The Perfect Summer Day

Formerly

Every once in awhile, I go through the links called 'Formerly', just to make sure they still work. Some of them are ancient. The list gets a little smaller each time.
It's so disappointing when one disappears. Today, it was Daniel Gordon's Webpage. It was so clever. The URL was http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~dlg10/
I wonder if anyone knows if it exists somewhere out there.
Bummer.

SUNY Potsdam - Draime 3C

Back in the day, I went to SUNY Potsdam. It's in northern New York state. Very northern. It's flat up there, and winters can be too cold for it to even snow. The trees they planted all over campus 30+ years ago haven't grown much.
For three of the four years I lived in Draime Hall - in the extension. The floor was 3C - C for extension, third floor. All dormitories were single sex then, and there were curfews. I don't think it ever occurred to me that they could be anything else. The rooms were on the perimeter, and the bathroom was in the middle.
I forget how many of us were on the floor - all the rooms were doubles. We all got along pretty famously. It was way better than a sorority. Several of us have been in touch with each other, and we think it'd be great fun to have a 3C reunion. Now, we have to try to find everyone.

The URL for Potsdam is http://www.potsdam.edu
There are quite a few typos on it. The alumni directory doesn't require a password.
No wonder there aren't that many listings. Every alumni directory I've seen requires one.
Discouraging, but not surprising.
Alumni Directory: http://www.potsdam.edu/alum/addresses/addresses.html

Monday - Clothesline Shop - Maine

The older I get, the more I like old linens. It's fun washing, and hanging out to dry, old linen napkins and dresser scarves. Tablecloths are more of a project, but they do 'make' a set table. Even ironing is relaxing.
So, the news is - I have a new clothes pole, and I like it a lot. My old one wouldn't go up, or down. It wouldn't turn, and it was always in the way. Do you think Home Depot, or Lowe's carry a decent clothes pole? No. I tried one from Lowe's, but it barely made it out of the box.
I ordered one online from a place in Maine - South China, Maine - so it's kind of like getting it from China. The price includes shipping - I'm sure they up the price of the item, but the words, "shipping included' sounds nice.
I got the parallel aluminum umbrella style - wow, the price has gone up just in the last few months. I'll have to look up how much I paid. I'm pretty sure it wasn't $99.
Here's the site -
The Clothesline Shop

Why I'm Getting Rid of Stuff

Google's Quote of the Day:
Every increased possession loads us with new weariness. - John Ruskin

Real Estate Blogs

I wonder why more real estate agents don't blog.
This one is well done! I forget how I found it, but it's a keeper.
http://newtampahomes.blogspot.com/

Commencement Speakers

From the Chronicle of Higher Education is this list of commencement speakers at 556 colleges and universities. The list goes back to the year 2000, and it's searchable.
I've never heard of some of the speakers, but I suppose I shouldn't admit it.
Fun.
http://chronicle.com/free/speakers/?handler=search&year=2008

Brief Hiatus

The roofers arrive every morning at 7:00am.
I'm not a morning person. Maybe they'll finish tomorrow.
Very busy this week getting ready for you know where!
(see May 2 post)

A Rainy Day Birthday

Three Weeks and Counting

The snow should be gone in three weeks. My place is at the bottom of the photo, just a little right of center. The road in is the white line. At the end of the line, we hop in the boat for the ride across.

Everything Went Sideways on the Monitor

One of the catalog computers did an odd thing today. Everything suddenly appeared sideways on the screen. It would have been perfect if it had happened on April 1st.
Anyway, the fix for this dilemma is ridiculously simple.
Enter these keys, and voila - everything is back to normal, and no one will have a stiff neck.
Alt + Ctrl + the up arrow

Data & Statistics Lovers

Sis told me about this site. It's to die for. It has every statistic on every country you could ever want. You can compare data between countries. Go to their homepage, and it'll explain it all much better than I can.
NationMaster.com

Best Wedding Punch

This punch was served at a wedding reception we attended back in 1972. I remember it was so good, I asked the bride for the recipe.

Jennifer's Wedding Punch

4 oz. lemon juice
4 oz. pineapple juice
3 oz. fruit cordial
8 oz. brandy
3 oz. grenadine
1 bottle - white wine
2 bottles - champagne

Mix all, except for the champagne, over ice in a bowl.
Add the champagne, and some fruit just before serving.

32 servings, depending on who's serving

How to Contact Syracuse China Archives

Recently, there was an event at Syracuse China, where you could bring in your pieces for identification. I missed it, but the newspaper article said you could also mail in photos for identification.
Here's the address:

Syracuse China Archives Department
2801 Court St.
Syracuse, NY 13208

Forget calling them. The phone menu is impossible.

Webcams - Some Up, Some Down

Finally. One of my favorite webcams is working again. It's from RIOT.
The camera is in Manhattan on Fifth Ave. at 45th St., looking north.
http://www.rioting.com/rioting/index.php?page=webcam

I've just about given up on the Syracuse webcam that is focused on Clinton Square in downtown Syracuse.
For months, they've been saying that it's temporarily down, and will be back up soon.
For how long is something temporary?
http://www.syracuse.com/clintoncam/

The Honolulu webcams are iffy. Some days they work, some, they don't.
http://www.honolulu.gov/cameras/index1.htm

Here's one of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. It moves around a bit.
http://www.earthcam.com/usa/dc/metrosquare/

This one is becoming a favorite. It's the O'Connell Bridge in Dublin.
http://www.bay.tv/baycams/3757.php

Indian Rocks Beach

This will probably my favorite Florida photo for the year.

Maria's Ginger Crackle Cookies

Maria's Ginger Crackle Cookies - the best

Here's a fabulous recipe for an old fashioned ginger crackle, or gingersnap cookie.
It's adapted from a recipe in The Weekend Baker, by Abigail Johnson Dodge.

2 1/2 C. flour
1 C. sugar - for the dough
2/3 C. sugar for rolling the balls of cookie dough in
1 1/2 t. ground ginger
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. salt
8 T. softened butter
1/4 C. shortening
1 egg
1/4 - 1/3 C. light molasses

C. = cup, T. = tablespoon, t. = teaspoon

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, if you have it.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients, except for the sugar, and mix with a wire whisk.

In another large bowl, combine the butter, shortening, and ONE cup of sugar. Add the egg and molasses. Beat until blended.
Gradually pour in the dry ingredients. Mix until well blended.

