January 30, 2010

Thank You Australia for selling Pepperidge Farms your recipe for TimTam.  With Brandeis being married to an Australian, we of course were introduced to this lovely cookie from down under.  Such a delicious thing it is too.  Now Americans can join in to the Tim Tam craze.  Bet you can't eat one.

When we get visitors from down under, they bring us Tim Tam but now we can just go to the local grocery store and pick them up for ourselves.  Yeah!!

January 29, 2010

I love having the kids over. They are always so much fun to watch how they interact with one another.  Majority of the time they get along really well but like most children they do have squabbles.  Here they are putting their puzzles together.

It was funny when Jay finished her puzzle, Ozzie said that it was so pretty.  Jay looked at her brother's which was a race car and hesitated a minute and then said Ozzie, your's looks.........Cool!.

January 28, 2010

Guess where I went to day.  I went and saw my favorite Dentist.  Dr. Paul.  My son-in-law is the best dentist there is.  He worked on a tooth.  Still being a student, it takes awhile.  Here he is with one of his instructors.

He is my favorite dentist.  Afterwards he walked me to the T so I would know where to get the green line.

From there he went home and I took the green line to the orange line to the 101 bus and then home.  Not bad for having a 1 pm appointment and getting home at 7 p.m.  LOL

January 27, 2010

I had Ozzie for and Ozzie day.  We had to go pick his sister up from her Spanish lessons at school.  We had to hang out there until her violin lessons.  So here they are being silly as can be.

January 26, 2010

Ok since moving here to MA, I have this strange thing that happens to my hair.  My hair is naturally straight with a small wave in the back.  But lately, after washing my hair and towel drying, I have curls.  Go figure.

Now if I comb it or brush it, all this will go straight.    Very strange.

January 25, 2010

Today we got the storm from the west coast.  Here where I live in the suburbs of Boston, we just had plain old rain all day.  It was not heavy, just rain.  The wind did blow though.  So when I went to pick up Jay from school, I saw some "Ponding".  At least that is what the weather man here calls it.  YOu tell me.

I would call this a puddle that you should be careful about driving through.  But actually maybe ponding is a better word for it.  Afterall, a puddle is what we can jump over or into.  Well I could do that with this one here, but it is in a parking lot.  So I guess for cars to go through, you don't know how deep it really is.  So maybe ponding is a better word.  Although to be perfectly honest, I don't think there is such a word.

January 24, 2010

Today is the playoffs for football before the Super Bowl.  I love football.  So I will have to take a picture of the team as they play on TV.  LOL.  That and I will be knitting as I watch.  Yahoo.

I was cheering for the Colts and delighted they won.  But then we go to the next game with Bret Farve and the Vikings against the Saints.  Bret Farve got hit so many times that he will be hurting for weeks to come.  I wanted the Vikings to win but they didn't.  Too many turn overs and mistakes......like FUMBLES.  Oh well at least I am happy that the Saints who have never gone to the Super Bowl finally get a chance to go.

January 23, 2010

When Elmo Grows Up was on the agenda today.  I had tickets for my daughter, hubby and kids to go see Sesame Street Live in Lowell at the Memorial Auditorium.  When we got there I was very unhappy where they sat me.  When I ordered on line, the seats were shown to be on the first tier up in the first row.  Well we were seated on the first tier up in the very last row.  SHOCK.  Other people around us were just as disgruntled as I was.  Don't know how that snaffoo happened,  But it turned out ok because just before the show started they let us move up to where the seats that we were suppose to have.  It was terrific.

Oz was totally enthralled with the whole show.  His eyes were clued to the stage the whole time.  Jay just sat back and relaxed but she loved the show.  She claims we must go again next year.  Brand and I just enjoyed watching their faces and reactions to the show.   Paul he dozed through the first part.  LOL

Jay mentioned that her new little brother or sister (in mommy's tummy) also enjoyed the joy but she/he could only hear the show.

January 22, 2010

This has got to be the most viewed labor on FB.  My Grt. Niece kept all of us up to date on her labor to deliver Emma Rose.  Even up to 10 CM dialated.  I was amazed that she hadn't thrown the darn phone across the room.  She went into the hospital on Thursday and Emma darling did not show up until Friday evening.  But here is a photo of her and she is precious.  Gosh I am a Grt Grt Aunt.

