDR together.

To push myself to improve, I usually try a dance on Level II a few times until I get a "rainbow bar" and AA* score, then up it to Level III. (We don't even bother with Level 1/Beginner because the slower the song, the harder it is to get it right; faster is actually easier.) By learning the moves at a Level II, I can usually stumble my way through the next higher level. This seems to be the only way to learn how to manage the blur of arrows coming at you as you progress in difficulty.

My daughter is very good at DDR, but I can definitely beat her on several of the games (which I consider to be one of my major accomplishments). Our favorite thing to do though, is the synchronized dance...it's just so cool to be doing all of the steps together.
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Twitter for Newbies

2009-02-06T07:00:00.021-05:00

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I first signed up for Twitter when we were heading to the Inauguration.

We knew people would be keeping up with our blog posts about what we were experiencing during this important and historical event, but also knew we'd be away from the computer for much of the time. Which meant our web updates wouldn't be that frequent or current. A fellow blogger, Currently Purring, had a "Follow Me On Twitter" section on her blog, and I could see updates she'd posted throughout the day. This seemed like just the tool we needed to keep our Inaugural posts updated.

I Googled Twitter and went through the easy Sign Up process, and now have my own account. I was able to easily set up my cell phone on Twitter, so I could post messages at any time from any place. And, I added the Twitter updates in the blog sidebar. This allowed me to update our blog about what we were doing during Inauguration (that is, until all cell service just stopped when the circuits were overloaded from the activity! That's me in the photo, Tweeting easily on the day before Inauguration.). I continue to use this sidebar update as a tool to keep at least a little fresh content always visible on my blog.

I've also learned a few things about Twitter along the way that I thought I'd share in my Tech Tips:

SETTINGS: once you sign up for Twitter, you can customize your home page in so many ways...change the background, add a photo, update the color scheme, modify text. There is really a lot of leeway in how you make your page look, and you can even make it kind of match your blog, if you have one. To make changes, just click on "Settings," then on "Design." The options to add photos or modify colors are at the bottom of the page, below the template designs, which you can also choose from.

LINGO:

A comment on Twitter is a "Tweet."
To tell others about something someone else has Tweeted, you "Retweet."
If you take all of your Tweets and enlarge the words you write most often, those words make up your "Tweet Cloud" - the bigger the word, the more often you use it.
"Followers" are fellow Tweeters who want to see your comments.

FOLLOWERS: These can be people you know or just strangers who feel the desire to connect with you based on where you live, what you comment about, or some other compelling reason. It's okay if a stranger follows you; I generally take a look at a new Follower's profile to read it and review their past Tweets before I begin following them, but it's considered polite to Follow in return. On rare occasions, I'll get a truly undesirable Follower, which I just ignore and they usually stop following after a few days; there's a "Block" option, which I've never used, as it seems a bit extreme.

TOPICS: so what do people Tweet about? I've seen such a variety that I don't think there is a right or wrong topic or reason for using Twitter. The comments I've seen so far are: quick updates of what someone is doing "right now" so friends on Twitter or blog viewers are kept in the know; direct responses to comments from other Tweeters; sharing of information or tech tips to inform the Twitter world; and advertising or promoting a blog, website, product, news article, video, etc. (Be sure not to Tweet toooo often though, because that's kind of like spamming in the Twitter world and you may lose a few Followers.)

FIX A TWEET: CAUTION...there is NO Fix a Tweet tool (yet). Whatever you write will be posted as-is for all the world to see, so make sure it's written and formatted the way you want it before you click "update." You can, however, delete a Tweet once it's been posted; just click on the little trash can that highlights when you scroll over the right side of the Tweet when you're on your Profile page.

RETWEEETING: if you like a website or other info that a fellow Tweeter has shared, you can Retweet it to your own group of followers. The correct netiquette for doing this is to be sure to credit the original sender. Here's the format you use: "Retweet (or RT) @(insert Tweet Name here) (insert link or info you liked here) (insert why you liked it here)" and click Update. So here's a sample Retweet... "RT@loveanewidea http://loveanewidea.blogspot.com/ Love the Inauguration stories - thanks!" (Note: you're limited to 140 characters per Tweet, so you sometimes have to simplify what you're trying to write. Using all 140 available characters is called a Twoosh.)

TWEET LABELS: if you're Tweeting about a popular topic, many Tweeters label their comments so they can easily be processed by search and statistics tools. These labels are called Hashtags. To label a Tweet, just write #(insert name of label here). So, if a current hot topic in the world of Twitter is road sign hacking (which currently IS a hot topic on Twitter), you would probably see a label such as "#signhacking" on Tweets, and would want to use that same label at the end of your comment on that topic.

REPLIES: Tweeters often respond to one another's comments. There are two ways to do this. "Reply" is the public method, and allows the recipient and others to view your response. To "Reply," just move your cursor over to the right side of the sender's comment; there is an invisible star and arrow next to each message, and these icons highlight when you scroll over them. Highlight and click on the curved arrow, which opens up a new dialog box for your response to the sender. "Direct Message" sends a Tweet to only the selected recipient, and no others can view it. To "Direct Message," just click on this option in your right panel; on the page that opens, you simply choose your recipient from the drop-down menu of all your Followers.

FAVORITES: if you especially like a Tweet you've viewed, or want to keep the info in a Tweet for future reference, you can Favorite it. Just scroll over the star to the right of the comment until it highlights, and click on it. This automatically moves the comment to your "Favorites" which you can view any time.

TWITTER STATS: Just paste this URL into your web browser: http://www.tweetstats.com/ and enter your Twitter Username to get stats on your own username. To find out how you rank, paste this into your browser: http://twitterank.com/ or http://twittercounter.com/; you can check your own rank or anyone else's (warning: this can be very sad at first because your rank will be pretty low compared to seasoned Tweeters). You can also find out if anyone is Tweeting about a topic you're interested in with this nifty Search tool.

TWITTER HELP: if you STILL want more info about Twitter, you can find it at Twitter Help. You can also learn shortcuts to do many of the things I've explained above if you want to learn them.