Shape the dough into one inch balls.
Roll each ball in the remaining 2/3 C. sugar.
Place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 13 minutes until they're puffed up and lightly brown on the edges. Let cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before removing them.

Who Has Which Blood Type

Type
O+ 1 person in 3, 38.4%
O- 1 person in 15, 7.7%
A+ 1 person in 3, 32.3%
A- 1 person in 16, 6.5%
B+ 1 person in 12, 9.4%
B- 1 person in 67, 1.7%
AB+ 1 person in 29, 3.2%
AB- 1 person in 167, 0.7%

Source: BloodBook.com
http://www.bloodbook.com/index.html

Found a Treasure

Several years ago, I found this oil painting in the back of a Florida closet. Twice, I almost donated it to a rummage sale. I never cared much for it, but I think it was the frame. Without the plastic wood frame, it's really quite nice. A new frame will give it a whole new look, and off to the Adirondacks it will go.
There's even information on the back. Mildred Marsh of Manhattan Beach, Minnesota painted it in 1987. It's Island Lake, going into the Whitefish Chain - Minnesota. It was a gift to Edna Klaus.
It's lovely.

Reusable Grocery Bags

This goes into the 'stumbled upon' category.
There's an article in the New York Times about the tax on plastic bags in Ireland.
In 2002, a law was passed which adds 33 cents to every plastic bag.A photo shows a cloth bag at a Superquinn store.
I like it. I want one. I wonder if there are any on eBay.
Do any of the stores in England have bags like these?
We're currently drowning in plastic bags - the broom closet is overflowing with them.
It's time we switched to the reusable ones, but it would be so much more fun to have one from Dublin.
This could be more fun than collecting bookmarks from libraries.
Here's the New York Times article.
Motivated by a Tax, Irish Spurn Plastic Bags

Groundhog Day - 2008

Here's the link to the official Groundhog Day site.
They're saying that Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow this morning, so there will be SIX more weeks of winter. Doesn't he always see his shadow?
http://www.groundhog.org/prediction/

Books Read - 2007

Here's what I read in 2007, with the most recent read listed first.

• Wonderful Tonight - Patty Boyd
  
• Good Dog, Stay - Quindlen
• The Paris Option - Ludlum/Lynds
• My French Whore - Gene Wilder
• The Kite Runner - Hosseini
• About Alice - Trillin
• An Imperfect God - Wiencek
• The Devil in the White City - Larson
• The Diving Bell & the Butterfly - Bauby
• Rise and Shine - Quindlen
• By the Rivers of Babylon - DeMille 2x
• The Secret Servant - Silva
• Mad Dogs - Grady
• North River - Hamill
• The Thornbirds - McCullough 2x
• The English Assassin - Silva 2x
• The Digital Person - Daniel Solove
• Truck - Perry
• The Unlikely Spy - Silva's 1st
• The Short Straw - Woods
• Act of Treason - Flynn
• Mary, Mary - Patterson
• Wild Fire - DeMille

Best Cheesecake Recipe - McCalls

This is from a 1975 issue of McCall's magazine.
I haven't found a better recipe for cheesecake.

Crust
1 C. sifted flour
1/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk
1/4 C. softened butter or margarine
I usually double these amounts so I have enough.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Grease the inside of a springform pan.
In a medium bowl, combine everything except
the egg yolk and butter.
Make a well in the center, and add the yolk.
Blend, then add butter, and blend.
On the bottom of the pan, roll out 1/2 the dough.
Bake 6-8 minutes, or until golden brown.
Roll out remaining dough.
Cut it into 3 inch strips.
Press it around the side of the pan.
Don't bake the side strips.
Assemble the pan.

Filling
5 packages of 8 oz. creamed cheese
1 3/4 C. sugar
3 T. flour
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 1/2 grated orange peel
1/4 tsp. vanilla
5 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
1/4 C. heavy cream

In a large mixing bowl, blend cheese,
sugar, flour, peels, vanilla.
Blend until smooth.
Add eggs and yolks, one at a time.
Scrape the sides often.
Pour into the pan.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.
Lower the oven to 250 degrees,
and bake for one more hour.

Honolulu Traffic Webcams

I love this site. It runs for five minutes, showing a whole bunch of traffic hotspots in Honolulu.
I think I like it even more than the Waikiki beach webcam, tho that one can be interesting at 5:00 or 6:00AM. You can access the beach cam from this site, too. Fun.
http://www.honolulu.gov/multimed/hotspot.asp

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

My favorite book is now a movie.
Ages ago, I'd read that Johnny Depp was going to play Jean Dominique Bauby, but wasn't able to.
I can't wait to see it.
Read about it here:

Premiere
http://www.premiere.com/cannes/3838/ringing-his-bell.html

Screener
http://nbm.typepad.com/screener/2007/10/nyff-the-diving.html

P.S. One year ago today, it was raining. At the moment, it's about 12 F degrees, and there's snow on the ground.

101.5 FM The Point - Tampa

This is the best radio station! I can listen to it all day without even being at Camp Largo, and .... they list the songs as they're played. I need new, really good speakers.
These headphones are a tad confining.
The only problem is - after a day, they play the same songs over again.
http://1015thepoint.com/

Shopping List

Amazon Christmas shopping list:
Raising Sand - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss; Audio CD $8.99
Live in Japan - George Harrison; Audio CD $26.99
Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr - Ringo Starr; Audio CD $13.97
Still on Top: The Greatest Hits - Van Morrison; Audio CD $7.99
The Secret Servant (Gabriel Allon) - Daniel Silva; Hardcover $15.57

Now all I have to do is figure out who to give them to.

Two Turkeys, Maybe Even Three

Onondaga Free Library

Referendum

Onondaga residents will vote Nov. 6 on a referendum that would increase the town's annual contribution to the library from $200,000 to $475,000. If it passes, the plans for the 14,300-square-foot addition will move forward.

I hope this passes. Their library needs serious work.

Update: It passed!

