Meet Me On Monday

A new Meet Me On Monday has not been posted this week, so I'm using entries from the beginning of 2011 that I have not answered.

Questions:

1.  Do you like your ice cream in a dish, waffle cone, pretzel cone, sugar cone or cake cone?
     Dish - it's just easier to eat it that way.
2.  Do you read the newspaper daily?
     nope - neither hard copy or electronically
3.  Marinara or meat sauce?
     Marinara
4.  Last time you cried?
     a week before my brother's surgery
5.  What word/phrase do you find really annoying?
     I don't think I have one....

Sunday Souvenir

Sunday Souvenir

STILL in the dining room - all of our dining room furniture matches - it also matches our bedroom furniture.  The furniture was my parents and they bought it when they first got married in the early 1950s.  I still really like it.  It's classic shaker style. 

The manufacturer is Sligh furniture.  They now make mostly office furniture, but back in the day, they made everything.  A few years back, I e-mailed the company to see if I could get more information on it.  The president e-mailed me back saying that what I was describing was the "Cross Country" line.

The bedframe that we have is full size - we now have a king size bed, so we don't use that.  I would really like to get a matching headboard or frame.  I don't know if I will ever find a 1950's original, but I bet I could get something made that would be close to the grayish tint.

You'll see that a lot of my stuff is handed down from family.  I think I finally realize the "worth" of it.  Not just money-wise, but memory-wise.

Wordless Wednesday

Mother Nature, "You Rock my World"

"You rock my world"

 - "Singles", 1992

Yes, our world was rocked yesterday by Mother Nature in a way I NEVER thought I would feel.  An earthquake - how can that be?  That's not supposed to happen on the East coast!

Anyway, we (our office) had no idea what was going on.  See, our office is in the baggage claim level of the airport's main terminal with the ticketing level/departures ROAD above us.  Yes, a road so the only thing above us is cement and road joints.

I was sitting in my boss's office next to him and all of the sudden we heard rumbling, then it got louder and the whole building what shaking.  When we first heard the rumbling, we all thought it was an accident on the departures level, that someone had driven into the building or something.  When it got louder, my boss yelled "get the hell out of here" - seriously, it sounded like the building was going to collapse.

By the time we all walked out of the office to baggage claim the shaking had stopped, but we all went outside to see the "accident".  Once we realized there was no accident, we all realized - THAT WAS AN EARTHQUAKE!

We went back in the office and I started calling around - Dan, then my brother/SIL in NY - and checking the internet.  The rest of the day, I was basically hyper with adrenaline from it.

I didn't feel any aftershocks.  Supposedly we had one at 8 pm and at 1 am.  Not sure if it was felt around here.

Oh, and once again, Washington DC does not do well with emergencies.  It was utter chaos with traffic.  The government closed because they wanted to check structural damage on the buildings, and today schools are closed and government is on leave without absence (basically, come in if you want).

Dan left at his usual time (2:45 pm) and didn't get to his office until 5:30 pm and that was basically from sitting in traffic in DC.  CRAZY!

It's just crazy how this place gets.  I think I'll stick out west of the city - Unless I could walk everywhere. 

Meet Me on Monday

This Meet Me on Monday is from earlier in the year,  Never Growing Old is currently on a break from doing Meet Me On Monday.


Questions:

1. Have you (only you..not a group) ever won first place in anything?
     Nope - not that I can remember
2. Are your toes always painted (sorry guys...this question for girls only)?
   Only in the Summer
3. What color eyes do you have?
    Brown (dark brown)
4. Look to your left....what do you see?
    my office wall - and a Washington Caps poster
5. Soft cookies or crunchy cookies?
    soft

Coming "home" from "home"

The trip "home" was worth it.  I was able to see my brother physically improve daily.  Now, if he could mentally improve. 

This has been a very trying time and he has basically lost his voice.  It's like he has lost his confidence - he speaks in a very soft tone and not in his regular voice.

I know he is getting better and I think as soon has he knows that the cancer is completely gone, his voice will come back.

Friday evening was watching movies with my bro while the SIL & niece went to church and the other niece went out with friends.

Saturday was a busy day for everyone while I just hung out at my brother's house.  I purchased a new 3 in 1 photo scanner and was playing with that the majority of the day.  The evening was hanging out watching TV while my brother fell asleep after dinner (also with my nephew).  I knew he would be worn out.  He went out to church for a couple of hours - which was good.  So good, he wanted to come home and wash his car.  If you know my brother, that's a weekly thing.

My youngest niece headed off to college with her mom & sister going with her to unload.  I let them take my jeep since there was no way it was going to fit in a Chevy Impala.