I'm sure I've just skimmed the surface, but the info in this post is what I've been able to figure out about Twitter in the past couple of weeks. I also know I average 6 Tweets a day and my Twitter rank is currently 13.62. I'm predicted to have 47 Followers in 30 days. And, today the top 5 words in my Tweet Cloud are: blog, Twitter, DC, dinner, and inauguration.

You might also like this terrific Intro to Twitter video.
And, here are a few Twitter applications you might find useful.
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Blogger Help Needed!

2009-02-05T06:15:00.005-05:00

Being fairly new to blogging, I'm still learning "The Rules."

As any blogger knows, one of the especially fun aspects of publishing posts is receiving positive comments from visitors from throughout the world. Likewise, it's nice to be the one leaving the comment too. So, here's where blogger help is needed.

What is the proper netiquette for responding to comments?

So far, I've seen it handled in two different ways:

The blogger who received the comment responds on their own blog, below the visitors comment (this is the method I usually use).
The blogger visits the blog of the commenter and leaves a comment there (I don't normally use this method, but it is really nice to have the commentee visit and leave a note on my site).

So, is there a generally accepted or preferred method?

I only ask because I want to be sure I'm not inadvertently breaching the rules of netiquette. I'm posting a poll in the sidebar and I hope you'll vote on your preference. I'll publish poll results after the 30-day voting period is done. Thank you in advance for helping me "get it right."
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Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget

2009-02-04T07:00:00.005-05:00

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Like so many people, we love to find a good bargain. For us, the definition of a good bargain is high quality at a low price, and not just a low price. We’ve been living in our local area long enough to know where many of the great deals can be found. Our favorites shopping stops include:

TJ Maxx / Home Goods / Marshalls – these three sister stores are tops on our list of bargain emporiums.

TJ Maxx is really our only store for any type of clothing, shoe or outerwear purchase. We find great fabrics, excellent cuts, and low prices. So we get to be stylish, our clothes last longer and look better on, and we spend less money that we might have in a “regular” store. What’s not to like? I must admit that I’m totally perplexed when people tell me that they have either never shopped there, or don’t like to shop there. What??? Come with us some time, and we’ll show you how it’s done.

Home Goods is our store for towels, linens, rugs, lamps, cookware, and gifts, all at fantastic prices for high-quality items. I found my most beloved furniture pieces there – matching faux leopard-upholstered living room chairs with curvy carved arms and legs - a luxury I would never have purchased at full price.

And Marshalls is a kind of cross between the two. We go there when we have some time to spend in Lenox, and sometimes find something. Since it’s not our regular store, we don’t do quite as well there.

Big Lots – this store had been in our community for a couple of years before I actually went inside. I really didn’t know what it was or what was sold there…it just wasn’t on my radar. Then, when shopping in Allendale one day, my daughter asked if we could stop in. She had been there with someone else and loved the bargains. I went in skeptically, and wasn’t won over immediately. But after perusing the aisles on different stops for my daughter, it’s become one of the regulars on my own shopping forays. We find all kinds of odds and ends there, all at great prices. I routinely get $5 sheers for the living room (our sheers have to be replaced frequently, because of the cats, so this low-cost option is a life-saver). We find great holiday items, household products at cut-rate prices, and unusual Pier 1-style home goods for just a few dollars. There are also bargains to be had in the food aisles – jams, sparkling water, pasta, cooking oils, etc.

Dollar Tree – this is our first stop whenever we have a party. We find the requisite disposable wine glasses, all paper goods, decorations, and even some unexpected themed items we can use. This store is also great for toiletries – all for $1 – toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, etc.

Second Hand Shops – so many people already know that there are bargains to be had at any local second-hand shop. And, in today’s green environment, buying “recycled” is actually trendy. In addition to clothing, you can also find tons of books and cookbooks, and sometimes cooking paraphernalia or dinnerware.

Besides saving us money, the hunt for an incredible bargain is just plain fun. And, we get a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget. (Well, a sparkling wine lifestyle, anyway.)

25 Random Things

2009-02-02T21:49:00.019-05:00

You've probably seen this meme on other blogs...posts containing 25 random tidbits about the blog author.

If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged, and come up with your own 25 items. In the Comments at the end of this post, just paste a link to your blog so we can read YOUR 25 Things. Or, if you don't have a blog, feel free to write your 25 Things right in the Comment box.

My 25 Random Things:

I was a Sergeant by the time I was discharged from the Army; I was very proud of those "hard stripes."
Out of the 9 children in my family, I'm smack dab in the middle.
I've been to 49 out of 50 states...still need to get to Alaska. When I'm there, I want to try the Sailor Boy Pilot Bread.
As an art major, I used to be able to draw and paint fairly well; I haven't tried it in quite some time, so I'm not sure if I still have the ability?
I painted the outside of my house myself, even as my knees were trembling while I climbed the aluminum extension ladder up to the peak - it's higher up than one might think!
I collect cookbooks, but they MUST have pictures. Really love my Patio Daddy-O cookbook...a gift from my daughter, who knows me well!
I would like to write a book (or 2 or 3).
I love techie things, like hardware, software, killer apps, gadgets, widgets, and other geek paraphernalia...like t-shirts that light up when they detect a wireless signal.
I actually enjoy public speaking. My biggest audience was around 800, and I loved it!
There's nothing quite so exciting as a good booming thunderstorm; they're especially memorable down South.
I've never been to a foreign country (shocking, I know).
It would be fun to live in a little apartment above a store in San Francisco's Chinatown.
I'm not bad at DDR, for a mom. Supernova: "Heaven is a Place on Earth" or "Turn on the Music"...yeah!
I like visiting other people whose houses are not absolutely spic and span - seems like there's a little less pressure to be perfect there.
Warner Oland was the BEST Charlie Chan; the others that came after were just interlopers.
I can proudly say "I was there" about Obama's historic Inauguration.
Public transportation systems in big cities seem rather intimidating, which is odd for me since I tend to be a risk taker.
Aspirin and aloe vera can cure just about any ailment.
I don't mind talking with strangers at all, and often strike up conversations when I'm some place new. Usually, they'll talk right back.
I love making and eating good food. When dining on something too divine (like the Lobster Tiffany at The Ebb Tide Restaurant in Dennisport), I've been known to emit quite audible and absolutely involuntary sighs of bliss, so I usually warn my dining companions in advance so they won't be put off by it.
There's nothing quite so comforting as the taste, smell, and feel of a cup of hot tea in a white buffalo china mug with a slice of lemon floating on top and steam rising up.
Beets, asparagus, and brussels sprouts are FAN-tastic.
I love ultra-soft fabrics in shirts, socks, blankets, sheets - you name it.
Making lists is such a reasonable way to organize life...I wonder why EVERYONE doesn't do it?
I've tried skeet shooting, and actually hit my targets. Pull!