Across the Street a Little While Ago

Syracuse Wedding Vendor Reviews

A Syracuse Wedding

photo by Steph

Salina Shoes
2809 S. Salina St., Syracuse, NY 13205
(315) 475-2735
Salina Shoes to the rescue!
It was August. None of the mall stores had any dressy white shoes left.
No way did anyone want to spend beaucoup bucks for cheap, uncomfortable shoes they sell at the bridal salons, and online.
The bride's first baby shoes came from Salina Shoes, so it was fitting that her wedding shoes also be bought there.
They had three pairs to pick from! Bellini was the first choice.
The manager couldn't have been more helpful.
Rating: A++
Best Shoe Store in Syracuse

Westcott Florist
548 Westcott St., Syracuse, NY 13210
(315) 474-1283
http://www.westcottflorist.com/
- We were told the cake flowers would be delivered to the bakery on Friday. When we found out they hadn't been, we called the florist to ask why, and they said they never delivered cake flowers the day before. Ok, so don't tell us they'd be delivered on Friday.
- One of the Mother's corsages was baby pink roses, with bright pink ribbon. We specifically asked for a deep, or dusty/antique pink color for the roses, and ribbon.
- About 6 of the corsages and boutonnieres had no pins. We had to do some major scrounging around the house for some floral pins, with no time to spare.
- One of the gerbera boutonnieres fell apart.
- Two items were labeled incorrectly, tho they were correct on the order form.
- They did arrive on time.
- Do the flowers on the cake photo look like they're worth $50.00?
Rating: C -

Industry Salon
121 Walton Street, Syracuse, NY 13202
(315) 476-0015
Best hair salon in Syracuse. That's what many people think.
The story made the rounds at the wedding and reception.
The bride had a 7:30 am appointment on the morning of the wedding.
The photographer would be arriving at the house 9:oo am.
She made the appointment months in advance.
She's a regular customer at the Industry.
She had just been there several weeks prior to go over the wedding 'do'.
At 8:00 am, she asked the receptionist to call B_____ at home to see where he was.
He was at home. He had forgotten her appointment.
She made it back home at 8:45 am, leaving her 15 minutes to get dressed and do makeup.
Major scramble. Not a good start to the day.
He charged her 1/2 his usual fee.
What? Half price?
That would be my last visit.
Rating: F

Fremont Bakery
119 E. Second St., East Syracuse, NY 13057 (315) 437-5683
http://www.fremontbakerycny.com/

The Fremont Bakery has closed.
You can read about it here:
http://deskdiva.blogspot.com/2012/01/fremont-bakery-has-closed.html

Outstanding wedding cake, delivered on time, and in perfect shape.
Fremont Bakery has been making the best wedding cakes forever.
Mention the name to anyone, and chances are they, and/or their mother had Fremont do their cake.
People snapped up unattended & unfinished pieces.
I've never seen that happen before.
The best people to work with.
It was a beauty.
Rating: A+
Best Wedding Cake Bakery in Syracuse


Photography by John Farnach
Manlius, NY
Five years ago, the other bride interviewed quite a few photographers, and decided to go with John Farnach Photography. We'd seen his work, and his price includes all the proofs. This time around, we didn't even bother shopping around. He's easy to work with, pleasant, and can be very funny in an understated way.
At the church, you hardly know he's there. Two suggestions: make a list of photos you really want him to get, and give him a schedule so you don't miss your reception. It's a great opportunity to get an extended family photo. We did a couple college alumni photos - very fun.
Update: The albums and single prints that were ordered were done BEFORE Christmas in time for gift giving!! Excellent.
Rating: A+
Best Photographer in Syracuse

American Limousine
701 E. Hiawatha Blvd. Syracuse, NY 13208
(315) 473-2000 (800) 611-9572
http://www.americanlimousine.net/
The white Town Car arrived on time! The driver was pleasant and courteous. We've got a cute photo of him holding the bride's bouquet as she was getting out of the car.
The car looked brand new. There wasn't the promised champagne in the car, but the driver went and got some during the wedding ceremony.
Perfect.
Rating: A
Best Limo in Syracuse

Syracuse Card Company
1632 Erie Blvd. East, Syracuse, NY 13217
(315) 472-4496
For wedding invitations, it doesn't make that much difference where you get them. When you order from an album, all the stores 'discount' them. It's like ordering from a wallpaper book.
Make sure you spend the extra for a proof of the invitation. It was worth it here, because there were several errors, even though the information on the completed order form was correct.
Come on. It can't be that hard to copy information from one place to another.
Rating: B

Just Rosie's Boutique
105 Caroline Ave., Solvay, NY 13209
(315) 468-4313
Just Rosie's isn't really a wedding vendor, but if you're the mother of the bride, or you need something dressy, be sure to stop in. It's right around the corner from Solvay Bank's main office. Some of the dresses are the traditional MOB heavily beaded ensembles, but if you're looking for something elegant, simple, and comfortable, she'll have it. Very classy. She also carries Ursula of Switzerland - a beautiful line headquartered in Waterford, NY. The Ursula dress I bought was made in the USA. Surprise! It's also nice to have personal service without it being pushy. I need to visit again.
You can return an item for store credit.
Hours: Monday - Friday 10:00 - 5:00pm - except for Tuesday - opens about 2:00pm
Saturday - 9:00 - 3:00pm, Closed Sunday
Rating: A+
Best boutique in Syracuse

Highland Forest
Box 31, 1254 Highland Forest Rd.
Fabius, NY 13063
(315) 683-5550 / 683-5147 fax
http://onondagacountyparks.com/parks/highland/
The wedding reception was at Skyline Lodge at Highland Forest, one of the Onondaga County Parks. Orchard Vali Golf Club is the exclusive caterer.
Directions From I-81 S (from Syracuse) Take Exit 14, make left off of exit then left onto Route 80. Highland Forest is approximately 12 miles, entrance is on the right. Follows signs to Skyline Lodge.
The facility is described below:

Orchard Vali Golf Club
4693 Route 20, LaFayette, NY 13084
(315) 677-3303
http://www.orchardvali.com/
Sandy and Melanie were great to work with. We only had to meet with Sandy twice, and do a few phone calls. The food was excellent. They did a beautiful room arrangement. The coffee and tea station was nice (our idea), and they even had green tea. A lot of people like to have coffee right away instead of waiting for dessert. Having it set up throughout the reception, gives people the opportunity to get up and move around. We've been to too many receptions where once you sit down at your designated table, you're there til the end.
The restrooms are VERY nice, and large.
The table linens are heavy and nice - we went with white.
The floor is stone, and there's no wooden dance floor, which didn't present a problem. You can rent a wood dance floor on your own if you want. I'm glad I brought along comfortable flats to wear at the reception. The floor IS hard.
The punch was warm. Bummer.
I wish they'd asked us if we wanted the fireplace lit.
Overall, we'd choose Orchard Vali again. Everyone had a wonderful time, and the views are spectacular.
Rating: A