She weighed in at 8LBs  3 oz.  I think she is just perfect!

January 21, 2010

Today was another regular day.  I play on the computer, knit and watch tv.  Sounds boring but to be truthful I am still enjoying doing nothing.  Here is what I ate for dinner.  It is chicken with stuffing and peaches.

It's amazing how much more simpler I eat now that I don't work.  When I worked, I spent a lot of time on fast foods and now I don't.  I guess that is better to be simpler.

January 20, 2010

Today is Wednesday and that means I have Ozzie.  I took lots of pictures of him as I always do.  But I couldn't decide between these two.

First he got out the school bus and played with that for a few minutes.  Then I had to get the Thomas set out and he played with that for a few minutes.  Then he dragged the horse costume out and galloped around the house in that for awhile.  Then he decided to climb into the toy box.  Boys are so active and their imagination changes at the drop of a hat.  LOL.

Then Oz and I went to the Mall so I could pay a bill.  In the mall they have those cars that children can ride on that you put money in.  Oz rode on the train, race car, submarine, and the big wheel.  When you run out of money, he is ok with that.  He likes to "Pretend" and play on them.  I saw this sign in the children's clothing store and he was leaning up against the window.  I just couldn't resist taking a picture.  I would never sell this "little monster"  for anything in the whole world.  He does make a cute one though.

January 19, 2010

Ok Ok I missed a day.  Well yesterday I played on the computer, watched tv, took a nap and knitted.  that about sums up my life in a nutshell but I love it.  The freedom to do nothing.  Today was a special election here in MA.  It was a very close race between two candidates that I felt both were good.  It was hard to decide.  But I did.  So off I went to vote.

One of the nice things about living here is that MA people taking voting seriously.  At least it appears that way so far.  A good two weeks before any elections posters go up on almost every main intersection telling people to go and vote on such and such date.  These are not advertising for any candidate, it is just telling people to go vote.  It is a constant reminder.  I like that.  So today we elected a Republican Senator Scott Brown.  I did not vote for him but I am sure that he will do well as our senator.  Both candidates were good.  I was concerned for the health care bill so now we will wait and see what happens in Washington with that.  This is a great country where one can cast a vote and win or lose, we

still get a voice.  So I wish our new senator the best.

January 17, 2010

Nap time:   I will take a nap almost every day.  Most of the time it is because Hannah comes and gets me and will absolutely bug me to get me to go and lie down.  Once  I  lie down, she will snuggle for a little bit, get up walk around me, and then leave.  She is like a mother hen.

January 16, 2010

One of the things that I found confusing when I moved here to MA in the Boston area is that they have squares.  Now people would give me directions to go over by Union Square or Central Square, etc.  It took awhile to figure out where these places were.  How they get to be called a square is a stretch.  I think that they must have been called that because that is where you will find some stores.  It can be a small square where you only have a Dunkin Donut and a drug store or a larger one with other stores around.  It was very confusing for me to have my daughter tell me to meet her at Bloc 11 in Union Square.  What was Bloc 11 and where is Union Square.  So near where I live is a square called Ball square.  It has a Dunkin donut, CVS, a sign maker and a bar.  It has 5 roads intersecting it.  I have discovered that many of these squares are about 1/2 mile apart.  It is sort of like having your neighborhood convenience stores.  We have Powder Square, Teele Square, Davis Square, Porter Square, Kendall Square, etc.  It goes on and on.  Kendall Square has a huge indoor mall and that is probably  2 miles from my home.  So here is a picture of my square near my house.  My Dr.'s office is one block down the street so when telling people where his office is you would tell them near Ball square.  It has taken me over a year to figure out all of this.

This is an interesting intersection to cross.  you just can't go straight across to CVS which is where I was

headed.  California doesn't have this type of city planning because face it they do not have the same historical background that the East has.  I wouldn't trade this for anything.