What are your 25 Random Things?

Can't think of what to write? Try this idea-generator...
You may also find this NY Times article about the 25 Random Things craze interesting...
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Dining for Women

2009-02-01T14:36:00.009-05:00

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I was invited to a Dining for Women event, but had never heard of it before. Once I discovered just what it was, I was absolutely thrilled to take part in it. For anyone not familiar with DFW, here's what it is:

Dining for Women (DFW) is a dinner giving circle. We "dine in" together, each bringing a dish to share, and our "dining out" dollars are sent to international programs empowering women (we give what we might have spent to eat dinner out that night). Plenty of useful resources are provided to anyone who wants to hold their own event. Our dollars for this event are being sent to The Hunger Project.

According to the DFW website, the Mission of The Hunger Project is: the sustainable end of world hunger and poverty in Africa, Asia and Latin America, by empowering people at the grassroots level to lead lives of self-reliance, meet their own basic needs and build better futures for their children.

Because we're all adventurous and like to experience other cultures, our dinner theme was Indian, which is the country where our donation dollars will be used. Here was our covered dish menu:

Indian-style Chicken with Rice
Samosas with Chutney dipping sauce (my contribution)
Cilantro Rice
Chickpea & Tomato Curry
Saag Panir (that terrific spinach dish w/ Indian cheese)
Naan
Chili Lime Brownies
There were also a few non-Indian dishes for those who were feeling less rambunctious

Making the Samosa's was definitely an adventure...

Chutney Dipping Sauce

The key ingredient in this delectable dip is tamarind, which I've never used before. It comes in a squishy, dark (almost black), flat brick; I pulled a little taste off the brick when I opened the package, and discovered that it has a tangy, sweet, sour flavor. The tamarind cooks for about an hour along with a pound of whole dates, sugar and water. When everything is good and gooey, and the tamarind has dissolved, the mixture goes into the food processor to be thoroughly chopped up.

Then comes the straining to remove the skins - for me, this was the messiest part of the process. It's difficult to work the thick mixture through a strainer and the goo seems to get on everything. I suppose when you've been making it a while, you develop a smooth process, but I was a very messy newbie. I was literally wiping this off the walls - the simple act of tapping the rubber spatula against the edge of the bowl sends dark blobs everywhere!

Finally, the strained thick mixture goes back on the stove along with more sugar and water and simmers for a few hours until nicely thickened.

Samosas

The basis of these little bundles is baked potato! Additional ingredients, all sauteed in ghee (pungent clarified butter), are peas, onions, garlic, jalapeno (I reduced the amount by 1/2 - not a fan of really spicy), and cilantro, along with the aromatic spices.

Next, the potato mixture gets folded up into little wonton wrappers. The wrappers are made and packaged so nicely - each perfect piece is floured so none of them stick to each other. A spoonful of potato mix goes in the center and the edges are brushed with an egg mixture and everything is folded up. I was supposed to make a cone shape but found this next to impossible! I settled for an envelope fold, which seemed to work just fine. Then, they're fried in hot oil - each one takes only a few minutes to turn nicely brown.

And there we have it - a heaping platter of samosas and a LARGE bowl of dipping sauce (the sauce recipe could easily be cut in 1/2 and there would still be plenty.) They were a huge hit, and made a nice addition to our delicious dinner. In fact, some people ended up eating the sauce all by itself by the spoonful - it's that tasty.

All in all, we raised nearly $200 to send to The Hunger Project and enjoyed a pleasant evening of socializing and eating. Everyone wins with the Dining for Women concept.

Photo Key:
#1 - photo courtesy of the DFW website (I forgot to take pictures until the night was almost over! So, no shots of our actual loaded buffet table.)
#2 - a box of spice mix I found at the World Food Market, made just for Samosas.
#3 - trying not to make too much of a mess as I strain the Chutney dipping sauce
#4 - the Samosa stuffing mix
#5 - trying to make neat little bundles; absolutely love the wonton wrappers
#6 - frying the Samosas
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4,000 Questions - #5: Principal's Office

2009-01-30T08:04:00.007-05:00

Here's the background info on the 4,000 Questions posts...

Question #5: Did you ever go to the principal's office?

My Answer:

I was one of those "good" little kids - usually the teacher's pet, top grades, never in any trouble, etc. But, once, in 2nd grade in Buckeye, Arizona, I didn't hear the bell ring after recess. My friend and I were still on the swings, and we both ran into class late, once we noticed that the playground was deserted.

It doesn't seem like a terrible offense, but our teacher sent us to the Principal's office. This was horrifying treatment for a goody-two-shoes to suffer. What made it even worse was that they still practiced corporal punishment. We actually had to bend over the desk and got a few whacks with what I remember was a ping pong paddle. Nothing that hurt terribly, but it certainly did sting our pride.

Your Answer:

e-Addictions

2009-01-29T13:37:00.016-05:00

Is it just us, or are there others out there who are also addicted to electronic media?

Anything electronic is just so much FUN! And time spent at the computer really feels like minutes; it’s always shocking to discover just how much time has passed while we’ve been mesmerized by our monitors. Here are my personal addictions (and I know there are many others I haven’t yet had the pleasure of experiencing)…

Blogging – Posting, bloghopping, checking followed-blog posts, viewing the fabulous new Blog of Note, finding a comment, leaving a comment, commenting on a comment, thinking up new post ideas, re-arranging page elements, finding and adding a new gadget.