Sunday, I got up early and headed home.  I zoomed.  So much that when I got to traffic in Frederick MD, I was impatient.  Made the trip in 5 1/2 hours!  WOOHOO!  So much easier when you don't have pups with you - though, I did miss them :)

Sunday Souvenir

Sunday Souvenir



Still staying in the dining room of our house - in our china cabinet (that will be next week), I have a large collection of dog figurines.  All made with different materials, all from different places, and the majority of them are OLD.  I mean old like antiques. 

For some reason, my mom collected dog figurines.  These figurines were never on display at our house so I think it was a collection from before she got married.  I never asked.

As long as I can remember, they were in an old long box (I think a wholesale pasta box)  and stored at my aunt's house.  I can remember on Sundays my Aunt Helen taking upstairs and showing me all of the different dogs.  Taking them out of the box, looking at them, and the putting them away.

There is only one that was my Aunt Helen's - a Boston Terrier (made out of wax?) with a (plastic, full size) fly on it.  I can remember it always being in her china cabinet and asking to take it out to look at it.  Mind you, it was never "played with" - it was just handled and touched with care - hence why it's still in one piece.

It was always a given that they were going to be mine.  When I bought my first (town)house and had the china cabinet, that's what I put in there.  I can remember a few broke on the move from NY to VA or from the townhouse to our current house - there were a couple that were really small and made of glass.

Someday, I will have to look up the figurines, see where/when they were made, and how much they cost.

Back "Home"

Well, all things worked out and my brother came home on Wednesday!  He is doing really well and I can see him improving already today over yesterday.

The drive up was a long one for me - at least from hitting the NY stateline to the house was!  My man, Rick was reading to me the whole time except for maybe the last 10 miles.  This is my first book on CD and I enjoyed it - especially since Rick was reading it!  I have already read the book, so I know the whole story, but it's great hearing the stories right from him.

Last night, my niece and I went to the movies and saw "Final Destination 5".  We both really liked it and were surprised by the ending.  If you like the other Final Destination movies, you will like this one.  We were the only ones in the theater when we got there.  Then 2 more people came in then about 5 more people.  That's Hornell for you.

So far today has just been hanging out but I do want to go up to the cemetary and clean my grandparents headstone.  It is currently covered with moss.  I found out that all you need is bleach and a scrub brush to clean it.

Speaking of headstones, 23 years ago today, my mom passed away.  Love and miss ya mom and know you are watching over us.

Wordless Wednesday

Update on Big Brother

The last two weeks have been so trying, but our family is so lucky that it has not been life threatening (except the day of the surgery).

Vincent has has a few set backs.  He had allergic reactions to two pain medicine.  The second reaction was worst than the first.  His tongue and mouth swelt up.  They finally got that under control and then he started having fevers.  Somedays as high as 103 degrees - which landed him back in ICU.

The fevers put off his coming home which was supposed to happen on the 11th.  Now it's just waiting for him to be fever free for at least 24-48 hours before he can be release.

I am planning on going to NY this Thursday.  That morning, it will be decided if I go to Buffalo or if I go to their home in Canisteo to visit.  It doesn't matter to me.  Either way, I will be just hanging out with the bro.

If he is home by Thursday, I will be able to spend some time with my youngest neice before she goes to college on Saturday.  If I go to Buffalo, I will be giving my SIL some relief and she will be able to go home and help my niece get ready for college.

Either way, it will be a blessing to see my brother.

Meet Me on Monday

 

Java is taking a break from the Meet Me on Monday entries due to a family emergency, so I'm pulling old Meet Me on Monday entries.  This is from January 2, 2011.

Questions:
1.  Do you have any New Year's resolutions?

     If I did, they have long been forgotten....
2.  What food item are you craving right now?

     That Pop Tart that is in my bag for my mid-morning snack
3.  When is your birthday?

     March 21
4.  What were you doing an hour ago?

     Arriving at work
5.  Last thing you cooked?

     LOL - that's funny.

Sunday Souvenir

Sunday Souvenir

On my organ, I have several aloe vera plants.

Through the years, there have been larger plants, more plants, and sometimes less plants.  How long have I had this "plant"?  I've had it more than 13 years.  How old is this plant? More than 22 years old. 

The original owner of this plant was my mom.  She didn't have much of a green thumb, but she was able to keep the aloe alive because it was so easy to take care of.

When she passed, my Aunt took it and it grew like crazy.  Aunt Helen had it in a window edge pot and it was overflowing.  When Aunt Helen went into the nursing home in 1998, I took it. 