Plaza Wine and Liquors
104 Kasson Rd., Camillus, NY 13031
(315) 487-3680
Little bottles of wine make great favors. Not many wineries offer them, and none are from New York. We chose Glen Ellen. Plaza Wine & Liquors had the best price, which included the date / name labels. We were hoping they'd have the best price, because it's a very fun store.
They also carry Taittinger - the only champagne worth drinking.
Rating: A+

Sharon's Sewing Service - wedding dress, bridesmaid dress alterations, seamstress
101 Inwood Drive
Syracuse, NY 13219
(315) 382-1669
http://www.sharonsewingservice.com/
Sharon is extremely easy to work with. We were pleased with all of our alterations, and her work is top quality. Her rates are reasonable, especially when you consider what you'd pay for in house alterations. I saw an ensemble she made for a mother of the bride, and it was spectacular. She's located just east of Fairmount Glen Mini Golf, on the corner of Inwood Dr., and Onondaga Rd. We loved working with her. We now take everything to her - even slacks that need a little shortening. That's not a photo of her on her website!
Rating: A+
Best Alterations / Seamstress in Syracuse

Don't Forget The Veil
We couldn't believe the prices of veils at the bridal stores, so the bride's veil came from eBay. It came to just about $20.00, including shipping. It was a two tier shoulder, or 'blusher' length with a pencil ribbon trim and some little crystals. I'd heard that the reflection from crystals can ruin photos, but these didn't. It had a comb already attached. I think it was definitely the way to go.

For bride #1, I made the veil, using these directions - the best I found online, or off.
Making a Veil: http://www.wegotgame.net/jen/veils.html
I bought twice as much fabric as I needed in case I botched it the first time. I also made a mini veil for practice. The tulle, and everything I needed, came from Cazenovia Fabrics - http://www.cazfabrics.com/

The Green Gate Inn & French Kiss Restaurant
2 Main St.
Camillus, NY 13031
315-672-3606
http://www.thegreengateinn.com/index.htm
We had 20-25 people for the rehearsal dinner. For one reason, or another, we settled on the Green Gate. It wasn't our first choice - other places were already booked. We would have gone to Cora D's in a heartbeat, but they didn't have room. The goal was to have a simple supper, served quickly in a restaurant not too far from the church.
That shouldn't be too difficult. Right?
The prices on the Main Dinner menu were pricey.
We weren't allowed to order off the Pub Menu, but they did allow us three off menu choices, which were not on the menu: a 1/2 roasted chicken, a fish dinner (it was Friday), and a salad thing with chicken strips, or something.
They had the count of who wanted what a week ahead of time.
Everyone was seated on time, yet we waited over 45 minutes to get the salads and bread.
The waiter kept saying the food would be out 'shortly'.
When it finally did come, the food was pretty good. The salads were so-so.
We skipped dessert - good thing, or we would have been there another two hours.
We should have had our own waiter - he had all of us, plus other tables.
The wallpaper is pretty, but old. The chairs have been there forever, and are getting rickety.
The place doesn't have central air conditioning, and the large window unit was blasting cold air directly on two of our tables.
Early on in the planning, they lost the deposit check, and another had to be written.
Rating: C-

Fairmount Cleaners

3508 W Genesee St Ste 3

Syracuse, NY 13219

(315) 488-1131

The care instructions label for the wedding dress said, "Do not wash. Do not dry clean."
I wrote to the dress manufacturer asking them what to do - they emailed back, and said to use Spray n Wash, and distilled water. Really? That's a scary thought.
The bride, and Sharon, the seamstress talked to the owner of Fairmount Cleaners, and he said he'd wash the whole dress in special soap and regular water.
Still a scary thought, but we crossed our fingers, and let him do it.
It came out perfectly - it hardly had a wrinkle.
I couldn't believe it. He's great. He also did a fantastic job on the other bride's dress.
Rating: A+
Best Dry Cleaner in Syracuse

It's Official

Upcoming event

The church

The view at the reception

My dress

Hormone Products Chart

A good chart -

Hormone Products for Postmenopausal Use
in the United States and Canada
http://www.menopause.org/edumaterials/htcharts.pdf

Change isn't Always Good

Wegmans now bags the spring mix. Their macaroni salad is mostly slop - all elbows and goo.
Byrne Dairy doesn't put those plastic covers on their yogurt anymore. Now, you have to eat the whole thing, or find something to cover the container with.
Zest soap bars are now curved, more narrow, and harder to hang onto.
Walgreen's is nice, but Agway Gardens was a lot nicer.
Bon-Ton doesn't have anymore Joy Coyote earrings, Sag Harbor, or Burnes of Boston photo frames.
Salamino's Florist has been gone since January. They were great.

P.S. I just filled out the Blogger survey, and there's no Submit button! I looked everywhere. That's the last time I'll do that.

Happy Birthday, Tampa!

"Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own;
and from morning to night, as from the cradle to the grave,
is but a succession of changes so gentle and easy that we can scarcely mark their progress."
- Charles Dickens

BH-BL Reunion Info

Nice site - no need for Classmates.com
http://www.bhbl.org/alumni/reunioninfo.htm

General information for Burnt Hills - Ballston Lake Central School District
http://www.bhbl.org

Birthday Evening in Manhattan

this is from the RIOT webcam on 5th Ave.
www.rioting.com (then look under contact)

Good Day for a Camera

It was a good day to have a camera. I think I like tulips after all. They behaved very well. The rain we had later on made for some great raindrop shots. This size doesn't do it justice.

BH-BL High School Reunion 1986

I'm not quite sure where to put this, so I'll pop it in here til a better place comes up. This is a photo of those who attended the Burnt Hills Ballston Lake High School Reunion in 1986. It was held at Kaydeross Park, which closed in 1987, at Saratoga Lake. It was hot and humid, but it was nice to see everyone.

Another Good One

I'm weeding. Here's another good one, but it has to go. Shoot, it's no longer available in hardcover. It might get to stay. LaPlante's other books starring Josef Tanaka are also good.

Weather War

If you haven't read this book, look for it. It's out of print, but there are still some out there. The authors are Paul Posnick and Leonard Leokum. Sadly, I don't think a hardcover was ever done, and the paperback paper is lousy.