Stats Tools – It’s a fair guess to say that about 50% of the blogs I visit have some type of statistics tool, and about 50% don’t. If you DO use a stats tracker of any kind, you know what I mean about it being fascinating to see what part of the world your visitors come from, and what posts are most appealing to the public. (Without a doubt, our first-hand accounts of the Inauguration have been the most popular so far.) And I probably don't even have to tell you how crazy good Google Analytics is.

Twitter – I first signed up for Twitter in order to upload quick updates from my cell phone, which would enable us to keep our Inaugural posts fresh while we were away from the computer. But now, I find I can’t stop Tweeting! It’s fun to send my own updates, to read others’ Tweets, and to click on "Everyone" to see what the whole world is saying. Somebody stop me!

Internet – is there anything that can’t be accomplished by going to the Internet first? It’s where we look up phone numbers, addresses, get directions, find hotels and restaurants, and ask “how to…” do just about anything, and usually find a useful answer. And, of course, most shopping can be done there, too. I just wish PeaPod had local service!

I would imagine that at some point, there will be therapists who specialize in dealing with Electronics addictions. I know that there are currently many business articles written for people who feel possessed to check their email inboxes every few minutes, and respond immediately to anything they find there. In fact, NOT checking their email eats away at them, and they finally break down and open the inbox. I’m guessing we’ll soon be seeing articles like this about easing off on Blogger, Twitter and other e-addictions.

I don’t dare get a Blackberry or an iPhone – I think I’d never get ANYTHING practical done (like feeding my child!).

PS - I found this very interesting article by Steve Tuttle about his Facebook addiction, which I think he's now overcome..."You Can't Friend Me, I Quit!"...REALY FUNNY.

Alphabet of Daily Life - C

2009-01-26T18:22:00.006-05:00

C is for...the Cats, Calvin & Chloe.

Calvin is our handsome tiger dude. He came to us a couple of years ago from the local animal shelter. When we went to the shelter to see the cats, this cute tiger kitten was playing in his cubicle, and he came over to the window to see us when we walked by. The name on his window was "Pokey" and his brother was named "Gumby." We had a chance to play with him in the visiting room, and decided that we wanted to take him home.

He was an absolute joy from the start - charming, affectionate, well-behaved. We renamed him Calvin Pelle (Calvin after the clever little boy in the comic strip and Pelle after the brave boy in the movie "Pelle the Conqueror"). We all enjoyed each other's company tremendously.

After a while, we thought Calvin might like a playmate so he wasn't lonely while we were gone during the day or when we went off on vacation. We contemplated going to the shelter again, but then we heard about a family that had one cat too many.

This family had just moved to the Berkshires from Louisiana. When they opened their moving van here, they discovered a hungry little kitten. They kept her and tried to integrate her with their other pets, but they had many pets already, and this kitten was just a bit ferocious. They had finally decided they couldn't keep her and were planning to take her to the shelter, when we heard about her and said we'd give her a home. My daughter promptly changed her name from L.T. (Lil' Trucker / Lil' Terror) to Chloe.

That's the point when Calvin's life changed dramatically! He is now chased about the house all the time, we have to put him in an area away from Chloe at mealtime so he can eat, and he's extremely skittish from being pounced on unexpectedly and repeatedly. Chloe is adorable and loving with us, but fierce with anyone she doesn't know. She is sometimes pleasant and playful with Calvin, and sometimes beastly. And, yes, she does like to lounge in the bathroom sink.

Are all cats from Louisiana like this?

Adding Spaces Between Paragraphs

2009-01-26T06:06:00.007-05:00

Sometimes Blogspot won't do exactly what you want it to, so you need to have a few tricks up your sleeve to get it to do your bidding.

If you think you've added spaces between your paragraphs, but when you publish your post, your paragraphs are all right on top of each other, here's what you do:

In Edit Posts mode, move your cursor to the beginning of the paragraph you'd like spaced down a line.
Hold down the Shift key and press Enter until your paragraph is spaced the way you like it.
Publish Post.
View Blog, and make sure the space is there. If not, repeat this process, and it should look just the way you want it.

World Food Markets

2009-01-25T15:56:00.003-05:00

One of our favorite shopping trips is searching for specific exotic ingredients at a World Food Market. These Markets are rustic style grocery stores that sell authentic ingredients for different ethnicities, and each aisle is usually devoted to a specific cuisine, like Indian, Vietnamese, Mexican, etc. You can also find the cooking utensils, serving dishes, decorations, incense, and so on, that go along with the food you're making.

The closest Markets we've found are just outside of Northampton, in Hadley. We're in need of a few ingredients for Indian Samosas.

We first discovered our favorite World Market when shopping for food and party favors for my daughter's 14th birthday party. We ALWAYS have a theme, and that year's theme was Chinese New Year, since her birthday and the first day of Chinese New Year were very close to each other. We found all of the ingredients we'd need to make the food, authentic decorations to scatter throughout the house, and unusal items for the take-out-container goody bags. All the girls got their own set of chopsticks (which they ended up using to make buns in their hair!), and they all loved the jelly sticks and adorable mini jello cups. They weren't so crazy about the little cakes and candies - a little too unusual for their tastes.

Our trip today was for: ghee, cumin seed, coriander seed, cardamom, wonton wrappers, tamarind pulp, and dates. We found everything we needed except the cardamom - it was available, but only in large and expensive quantities - much more than I'll need, so I might find a small quantity in a regular grocery store.

Then, after a quick lunch at Fitzwilly's and a stop at Faces, where you can stand around in aisles laughing to yourself without feeling funny because everyone else is doing it too, we headed home.

4,000 Thousand Questions - #4: Photos

2009-01-24T12:34:00.013-05:00

Here's the background info on the 4,000 Questions posts...

And, here's Question #4: What is your favorite family photo?