January 15, 2010

Today was a warm day for us.  Not much sunshine but the temperature was up in the 40's.  So on a short trip out today, I was amazed to see the seagulls sitting on the ice in the Mystic River.  I also notice in the past that the swans also sit on the ice too.  I would think that they would go and hide in the reeds along the shore line but they don't.  The seagulls come in from the ocean which is about 8 miles from where I live.  In CA the seagulls go in land when a storm is coming.  I don't know if that is true here on the east coast or not.

January 14, 2010

My best friend in CA was Judy.  She moved to NH 4 years ago.  I moved to MA 1 1/2 years ago.  She now lives 42 miles away and so we still get together every week.  This is me waiting for her to finish up on her physical therapy.  She has vertigo or more accurately positional vertigo.  Apparently it is different then just vertigo.  We have these crystals in our inner ears that for my friend has floated out of the inner ear and the brain does not know what to do with them.  So she has to have her head repositioned through physical therapy to assist the crystals to return to the inner ear.  Amazing the things our body does.  So I drive her so that she doesn't have to drive being dizzy.  That is what friends are for.

January 13, 2010

Today is Wednesday and I get to watch Oz in the morning.  He is always so excited to come over to Grandma's house.  Today he played for a little bit and then he and I went to the store.  I bought him his lunch and we went into Starbucks where he sat and ate his lunch.  (As well as the whip Cream from my coffee)  He fell asleep on the way home and so he got a nap in.  Yeah.  He is just at that age where naps are catch as catch can.

Mommy and Daddy (Note)  Oz has mac and cheese, chicken and cucumbers for lunch.  The whip cream is his appetizer.

January 12, 2010

Happy Birthday to my sister who turns 70 today.  I wish that I lived near her to get a picture but we are almost 3,000 miles apart.  Today was wash day and so I get out the baskets to put the clothes in.  Teemu loves these baskets.  She climbs in and sleeps and treats it like it is her special home.

Teemu came to us via my Brother Thom and his wife, Laure.  They have both passed away and so we inherited Teemu.  She is now 10 years old and quite settled in with our family.  she hates being picked up but will lie near you and allow you to pet her.  She even lets the Grandkids get close to her and pet her.

January 11, 2010

It's a Monday, and I have Jacqueline in the afternoon.  I always take lots of pictures when I have the kids so of course, I got lots of great pictures of Jay today.  But this morning I went for my mammogram.  That wonderful machine that we all hate and yet we all love because it is a protection for us.  So here is a picture of THE MACHINE

I have to show off one picture of my Jac 0 bean.  She bought a chocolate cupcake at Starbucks and she kind of missed and got it on her face.

We have so much fun together.  It is called a Grandma Day and both kids look forward to having a Grandma Day.  Jay and I came home and Played Jr. Monopoly.  I love being retired.

January 10, 2010

Well I Made this little knitted blanket doll.  It is made out of yarn that is like velvet chinille.  I must remember to never knit with this yarn again because it doesn't knit well.  It is soft when it is finished but difficult to get needles into the stitches when knitting.

January 9, 2010

Pajama day.  I get to stay in and just play all day in my PJ's. So one of the things that I like to play is on line.  I love facebook because it keeps me in touch with so many members of my family and it also has games that we all can play together, which is fun too.  So this is a picture of my farm on Farmville.  I play with my daughter, several nieces and nephews and lots of friends.

It is fun to watch the animals move around on the farm.

January 8, 2010

My friend Judy came down to visit and had some toys to donate to Ozzie's preschool.  So we went over there.  They had this drainage pipe where the water had frozen and I just had to have a picture of it.  It amazes me that water can freeze while moving.

My friend thinks that I am crazy taking pictures all the time.  But I like it and it tells stories that we might just forget about.

January 7, 2010

I know this looks like the same picture but it is the finished baby blanket.  I had to put the fringe on the giraffe's neck, lion's mane and the elephant's head.  I also had to sew all of them on.  My other picture just had all that stuff lying on it.  But I spent the whole day finishing this up.  Not much else did I do.  So here it is.

January 6, 2010

Well I am taking the pictures but I need to remember to post them.  Note to self:  download the pictures onto the computer.  There now I will remember.  LOL
My grandson Ozzi has gotten to the point of stop taking my picture Grandma.  He makes faces or hides his face.  So he was over this morning and playing with his toys and was actually willing to let me take pictures as long as his toy got in the picture too.  He also took pictures of me but I won't show them to anyone.  Here is one I took of him.