Trout Season Opens Today

Trout season opened today in New York state.
I took this pic somewhere near Elbridge.
Here's a good link:
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/index.html

Ward's Seafood Market

One of the very best things about Florida is Ward's Seafood Market in Clearwater.
I could go there just about everyday. I think my favorites are the red snapper and the salmon from Alaska. www.wardsseafood.com

Favorites and AOL

AOL has done it again.
My Favorites are all messed up. There aren't any from 2006 or 2007. The ones that are there are all out of order. There are many there from before 2004 that I know I deleted ages ago.
When I was using my notebook recently, all my Favorites completely disappeared. They never returned. I went to AOL's live Chat Help for assistance, and the tech person e-mailed me instructions on how to get them back. It didn't work, so I uninstalled AOL and used Firefox and Google for everything. AOL is supposed to store your Favorites on their servers.

I don't know why I continue to even sign onto AOL. It must be a nostalgia thing, or something.
I started out with AOL in 1994 with version 1.0.
I do like their e-mail, even though it has always gotten terrible reviews.
Even on the desktop, I use Firefox and Google's homepage most of the time.
Most of my really important bookmarks I've stored at Save This. Some I've e-mailed to myself.
Save This is nice, because you can drag a SaveThis thing to your Firefox toolbar, log in to your account and automatically have your sites bookmarked directly to them.
It's nice, and it's free. www.savethis.com

Belleair Beach

I love this photo.
It's a little beach in Belleair on Gulf Blvd.
If I ever win the lottery, I'll get a place here.
http://www.cityofbelleairbeach.com/

Largo makes AOL's Welcome Screen

Way to go, Largo.

The Steve Stanton story has put Largo, Florida on the map, but for all the wrong reasons.
Largo's motto is City of Progress. Maybe they should change it.

I was pleased to see the story on AOL's Welcome Screen, including a poll.
So far, 73% say he should not have been fired - with 10,059 votes.

Here's the story on AOL's Welcome Screen:
http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/city-likely-to-fire-manager-over-sex/20070301091909990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

We watched the four hour meeting Tuesday night on tv. Citizens were allowed to speak, then the Commissioners, including the mayor, spoke. I was surprised and dismayed at the Commissioners' remarks. Only the mayor, Pat Gerard, and Commissioner, Rodney Woods spoke in favor of Stanton.

For more articles, go to www.sptimes.com
Also - St. Petersburg Times Columnist Howard Troxler's Blog at: TroxBlog

Tacky Turtle Restaurant - Indian Rocks Beach

The Tacky Turtle on Indian Rocks Beach is gone!
We were over at the beach a few weeks ago, and thought we'd pop in for a Cuban.
The new proprietor said the Tacky Turtle had been gone for a long time - at least three months.
Three months must be a long time in Florida.
We were so disappointed.
It's now the Kooky Coconut.
The decor is all new, and the outside is painted to look like bamboo.
There wasn't a very good selection of ice cream - some of the tubs were sitting empty.
I hope the new guy makes it, but I don't think I'll be making a special trip over.
At least I have my photos of the place, and the ones I had in my last exhibit were a big hit.
I wish I'd bought a t-shirt last year, or a hat. Did they have hats?

Update: June 11, 2008 The site for the Tacky Turtle is also gone.

Best Grammy Performance Ever

I always thought it would be nice to be able to see this again.
Who knew You Tube would have it.
It's still as good as it was watching it live back in 1979.
You Don't Bring Me Flowers

Article from PC World

This article is a must read, especially for computer novices who work with computers and the public.
It's about a substitute teacher in Norwich, Connecticut, who was convicted of impairing the morals of a child, and risking injury to a minor by exposing as many as ten seventh-grade students to porn sites. The incident occurred in October, 2004. Her sentencing is March 2, 2007.
Here's the article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20070207/tc_pcworld/128672

Monday

So, here we are in Florida.
The new neighbor was outside this afternoon for a few minutes, so I thought it would be a good time to introduce myself. She had just come home, and was getting out of the car with, what looked like, a cake sized box from a bakery. I was wondering what kinds of baked goods were inside.
She set the box down on the doorstep and came over to meet me. She's from the mid-west.
After we exchanged names, she mentioned that her brother had recently died, and that she had just gone to pick him up and bring him home.
So much for a cake being in the white bakery box.
I wonder where she put it when she took it inside.

I hope the sun comes out soon.
It's gloomy enough here to be Syracuse on a spring day.

Today's room with a view

Syracuse China Handpainted Adobe Ware

I've got a bunch of this Syracuse China Adobe Ware, and I can't find any information on it.
It's marked: Adobe Ware, Handpainted, Dogwood, O-11
It's not the heavy restaurant china, but it is heavier than the fine china.
Here are two photos:

Happy 40th

Before it's too late, Happy 40th to the Class of 1966.

Library / Librarian Blogs, etc.

A few of the better ones.
Not in any particular order.
Ok - a few aren't blogs.

Tiny Little Librarian
Free Range Librarian
Jessamyn
Librarian Avengers
The Laughing Librarian
Wireless Libraries
Progressive Librarian
Google Librarian Center
Career Profiles: Librarian - from the Princeton Review
The Renegade Librarian
LibrarianInBlack.net
Librarian's Rant

Oct. 27th Post - too many cakes

Something's going on with the photo of the birthday cake.
In Firefox, there is one cake photo with two tiny rectangle outlines underneath the photo.
In IE, there are THREE photos of the cake.
I don't know what the problem is, and I don't feel like editing the HTML.

I fixed it by opening it up in IE and editing it there - backspacing out two of the photos.
That must be why those little rectangle outlines were at the bottom of the photo (in Firefox).
Maybe I should do all the editing in IE.

Muscats

I forgot to mention ...

Muscats are raisins which have had their seeds removed mechanically, leaving little holes in them.
Seedless raisins never had seeds to begin with.

Best Fruitcake Recipe

Fruitcake

Mix the following ingredients together in the boiling water, turn down and simmer for 20 minutes.
Let cool.

1 1/2 C. muscats - forget finding them at the store, but you can order them in bulk from Sun-Maid. I use the regular Sun-Maid raisins.
1 1/2 C. chopped, pitted dates
2 C. sugar
2 C. boiling water
1/3 C. shortening

In a bowl, mix together:

3 C. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves

Add the cooked ingredients to the dry ones. Mix thoroughly.
Add 1 - 3 ounce package of the following candied fruits: orange peel, lemon peel, pineapple, citron and cherries.
Add 1 C. chopped walnuts

Bake in one, greased and floured, 7.5 inch by 12 inch pan
Bake at 325 degrees for about 90 minutes.
I use empty coffee cans, or mini loaf pans, which will bake about 5 small cakes.
The batter will be heavy and sticky.
They will rise about an inch, or so.
*I tried adding the fruit & nuts to the cooked dates & raisins BEFORE adding the flour mixture. I like it better - it's easier to mix. - Dec. 15, 2007

When they're done, let them cool on a rack, then wrap them in brandy soaked cheesecloth, wrap in aluminum foil, and store for a few days, week, etc. Best to cool them in a cool place.