My Answer:

Of my family from when I was a kid, I love the photo that was taken on the front lawn at my Grandma Ann's house at 1149 DeForest Street in Schenectady, New York. All 9 of us kids are in the shot except for my brother Garry (I'm not sure where he was that day). It's summer, and we 4 younger girls are all in matching outfits made by my Grandma Ruth; the 3 littler girls are in pinafore style dresses, but, because I'm older, mine is a skirt and top. (My grandmother later remade my outfit into a dress for my doll, Helena - I still have and treasure the doll and the outfit). We're all in our best knee socks and new shoes that were bought for our long ride on the Trailways bus from Manitou Springs, Colarado to Schenectady. My big sister Ruth is in one of her mini skirt outfits that she wore to her job in Albany. And, the boys are in their funky 70's clothes.

Of my family now, I love the photo of my daughter and me at the scenic lookout in the Badlands in South Dakota. We're leaning against the protective railing, and a breathtaking and expansive view is behind us. My daughter is wearing a t-shirt that says "Blonde AND Smart." The shot was taken by a biker dude who was on his way to the big motorcycle rally in Sturgis. I like the shot because it takes me back to one of one of our best adventures ever, and reminds me to keep having more.

Your answer...

Fellow Blogger Inaugural Posts

2009-01-23T09:20:00.006-05:00

I'm discovering some interesting Inauguration stories on fellow blogger sites. Check these out...

We also have more photos to post on our ImageLoop Inauguration 2009 slide show, but we still need to get them moved over from my daughter's laptop and onto my computer. Stay tuned...

Home Again

2009-01-21T19:50:00.010-05:00

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Well, it was a pretty easy and straightforward trip home. We made it quickly and easily out of DC - we were thinking there would be traffic jams but didn't come upon any as we were leaving at 9 am.

For the first 1/3 of the trip, it was fun to be driving among fellow Inaugural attendees - they were easy to spot because of the ultra dirty car exterior (just like ours!), the many Obama stickers, and the writing on the windows, like the one on the right from Oklahoma. And, they filled the rest stops along the way, still abuzz with excitement and wearing their Obama gear. As the miles passed, though, everyone dispersed and headed off in different directions and we only spotted a fellow attendee every once in awhile. So ends our exciting adventure to DC.

When we arrived home, we were happy to discover that the cats had gone easy on each other, they hadn't eaten the fish, and the house was as snug as ever. Tomorrow...back to school and work!
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Inauguration Day

2009-01-20T23:07:00.029-05:00

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Yahoo - what a wonderful day! Overall, we had a wonderful experience and are very happy we were able to be here and be a part of history. Here are some of the details of our very busy day...

Starting Out

We were up at 6:00 and left the hotel by 6:45, and it was dark and chilly outside. We'd been planning our cold weather gear for some time, and had on long johns, warm socks, sweaters, and our warmest outerwear (and my daughter wore the Obama dangle earrings we purchased from a street vendor yesterday!). We stopped at the Drifting Nomad to pick up our croissants (but no tea - we're trying not to drink much of anything). Then, we headed across the street to the Takoma station. We were both really happy that we'd been able to learn our way around on the Metro yesterday so we could just focus on getting to the Mall today minus the learning curve.

It was pretty full in the Takoma station, and the train was jammed. We had some fun and funny trainmates - they called out to all the riders, "This is the Obama train; it's only going forward and it's not stopping!" Everyone was greeting everyone else, and when we got off the metro, greeters were at the exits saying "Good morning! Isn't this a good morning, and a great day in America."

Mall or Parade?

So much of our very useful planning information came from great articles on the web. One of the smart tips was that we should choose between viewing the Inauguration OR viewing the parade because of the crush of people and the difficulty of getting around between events. We chose Inauguration as it seemed so much more momentous and meaningful to us.

Getting to the Mall

Our original plan was to find a viewing spot near the Smithsonian Castle, but that was not to be. We were sure we'd be able to follow the moving mass of humanity to find our way to the mall, but, surprisingly, that is not how it worked. There WERE people everywhere that we could follow, but everyone was headed in a different direction, depending on their personal plans for the day. There were lots of volunteers helping with traffic flow, but we got conflicting directions and it took about 1 1/2 hours to finally get onto the mall.

As we walked with hundreds of others through blockaded streets - many of which were closed off by large buses - we passed several street vendors. Here are some of their funny comments called out to the crowds:

"Now, don't try to be brave today...just buy some handwarmers."
"Help stimulate the economy and buy a t-shirt."
"There's only one hero here today, and his name is Barack Obama. So don't try to be a hero - just buy some gloves."

Once we got onto the mall, we decided not to make the hike up to the Smithsonian. Our entrance ended up being between the Washington Monument and the WWII Memorial. (Top photo is the sun rising near the Washington Monument, which is what we saw when we first made it onto the Mall.) We were fortunate to have a good view of a jumbotron, could hear the speakers, AND had something to sit on! There were hundreds of people when we first got there; as time passed, we watched continuous streams of thousands of people move steadily onto the mall. It was fun and exhilerating. Overhead, helicopters circled the mall and the capital.

As we waited, we were also again entranced by the kindess of strangers. Everyone was friendly, chatting, pleasant - one woman said to the crowd in general, "Now remember, act like your momma raised ya." And, in fact, that's really what everyone did. And, we wore the friendly nametags we'd been given as we headed onto the mall that said, "Hello, fellow American, my name is _____ (Change starts with a conversation. Use this nametag to talk to new people.)"

A lovely moment we experienced came while the show at the Lincoln Memorial was being re-broadcast, and Pete Seeger was leading everyone in singing "This Land is Your Land." Everyone around us joined in, and it was really moving to be singing this song with all of those around us.

Watching the Inauguration.

It was COLD! We're really happy we dressed so warmly, and are new fans of hand warmers. We had them in our gloves, boots and back pockets. As we waited for the big event, we sustained ourselves with the apples, energy bars, and Red Bull we'd brought along.

During the swearing in ceremony, everyone was spellbound as we watched this historic transition of power. And, of course, there was a mighty cheer when Obama offically became the President. From our spot, the ongoing cheering was a roar, and we couldn't help but wonder how it sounded to everyone at the Capitol. Everyone in the crowd around us was so happy and people were hugging each other; as I glanced at the man next to me, tears were streaming down his face.