 

This plant has been given to co-workers, friends and family.  Some have survived, some not so much.  I also have offsprings in my office.  Sometimes they do well, sometimes they don't.

There were years that I almost killed it, but then I think, I CAN'T let this plant die!  This is a part of my mom, that I have and will not let die.

Ode to Jani Lane AKA Where the Down Boys Go

"I never thought it would end this way...."

- I Saw Red

I woke up this morning to hear that Jani Lane, the former front man of Warrant, was found dead in a hotel.  I hate to say it, but it didn't surprise me.

In 2008, Dan and I were on vacation in Virginia Beach at the same time as a music festival where Warrant played.  I knew something was terribly wrong then.  I just felt so sad for Jani back then, but as the song goes "I didn't think it would end this way".  I expected to see him on Celebrity Rehab, but for the good.

I've been a fan of Warrant since the beginning.  I had their first CD when I lived in Hornell (in 1989).  I can remember listening over and over to "Sometimes She Cries" after my parents passed while I sat there crying.  I think that's why it's such a tragedy to me and why this has really touched me.

I've seen them several times - in their heyday and after.  When they taped

Warrant: Live - Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich at Hammerjacks, I was there.  The last time I saw the band was last year at M3 with the new singer (who was really good).

Such a talented artist - RIP Jani!

Wordless Wednesday

 

Meet Me On Monday

There is no new Meet Me On Monday today on Never Growing Old so I went back to one that I have not answered.

Questions:

1.  What feature of the opposite sex do you notice first?
I've never really thought about this. Seriously.  I know it used to be hair.
2.  Do you talk to yourself?
Of course - it means I have money in the bank.
3.  What is your current relationship status?
Married - 14 years next month!
4.  Do you have a garden?
no
5.  What is your favorite licorice flavor?
strawberry

Sunday Souvenir

This was started by my friend and neighbor - this is the first edition of:

Sunday Souvenir

I have an organ in my dining room.  It is currently used as a dust collector and a plant holder (that will be next week).  Whenever someone new comes over, the first question is "do you play?"  Then comes the explanation.

The organ was my Aunt Helen's.  She was the organist at our church forever.  She had a piano and the story goes that I talked her into getting this organ.  This is also the organ I learned how to play piano on - I know totally backwards.

I don't remember how old I was when Aunt Helen go the organ, but I do know that I was in 4th grade when I took piano lessons.  The reason I took piano lessons - I didn't make it into (school) band.  I did make it into band when I was in 5th grade and played clarinet (my second choice) until I graduated from high school.

I did take piano lessons again in about 9th grade and once again practiced on this organ. 

So, this organ has a lot of history.  It still plays well, but the pedals don't work well and now have dog teeth marks on them.  It does get used when my SIL comes to visit because she is currently taking piano lessons.

Every once in awhile I think about getting rid of it.  There are so many memories that when I do get rid of it, it will be hard.

Celebration of a miracle with a concert

Ok - sort of a celebrating with a concert! 

Vincent's surgery was on Monday (August 1) and on Tuesday (August 2) Dan and I went to a concert.

We went to see Cinderella at Rams Head Live.  What a show!  I forgot all of the songs that I knew from them.  I have all of their cds, but didn't think I listened to them so much that I knew every single song that they played!

So, anyway it was kind of a celebration that I could tell my brother I was going to see them since about 2 weeks before, he texted me that Cinderella was going to be in New York.  He knew it was a band that I liked.

Back to Monday - Vincent's surgery was scheduled at 7:30 am.  All day I was thinking of him and we had been texted during the weekend.  I texted the family several times to get updates.  About 2:30 pm my SIL texted me that they had removed his bladder and were reconstructing it.  At about 4:30, I got a call and this is where I found out about the miracle.

At about 10:30 am, the surgeons came out and confirmed with Joanne that she wanted them to continue because the cancer was surrounding a major artery that runs down the leg.  The risk was great that if they cut the artery, Vincent could bleed to death.  If they didn't do anything, he would probably have a year to live.

When they finished the surgery, the surgeon came out and said that he had 2 other surgeons go in behind him and THEY HAD REMOVED ALL OF THE CANCER! They did end up giving him a bag instead of reconstructing his bladder.  That is just in case he needs to have more chemo sooner rather than later.  That will be the next step if they didn't get all of the cancer or if the cancer is still in his blood.  The other amazing thing - they did all of the surgery with 4 small incisions and a robotic arm.

Vincent is doing really well.  He was in ICU for less than 24 hours and was sitting up within that time.  By Wednesday, he was taking small walks.  He started with more liquids yesterday.

It's just a miracle.