Updates:
http://deskdiva.blogspot.com/2008/11/time-to-think-about-fruitcake.html

http://deskdiva.blogspot.com/2008/11/first-batch-of-fruitcakes.html

Fave Books of 2006

Here's the list, not in any particular order:

Wild Fire - Nelson DeMille - extra fun because it takes place in the north country of NY state

Mayflower - Nathaniel Philbrick

Possible Side Effects - Augusten Burroughs

The Cold Moon - Jeffery Deaver another Lincoln Rhyme

The Messenger - Daniel Silva

Happy 29th Birthday

Exhibit

I'm having my own little exhibit at the library!
Very exciting. The title is, 'Pinellas'.
I had to think of a theme, and the only one I could come up with
where I have a fair amount of decent photos, is Pinellas.
They're all framed and ready to go.
When I look at them now, they look boring and crooked.
I wonder if I should put prices on them.
One has already been sold, and to someone I don't know,
which makes it more legitimate.

Here's a sample.

Books and Music

Stellar season for books and music ...

All the Roadrunning - Emmylou Harris and Mark Knopfler. I think Love and Happiness for You, is my favorite.

Pay the Devil - Van Morrison Van's gone country on this one.

Modern Times - Bob Dylan Faves - Spirit on the Water, Thunder on the Mountain, When the Deal Goes Down

Face the Promise - Bob Seger - release date Sept. 6 Everything he does is great.



Possible Side Effects - Augusten Burroughs

The Cold Moon - Jeffery Deaver another Lincoln Rhyme

The Messenger - Daniel Silva

Wild Fire - Nelson DeMille - not until November!

I Feel Bad About My Neck, and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman - Nora Ephron - disappointing

BMI

Here's an easy way to figure out my BMI.
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

The formula: dividing a person's weight in pounds by his height in inches, squared, and multiplying that total by 703.
I must have done it wrong- it was in the 100's.

Here's the report on my state -

http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2006/release.php?StateID=NY

Summer Project

What I Did on My Summer Vacation



thanks, Picasa

It's Hot

Wouldn't it be nice to have just one day of snow?
Just a light flurry?
It used to be that we'd only need the AC for a total of a week for an entire summer.
Now, the AC is on more than it's off.

Identifying Stephen King 1sts

Leave it to a daughter to bring this to my attention:
Identifying First Editions of Stephen King's books.

http://www.stephenking.com/IdentifyingFirstEditions.pdf

Excellent!

Ahhhhh

Quench it ...

Poolside, it's going to be ...

Saranac Ginger Beer

www.saranac.com

Saratoga Sparkling Water in the cobalt blue glass bottle

www.saratogaspringwater.com/index.html

I can't wait. Maybe tomorrow.

PC World's 25 Worst Tech Products

PC World Magazine's List of the 25 Worst Tech Products
by Dan Tynan, May 26, 2006

http://www.pcworld.com/resource/printable/article/0,aid,125772,00.asp

(printer friendly version)

I figured AOL would be on the list, but I was surprised that it was listed as # 1.
That's kind of mean. AOL did serve a purpose.
It got new users online.
For a long time, it was the only ISP easily available.
There was a sense of community in the early to mid 90's.
I'll always have a soft spot for AOL.

Clinton Square

When you're too tired to go anywhere - too tired to even go downtown.

http://www.syracuse.com/clintoncam/

Waikiki Beach

When you want to get away right this very minute ...

http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/cameras/waikiki_beach/waikiki.htm

Challenge Continues

Bedbugs can be extremely tenacious. I can't bear to put a photograph of one here. They're too disgusting for words. I should point out that there are no bedbugs in MY house. Anyway, if you call on ORKIN to do the job, make sure they come back often for rechecks and second and third treatments. Make sure they don't damage your furniture. If they do, point it out to them, get it repaired, and send them the bill.

You might also want to try Diatect stuff. It's at www.diatectresults.com
The active ingredients are Pyrethrins (African Daisy extract), Diatomaceous Earth (silicon dioxide), Piperonyl Butoxide (synthetic sassafras oil). They've got a very informative Website, and they send nice emails to you offering lots of encouragement.

And, put Vaseline on your bed's legs, and a piece of packing tape (sticky side up) underneath each bed leg.

Launder, or dryclean all your clothing, bedding and linens. Another option is to place stuff in sealed bags and put them in the freezer, but they have to be in there for TWO weeks.

That should do it. Remember, this is war. They aren't going to win. Creepy little critters. Worse than spiders.

Stumbled Upon - April 2006

April, 2006 Looks like they're all libraries. That's ok. Next time you're out, stop at the library and browse.

Carnegie Libraries of Scotland
http://www.scotcities.com/carnegie/index.htm

Clifton Park - Halfmoon Library, New York
http://www.cphlibrary.org/index.shtml

Brunswick Community Library, Eagle Mills, NY
http://www.brunswicklibrary.org/

Seymour Public Library, Auburn, NY
http://www.seymourlibrary.org/

Saratoga Springs Public Library, Saratoga Springs, NY
http://www.sspl.org/

New Challenge

Harvard School of Public Health on Bed Bugs

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/bedbugs/

Booklist Online

ALA, the American Library Association, finally put Booklist online. So far, I'm not impressed.
I'll have to look at it more carefully, but looks and feels like nothing more than a teaser. I'd love to subscribe to the print version, but I can't afford $ 295.00 for a one a year subscription. That's why I was so excited to see it was going to be available online.
I wonder why they feel it's necessary to include a blog. It's written by Keir Graff.

Here's a link to the official blog: http://www.booklistonline.com/blog/

Here's the link to the practice blog:
http://alaboldev.ctt-inc.com/default.aspx?page=general_info&id=55

Ho-hum.

Complaint Letters

Instead of complaining to friends about things, I'm going to start writing letters.

So far, I've written to Senators Hillary Clinton, and Chuck Schumer. I received decent replies within two days from both of their offices. Schumer's staff sent the same form letter twice.

I was going to write to Rep. James Walsh with lots of complaints, but his record at Vote Smart isn't that terribly bad. He does have a scary stand on abortion, however. He thinks they should only be legal if the life of the mother is in danger. He probably carried that over from Catechism days.