Obama's speech was very moving and impassioned. It really felt like he was hoping to transfer his energy and passion for change and improvement into the people listening. I felt it. As we listened, those around us made frequent comments like, "mmm hmmm," "that's right," etc, so we know lots of other people were feeling it too.

After Inauguration

The Internet had advised that we let the crowds disperse before we try to leave the mall, so that's just what we did. Crushing streams of people were moving past us...we're guessing they were trying to get a spot to view the parade. My daughter decided she'd like to get warm in one of the Smithsonian warming stations, so we headed toward the Castle. We ended up getting stuck in our first real "crowd" situation. We could only move in the direction of the stream of people, we were packed in closely, and there was a feeling of the current of a fast-moving river. We were fine, but definitely kept our wits about us.

We discovered that we wouldn't be able to get through to where we were headed because the street was temporarily shut down for some dignitary that would be coming by. To pass the time, we chatted with those around us and the military personnel who were guarding the street and managing the crowds. We want to thank the very pleasant SSG Chavez, of Bravo Troop I-158 Cav of Easton, MD - here's his advice to my daughter: "The doors of success are opened with the keys of responsibility." All of the military personnel (Temporary Police) were very pleasant.

Dinner Reservation?

The road closure lasted MUCH longer than we'd anticipated. We finally decided to walk several blocks to get around the blockade (we're pretty sore from all the walking and standing today!). We stopped in to the Free Gallery of Art building right next to the Castle and used the very clean (and WARM) restrooms. While my daughter relaxed and listened to her iPod, I had a chance to view the "Road to Freedom" exhibit on the lower levels. Moving.

We gave ourselves 45 minutes to get from the museum to our dinner restaurant. We headed to where we thought we'd be able to exit the mall, only to discover yet another blockade. I think if I were offering tips to anyone going to Inauguration in the future, I would suggest really learning what entry and exit points will be open and when, and what streets will be closed and when. This was the toughest thing we faced - we just couldn't get out of anywhere!

So, our dinner reservation wasn't kept. We ended up turning back onto the mall, and stopped at one of the many white tents offering refreshments. We had surprisingly good pulled pork sandwiches and fabulously rich cocoa. The caterer told me they were called National Restaurants and are the official food service for the capital and other government buildings. They certainly do a good job. We also took a few minutes to watch the parade on the Jumbotron, and happened to catch the point where the Obama's were outside to the vehicle and walking together, to much cheering!

Yikes - the Metro

Finally, at 5:00 (by this time, we were really cold and tired) we decided to try the Smithsonian Metro station again. When we got there, we found a very long line and learned that it wouldn't be opening until 6:30. Someone else was heading to L'Enfant Plaza station, so we tried that too. It was open, but the line was incredibly long. We finally got inside in a crush of people. Everyone was raising their digital cameras and cell phones up high to try to take photos of the unbelievable mass of people - it's something that must be experienced to be understood! My daughter's coat will probably have a permant mark on it from where I was holding onto her very tightly! We made it onto all the right trains, and finally got into the quiet Takoma station.

We stopped at the Nomad for a chamomile tea and a cookie, and then made our final hike to our hotel. We had a really great day, and are glad we went. We're very tired...and very happy for the United States.

(Photo at right is a view of the sun setting on the Washington Monument.)

Day Before Inauguration

2009-01-19T20:57:00.010-05:00

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Today was completely fun, full of adventure, and nice people from everywhere.

Our first task of the day was LEARN THE METRO. We hiked over to the Takoma station - took about 15 minutes from our hotel - and discovered that there is a terrific little coffee shop across from the station called the Drifting Nomad. We took a few minutes there to have hot tea and delectable filled croissants.

Then, we headed over to the Metro. We already had our pre-paid commemorative passes, which made everything so much easier. We also have to say - all of the staff we encountered anywhere today were soooooo nice and helpful, and didn't mind answering all of the touristy questions at all. We were a little nervous at first because we didn't know how it all worked, and it all seemed so HUGE. But, we just took our time and it all worked out.

The Metro really is pretty self-explanatory once you get the hang of it. But, boy are there a lot of people on it. And this wasn't even the busy day...we can only imagine what it will be like tomorrow. We went into Metro Center (very complex) and had to make a transfer, which took us a little time to figure out, but we did it. We also want to give a shout out to Sarah Herring of Palm Beach County, Florida, who generously gave us her copy of "Riding the Metro During the Presidential Inauguration Weekend" brochure. We also met a woman from Australia, who came all the way here just for Inauguration. She said that most of the people she knows back home are very excited about what's happening in our country, especially because so much of what we do affects the rest of the world.

We got off at the Smithsonian station and it turns out that's where all the action was! (We forgot that this stop will be closed tomorrow; we meant to test out the Federal Triangle stop, which is what we'll need to take tomorrow.) People were strolling all along the Mall. Huge TV screens and speakers are set along the Mall at intervals. And, various TV stations and other interviwers were everywhere.

We also saw the infamous 5,000 port-a-pottys! They're in endless rows along both sides of the Mall, and it looks like there are so many, but a news broadcast tonight mentioned that if one does the math, there is one potty to every 400 people (oh, dear). We also scoped out the bench we'd like to grab for the big event, but who knows if that will happen.

One of the loveliest moments of the day came while the live show at the Lincoln Memorial was being re-broadcast on the large TVs. At one point, Will.i.am was singing "One Love" and everyone was singing, smiling, and dancing, and the feeling was so wonderful. It feels so good to be surrounded by hundreds of happy and excited people.

We've been to DC before and have seen many of the sights, which meant today was just for relaxing, revisiting something if we wanted to, and basically getting our bearings. We stopped into the Smithsonian Castle and discovered a lovely cafe, where we got soup, cider, tea, and dessert. Many visitors from southern climes were also inside trying to get warm (they thought it was cold!).

We hiked down past the Washington Monument and the WWII Memorial to the Lincoln Memorial, but discovered it was closed to visitors, even though it was teeming with people - must be staffers working on some type of staging. We also saw lots of troops in BDUs (battle dress uniforms)...they didn't mind posing at all with blondie! Everyone was taking photos with the troops, and they were having a hard time making it even a few steps before someone else wanted a photo. At one point, they were directed into formation, so we're guessing they will have some official duties at some point tomorrow.