Just look at that cute smile and rosy cheeks.  I love you OZ.   Ok I'll put up one that he took of me.

He is only three and he is getting the idea of making sure the subject is on the camera screen.  I think he may be more of an abstract photographer because he would rather take pictures of the top of the coffee table up real close or the inside of the cone on my head.

January 5, 2010

I really like living in Boston.  Actually I don't live in the actual city but a town just 4 miles from the center of Boston but it is still city.  Boston has so many historical buildings and then a lot of beautiful buildings with ornate stuff and designs on them.  All this is mixed in with modern buildings, so it is always fun to just look around to see what you can see. Today I saw this building near the state capital building.  I love the design that it has on the top.  Who thinks up these things.  Just a little flourish on a very simple brick building.

January 4, 2010

I have been working on this baby afghan for about a month.  I have never stitched other knitting on top of something but there is always a first time.  I finally finished all the pieces and now I have to sew the animals and ark on the blanket.  I am sending it off to my Grt. Niece who is expecting Emma Lou tomorrow, Jan 5th.  That's if Emma Lou decides to show up.  LOL  Mommy is ready, more than ready for her appearance.

I will have to finish it up and mail it off.

January 3, 2010

Well winter snowman dropped several inches of snow for the last two days.  I live in the city and when it snows saving a parking space is a primary concern.  Afterall, you put the effort forward to dig your car out, it sucks when someone else comes along and takes your spot.  So people here put chairs out to save their spots.  It is really funny.  So Scott had to go to the grocery store today to get the kitties' some food.  So he brushed the car off and I put a chair in his spot to save his space.

It looks so lonely sitting there.  Maybe put a palm tree next to it?????

Mystery solved.  (I get two for Jan 3)   All last year we could not figure out who was plowing the sidewalk when it snowed.  We would have a nice plowed walking area going down the street.  I finally caught the culprit.  It is Mike a neighbor on the street around the corner.  He plows the sidewalk from his home all the way around the corner, past my home and up to his dad's home.  He does this so his dad can walk over to his home.  I thanked him and I think that is very nice of him to do.

January 2

Hmmmmm My favorite toy.  I love the suggestion and I too also loved my children's Fisher Price play toys.  Boy they sure don't make them like they use to.  I wished that I had saved them.  My best friend held on to her children's and so her grandkids had fun playing with it.  But My grandson loves trains and I have a Fisher Price Thomas the Train Set that he just loves.  I am thinking of keeping that and giving it to him when he has children.  I am sure it will bring back memories for him.

Ozzie loves this train set so much that he borrows Thomas from me to take home to play with at home.  He has even now takes it to his school to play on their tracks.  This is the best train set for little ones.

Well this site is now going to be my 365 photos page. so it will be fun

January 1, 2010
Ok today I went to the Boston Common to see the ice sculptures.  I had envision that there would be several but I was wrong.  there was two.  I was so disappointed.   But here is the one I really liked the best. It is Michaelangelo scupting David.  It was very pretty.

I  had decided that I would go and see theses sculptures before the snow storm would hit.  It was lovely at the Commons.  Lots of people out.  I went with my grandkids and son in law.  Poor Ozzie was very tired and just had a complete meltdown, crying over not wanting to wear his coat.  So Daddy decided to take him home.  So it was just Jay and I.  We say the two sculptures and then headed over to the Prudential Square to meet up with the rest of the family.  We stopped at MCD"S for some hot chocolate that was not good at all.  I had no idea how to get to the Prudential building but went in the direction that I could see.  It took Jay and I a nice long walk to get there.  We went into the mall and discovered we were at the wrong one.  LOL.  But Jay knew how to get across the walkway bridge to get us to the Prudential Square Mall.  We finally met up with the rest of the family.  We had a lovely break at dunkin donuts.  The kids ran all over with daddy chasing them.  Yeah Oz got a second wind and was his cheerful laughing self again.  By the time I got home I was exhausted but I had a great day.