I wrote to Kohler about their lousy Staccato sink. Model K-3361-3. It's too deep, the edge in the back is too small, the bottom of the sink is completely flat. It's such a dumb sink. I wonder if there were any women on the design team. I am not going to stand on a stool to use it. Maybe some high wedgie shoes would work.

Next was Jessica McClintock to complain about the lack of sleeves on wedding dresses. You cannot find a wedding dress with a sleeve. They have a couple in the Women's sizes. Not every bride wants to have a strapless, or halter gown. David's Bridal doesn't have any contact or feedback form. Figures. Alfred Angelo has one, and it's pretty. I'll have to write and tell them.

Stumbled Upon - March, 2006

March
22 Controversial ad by Australia Tourism
www.wherethebloodyhellareyou.com
23 Niko's Mediterranean Grill & Bistro
http://nikosgrillnyc.com/page/o5pw/Home_Page.html
24 Eliot Spitzer's remarks at Maxwell School, Syracuse University, March 21, 2006
http://www.spitzer2006.com/main.cfm?actionId=globalShowStaticContent&screenKey=cmpSpeeches&htmlId=5263
25 Steve Ellwood's photographs of Northeast England
http://www.steve-ellwood.org.uk/
31 Nellie and Joe's Lime Juice http://www.keylimejuice.com/

Favorite Places

I wonder why I can't settle on a theme for this little blog. Some of the very best blogs stick to one topic, tho the political and news oriented ones get so tedious. They also tend to have links to other blogs running down the entire sidebar. Boring.
I really would like to do just one topic, but it's never going to happen, no matter how much I want to. One Bookmarked site leads to another, and before I know it, I'm somewhere totally off in w.w.w.land.
Here's what I've been doing tonight - wandering around looking at my favorite local restaurants.

My favorite sub shop is Jreck's. I've been eating them since the 60's, back in the Potsdam days. A Jreck's sub meant spring had arrived. We'd get a couple and eat them down by the Raquette River. Heaven. Now, I've got a brand new Jreck's right up on the corner of Kasson Rd. and W. Genesee St. (Route 5). They're way better than Wegmans subs, or Subway.

Tucked in Elm Hill Plaza, maybe it's called Town Center, or something, is Cora D's. Either way, it's at the corner of Hinsdale Rd. and Milton Ave. Classy with a good menu, but not as fun as the three below. It's a decent replacement for Poor Richard's, which used to be at the mall.
Now, we get to have Walmart, Lowe's, and Applebee's. Add in Wendy's, Dunkin Donuts and Quiznos, and we'll all be fat and happy. I can't even think about Camillus Mall. It's so depressing.

First is Victor's Inn in Camillus. Many happy memories here. It used to be the Green Gate Inn. Some of us think they should have kept the name. We still call it that, so I guess it doesn't really matter. It's cozy and comfy, all done up with Victorian furnishings.
Have a look at it Victor's Inn. It's right in the heart of the Village of Camillus. They have these divine little onion rings they serve with the open steak sandwich. They pile them up on top - yummy.

Heading west out of the village on Route 5 is Gilfillan's West Hill Catering Club. It's a great place for a wedding reception, and the food is excellent. Every reception I've been to there has been a lot of fun. The only drawback is the brown wood paneling in the upstairs room. It makes it hard to get a decent photograph. Also, the cord from the big wall air conditioner hanging down to where it plugs into the wall isn't too attractive. Come to think of it, the restrooms could be spiffed up.
February 22, 2008 update: They don't have a website anymore. I hope they get one back up and running soon.

West of Gilfillan's, on Route 5, is The Inn Between. The salmon with asparagus and dill sauce is good, but they only serve it at private parties. I think. It's the perfect place for a baby or bridal shower. You don't have to lift a finger, and the porch is gorgeous. The price isn't bad considering the meal and service. It's worth every penny.

**Update January 22, 2008 - Gilfillan's doesn't have a website anymore. Victor's Inn was bought, and now it's back to its original name, The Green Gate. Reviews are mixed. The two times I went there, the service was so slow, I felt like leaving. Skip it, and go to Cora D's.

This is Spring?

This is the first day of Spring?
Clinton Square in downtown Syracuse looks a tad bleak.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

March Madness

Syracuse Orange - wins the Big East Championship at MSG!

Wednesday, March 8 74-73 vs. Cincinnati
Thursday, March 9 86-84 vs. Connecticut
Friday, March 10 58-57 vs. Georgetown
Saturday, March 11 65-61 vs. Pittsburgh

Syracuse Basketball photos and scores for the 2005 - 2006 Season

A Really Gone Oldie

Cleaning out Bookmarks

Came across this little gem. In the old days, AOL had a software download area.
There were some goodies, like Ghostools and AOLPress.
I've got to stop being sentimental about these things!
Here's the description for AOLPress:

Subject: AOLpress 2.0 for Win95/98
Author: America Online
Uploaded By: Mary UKDate: 6/15/2001
File: AOLP2032.EXE (3600609 bytes)
Estimated Download Time (61570 baud): < 16 minutesDownload Count: 12643
Needs: AOL 3.0 or 4.0 for Windows 95/98 (32bit versions only)
AOLpress 2.0 for Windows 95/98/NT (32-bit)

NOTE: AOLPress 2.0 requires AOL 3.0 or 4.0 for Windows 95/98 *unless* you have another method of connecting to the Internet (such as an Internet Service Provider account). If you are using AOL 3.0 or later for Windows 3.x for your Internet access, you should download the 16-bit AOLPress 2.0 instead.

See below for requirements and installation instructions. For help publishing to your members.aol.com web space, please see aolpress.com/press/documentation.html
Please see the readme file (included with AOLpress) for known bugs and tips.
AOLpress is an integrated browsing and WYSIWYG authoring tool for the World Wide Web. AOLpress was designed both to make WWW authoring more accessible to beginners and to save valuable time and effort for professional Web publishers.

1. System Requirements
RAM: 8 megabytes or more recommended, 16 megabytes when using AOL and AOLpress simultaneously
Display: 256 or more colors
Processor: 486 (AOL 3.0/4.0 for Win95/98 requires at least a Pentium)
System: Windows 95/98 and AOL 3.0 or 4.0 for Windows 95 or 98
Disk Space Free: 8 megabytes
Note: AOL 3.0 or 4.0 for Win95 or Win98 is recommended for a Pentium and 16 megabytes of RAM

2. Networking Requirements
If you plan to use AOLpress as a browser and/or remote authoring tool, you will need the following:
Internet service provider
Modem
Connection software (Trumpet winsock, Chameleon, etc.) If you do not already have a WINSOCK.DLL, one will be installed that allows you to operate AOLpress locally.