After enjoying the crowds, the sights, and the good feelings for several hours, we then hopped back on the Metro (old pros at this point!) and zipped over to Chinatown. The Metro exit there is gorgeous - over the escalators is a huge fan shape with very colorful lights - couldn't stop taking pictures.

We had seen online photos of the Chinatown gate, and were thrilled to get to see it in person. It's huge and intricate - so exotic to look at. We also found a good gift shop with a very nice proprietress, and bought some gifts to take home.

Then, we stopped for dinner at a restaurant that had been recommended on the Internet - Chinatown Express. It was very intriguing on the outside, with a window showing the meats hanging inside. Inside, it was packed and bustling; we discovered a waiting line, but not too long and we were seated fairly quickly. I ordered the Chinese barbeque plate and my daughter ordered vegetable soup and sweet & sour shrimp. She liked her meal a lot, and mine was okay. Loved the ambience, liked the food. Very cool surroundings, and obviously very popular - every table was full and people were waiting to get in.

After dinner, it was getting really chilly and windy and we headed back to the Metro. Outside the entrance were very friendly people with official Inauguration signs that said "Do you have a question? Ask me." How very nice. We continue to be very impressed with the obvious planning, organization, and friendliness that are characterizing this event.

We made it back to Takoma, stopped at the Nomad for chamomile tea and a cookie, and walked back to the hotel. Now, it's time to decide just how early we want to get up in the am.

PS - Thank you to Brian, George & Nancy, Betsy, Jen and Eleanor for your thoughtful phone calls and emails! And thanks to "Ace Bissell" for the photography today!
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Inauguration Road Trip

2009-01-18T20:34:00.018-05:00

Evening Post:

Well, we're here and we're all settled in. The trip went really well. Our wintery-est weather and road conditions were right in the Berkshires, where it was pretty slick and slippery (it was snowing and the roads were covered). Once we got into New York state and onto the Thruway, it was smooth sailing.

I had the wiper fluid pump replaced not long ago, but it's still temperamental, and if it's too cold, the fluid won't come out onto the windshield. Well, it was cold this morning (11 degrees when we left), so no fluid. My co-pilot was good enough to step out and give the windshield a "slosh" (see photo at right!). Once it warmed up to about 25 degrees, we had fluid again.

Our mapquest directions were perfect and everything went according to plan. It was really fun to begin seeing cars and buses from all over the U.S. as we stopped at rest stops. Surprisingly, there was no congestion or endless lines (yet!).

We stopped at the Maryland Information Center (which was very nice, but we do have to give props to the state of New York for their very good-looking Adirondack Lodge-style rest stops - very clean and roomy). While there, one of the pleasant gentlemen working at the information desk asked us where we were staying. When he heard we would be on Georgia Ave, he recommended the Crisfield Restaurant to us, as a very good seafood restaurant that was also very close to our hotel.

We got checked in to our hotel, surveyed our room and were pleasantly surprised, then headed out to dinner. The Crisfield Restaurant is totally charming from the outside, and equally as quaint inside. It has old tiled walls and floors, a beautiful collection of vintage china oyster serving plates, and a no-nonsense manner. I had a wonderful plate of sea scallops with the best tartar sauce I have ever had (I'd love that recipe), terrific coleslaw with just a touch of sweet and topped with a bread-and-butter pickle, and applesauce. My daughter had a bowl of oyster stew, with bits of butter swimming on top and oyster crackers on the side. We were both very pleased with our choices and had just the right amount to eat. I would highly recommend this place for both its ambience and its food.

So now it's off to bed, sleeping in a little bit in the am, and then off to learn the Metro and see the sights. Let's hope tomorrow goes as successfully, and as full as laughter, as today.

PS - photos courtesy of my daughter - the ace photographer.

Inauguration Road Trip

2009-01-18T07:30:00.006-05:00

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Morning Post:

Today is the momentous day...we head out on the road to DC, along with a million other people.

We've made this drive before, and it's really not too bad. Mapquest says it should take about 7 hours (about 340 miles); I wonder if it will take a lot longer today because of all the other visitors converging on the same destination?

We're leaving about 7:30 am, and it's our usual Road Trip Tradition to head to Lee (our entrance to the Mass Pike), stop at McDonalds for breakfast and a hot tea for the road, then stop at the nearby mini mart so my daughter can get an assortment of drinks and snacks for the car.

But, our trip to DC is taking us in a slightly different direction this morning, and we can't make our usual stop. We have to head over into New York first thing, so today we'll try the mini mart on Elm Street (our everyday errand stop), and eat at the McDonalds on the road out of town.

PS - WEbook...thank you for the "Jan 20 2009 Correspondent" notepad...very cool and much appreciated!

Inauguration Weather Forecast

2009-01-17T09:27:00.006-05:00

Well, as we pack, we're thinking ahead to the weather we'll be facing (it's been freeeeeeezing here). According to weather.com, here's what we can expect:

Sunday (our driving day)...38 degrees (practically a heat wave!), light snow possible
Monday (our learn-the-Metro day)...33 degrees and cloudy
Tuesday (Inauguration Day)...30 degrees and cloudy
Wednesday (driving home day)...36 degrees and cloudy

Okay, why are all the heat waves happening while we're cozied up in our HEATED car, sitting on HEATED seats, sipping HOT chocolate?
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Inauguration Dinner Reservation

2009-01-16T10:50:00.005-05:00

Well, a story on the msnbc website, reminded us that we need to bring toilet paper and handwarmers to Inauguration, and that it would also be a good idea to have meal reservations. Their site linked to a terrific piece on Time's website, which provides a link to DC restaurants.

The online service to make reservations is OpenTable.com, which we've used in the past. It's really efficient, reliable and easy to use. It also allows you to "invite guests" by choosing a graphic theme for the email, customizing the text you send, and including the date/time/location, plus a link to the restaurant. It's really pretty slick.