AOLpress can also be installed locally. If you later decide to install AOLpress with a network connection you will need to delete the winsock.dll in the AOLpress directory for AOLpress to use the network.

3. Installation and Configuration
1.Download the aolp2032.exe self-extracting executable.
2.Double click on this self-extracting executable to extract its contents to a temp directory and it will automatically run setup.exe to install AOLpress.
3.Setup.exe will prompt you for a directory in which to install AOLpress.
4.Launch AOLpress by double-clicking on its icon.

AOLpress does not insist that you set a proxy server and a name server but when using an ISP it is highly recommended that you set them using Tools=>Preferences=>Network. AOL members only need to use screenname@aol.com as the Return address and a.mx.aol.com as the Mail Host in this dialog.

Known Problems with Installation and Download:
1) Extract=-9 If you receive an Extract=-9 when installing AOLpress it means that the installer was damaged during the download.
Workaround: The solution here is to download the file again.

Fort De Soto Park

This is one of my favorite spots at Fort De Soto. It's probably one of my most favorite places anywhere.
The St. Petersburg Times is one of the best newspapers in the country.
Howard Troxler is one of its best columnists.
His column of February 14 is a must read.
It's about Fort De Soto Park and what Pinellas County wants to do with it to make it 'better'.

If you've ever been to Fort De Soto, you know that it's fine just the way it is.
I hope enough people will write to the Pinellas County Commissioners to voice their opinion about this development project. Please.

Troxler's column can be read at:
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/02/14/news_pf/Columns/
Who_wants_all_that_ic.shtml

The Pinellas County Commissioners can be contacted at:
http://www.pinellascounty.org/

State of the Union

I think we already know what the state of the Union is.
All I want to watch tonight is House, and instead American Idol is on.
Maybe I'll tune into NBC to see what tie Brian Williams is wearing.

This & That

I could have sworn I had two cookie sheets here in the RV. I could only find one this afternoon. Everyday is a bad hair day in FL. It looks ok for about ten minutes, and then it starts to go all weird on me. And, every morning at 10:00 am, I have a hot flash, and I have to stick my head in the freezer for a few minutes. That doesn't help the hair either. I suppose things could be worse. A lot worse.

Here's a photo of the backside of my favorite beach - Indian Rocks Beach. I think it's at 18th St.

$$$ Procedure and Renters, cont'd.

Got another bill for the biopsy: $1000.00. Now, it's up to $5000.00. Still no bill from the radiologist.

My bathing suit is missing, along with my nail clippers, and I Love NY hat. The lasagna pan is chipped, and the chopping board was dirty. No more renting, tho maybe the money was worth the aggravation. Who would take someone else's bathing suit?

$$$ Procedure

I got the bill for the stereotactic breast biopsy: $4000.00. That doesn't include the radiologist's bill. Pretty expensive porcedure. One of the x-rays was $1780.

On another note, here we are in Florida. The last renters washed my pretty crocheted doily on the glass table, and it shrank. About two inches. It's disappointing because it was really big and pretty, covering almost the entire tabletop. The woman must have tossed it into the washer and dryer. I washed it last year, but by hand, and I dried it over the railing outside.
I guess that's what you have to expect from renters.

2006

I don't know where the rest of 2005 went. That's not exactly true.
I had two suspicious mammograms which led to a stereotactic biopsy.
Not fun, but it wasn't THAT bad. It's just kind of bizarre.
The surgeon said my chances of the cluster of uneven microcalcifications being OK, were 30%.
I lucked out. They were ok. I was ready to do battle.
I have a little metal marker inside just in case they need to locate the area again.
The whole thing started when I thought I'd be clever and get the mammogram out of the way before the holidays. Not smart.

Bad things tend to happen on ordinary days. That's today's deep thought

I do hope it's a better year.

Turkey Time

Turkeys we've picked ...

Here's me

eBay part 2

These are my second favorite mums in the yard. They have an antique look to them. My favorites are a creamy off white, with a dusty rose center.

The Roseville vase went for $112.50. Nice. I've decided that for items over $100.00, I'll include the insurance. I'll have to find something to list today. Stuff that I would think would go for $$$, doesn't. Both times, when the item sold, I have doubts about whether or not I should have let the item go. If someone else wanted it badly, maybe I should have, too.

eBay

I've decided that it's much easier to buy, than it is to sell, on eBay. I listed my first item about a week ago, figuring it might get about 5 or 10 dollars. It was a set of beer coasters - the kind you throw away. The winning bid was $138.50. So, flush with success, I listed another item today. It's an old Roseville vase, and it's pretty ugly. I took multiple photos showing all the flaws. It took forever getting the description just right, tho it looks like it took about five minutes.
So far, no one has bid on it.
I think I'll go back to buying.
I hope I don't get a bad feedback on those coasters.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh

I think this one is called Wild Pansy, 1910.

Dishes

There's a set of these dishes with twelve place settings, and all the serving pieces, under the buffet at 229. I always thought they were grocery store dishes. You know, the kind you get for $1.99 a plate if you spend $20.00. They appear to be mint.
Cher looked them on on Google, and before you know it, a price list from some replacement place came in the mail, listing what they'd pay me for individual pieces. Well! For the covered soup tureen, they'll pay me $116.00.
I guess they're prettier than I thought they were. :)

Nice

Keep this nearby

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will.
You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time.
You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken.
You'll fight with your best friend.
You'll blame a new love for things an old one did.
You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love.
So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

Thanks to a lovely woman and, friend, for this.

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

It was the hottest summer on record ...

First off , AOL can be so very annoying. When you're creating a blogspot post from AOL, the carriage return won't work. Everything just keeps on going on the same line until it comes to the end. Pretty soon, I'll be at the end of the AOL line.

Besides swimming just about everyday in an 80+ degree pool, the kitchen was completely renovated.

Never again. I love it, but it was a dreadful process, even tho it only lasted 24 days. All the walls, ceiling and floor were gutted. The sheetrock dust was kept to a minimum, but it seeped into other rooms.

Wow

I just read somewhere that Johnny Depp is going to play Jean-Dominique Bauby in the film, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, the same title as the book.
Directed by Julian Schnabel
Writing credits Ronald Harwood (screenplay)

It's only my favorite book together with my favorite actor.
What a fabulous combination.
Can't wait.
Are you listening, Susan?