Anyway, I searched for restaurants and found a reservation! My search criteria were according to these priorities:

Map...we don't want to have to walk too far or search too hard to find it. And, we need a nearby Metro station for getting back to our hotel.
Menu...my daughter has slightly different tastes than I do (healthier, actually) and needs her salads and fruits and vegetables.
Time...we want enough time to see all of the Inaugural activities, but don't want to wait toooo long, as we'll probably be famished.

Our reservation is at Tuscana West at 4:45. Yum.
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Alphabet of Daily Life - B

2009-01-15T20:04:00.010-05:00

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B is for...Berkshire County.

We live in a beautiful little corner of the U.S. called Berkshire County. Besides being lovely to look at, it's also considered a cultural mecca of sorts, and we get visitors from all over the world. Here are some of the local attractions we've enjoyed:

Ashuwillticook Rail Trail: we're one of the lucky communities with a Rail Trail, which is an old railroad bed that is paved over for recreational use. These types of trails, which are great for walking, biking, roller blading, are wonderfully smooth and flat, and this one is so scenic. It's our tradition to hike the Trail and stop for a picnic along the way on Mother's Day. I'm determined to learn to roller blade on the trail!

The Colonial Theatre: this is a restored theatre originally built in 1903. It was closed down and hidden for quite some time, boarded up behind an art store (where I used to buy my art supplies for school). It's since been beautifully restored. We went not long ago when my daughter entered a 24-hour film festival, and won 3rd place (on her very FIRST film ever)! The film showing and awards were presented in the Colonial.

Jacob's Pillow: this is a secluded summertime dance festival, featuring dance troupes from all over the world. As a single mom, I've always paid special attention to listings of free events, and the Pillow offers free weekly outdoor performances at their Inside/Out stage - it's really spectacular to watch top dancers on an outdoor stage, with a large blue sky as backdrop, surrounded by beautiful New England woods, while we sit on our picnic blanket enjoying delectable goodies. Sometimes my daughter isn't into the whole "culture" thing; one evening as we were watching an avant-garde dance troupe from Russia, I glanced over and she and her friend were playing a game of cards!

Mass MoCA: this is an old (and large!) electrical factory turned modern art museum that has really gained international acclaim. It's fun to go and just allow the wild modern art to change your perspective. Their really cool gift shop, Hardware, is pretty funky; I've found some of the best gifts there.

Tanglewood: this is a wonderful outdoor concert venue that is also the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Shed is an outdoor pavilion, and Shed seats are coveted but a little costly. I splurge every now and then, and a few years ago, a friend and I were thrilled to sit in on a live broadcast of "Prairie Home Companion," which takes place at Tanglewood once each summer. Lawn tickets are much more affordable, and that's also where the action is. Many people bring elaborate picnics, some even resorting to white linen tablecloths and silver candelabra! My daughter is not a huge fan, but she and her friends did like running around the manicured lawn and grounds when she was younger.

Williamstown Theatre Festival: for several years, we attended WTF's free outdoor performances at Buxton Field, in the woods near the Clark Art Institute. There's a stage in the middle of a grassy area, everyone brings lawn chairs and blankets, and, of course, a picnic. And, while we sit outside in the dusk on a warm summer night (wearing lots of bug spray!), actors put on a lovely performance under the stars. (I haven't been able to find the outdoor performance info for the last couple of years - I hope they're still doing it?)

These are some of our (my) favorites...maybe you'll get to visit some for yourself. If you've already visited some of these, I'd love to hear about your adventures!
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Commemorative Metro Pass

2009-01-15T08:35:00.013-05:00

Wow - kudos to the DC Metro! They are really doing an awesome job, even as they're under intense strain right about now with all of the inaugural preparations.

On Sunday evening, January 11, I placed an online order for 2 of the commemorative Metro passes, each loaded with $10 for fares. When placing the order, I had to check a box that said I understood that: For orders placed after 11:59 pm on Friday, January 9, 2009, you must click this box to indicate that you are aware that delivery by January 16th cannot be guaranteed.

I decided to risk it, check the box, and place the order anyway. And, the fabulous DC Metro came through for us, with plenty of time to spare! I found the passes as I was checking my mailbox at 10:00 last night, on January 14! (I froze as I reached my arm out into the 5 degree frigid night air to reach into the mailbox.)

PS - everyone and their brother is searching online for the same type of disposable hand warmers we were lucky enough to find at Wal Mart! Another good find we discovered there are Snickers Protein Bars. They're tasty, pack a whopping 20 grams of protein per bar, and we're hoping they sustain us as we're standing in the crowds (where we will also be limiting our beverage intake, for obvious reasons).

Disposable Hand Warmers

2009-01-14T13:49:00.009-05:00

A few months ago, we were shopping at the Christmas Tree Shops at the Holyoke Mall. While standing in line at the checkout, we spotted cheap disposable hand warmers, so we bought a few packets, knowing we'd be heading to a chilly Inauguration.

Recently, while surveying the accumulated items we'll be packing to take to Inauguration, it occurred to us that we might need more hand warmers, just to be on the safe side. But, we didn't want to make the long drive back to that mall.

So, we did a quick online search to see where else we might find them and here's what we learned...if anyone is looking for disposable hand AND foot warmers, you need look no further than the HUNTING section at your local Wal Mart! Who knew?

Follow-up Cautionary Note:
On Inauguration Day, I put one hand warmer in each of my back pockets to help manage the cold, and everything seemed fine. But apparently we don't have the same type of nerve receptors in that area - I didn't feel any discomfort, but at the end of the day, I had 2 rectangular temporary tattoos!
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Ready for the Road

2009-01-13T20:09:00.006-05:00

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I've known for some time that my Honda's 4 tires AND front and rear brakes needed replacing, but I've been putting it off because of the incredible expense. But, because we're going to be on the road so far from home, two damsels on our own, I want to be sure the car is ready to roll.

So, when I went in for my $60 lube/oil/filter/topup/etc, I asked them to look at these items and tell me what was absolutely critical. The rear brakes were the winner. So, $474 later, we're ready for our road trip to DC.

Here's what was done for all that moolah...

(Thank you to SuTree for the how-to video!)
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