Win a Cruise or $1000.00!

Wow! I know I have been absent for a while. Summer has been busy and I have been soaking up some sun.
But I had to pop in to post about this fantastic give away over at metropolitanmama.net
Please be sure to say I sent you if this is where you hear about it. It is one of the entry rules and plus it makes me feel important. :0)
Good luck but please take me if you win!

WFMW-Saving/Recycling FREE Water

We live in a split level home with the den/family room, laundry room, guest suite, utility room, and an extra bathroom downstairs. There are no windows.
No matter what season or temperature, the lower level always feels "chilled". It is not damp but it feels clammy.
We started running a low level dehumidifier on a 6 hour on/off cycle. It is a 50 pint model and the tank fills about every other day. It shuts off when the reservoir is full.
I use this "free" water for household chores and watering plants. It is just moisture drawn from the air and it is wasteful to pour it out. My home feels more comfortable and I get gallons of "free" water every other day!
While we do not live in an area as severely affected by water shortage as some parts of the country, it is still an effective way to control our household environment and conserve water in one fell swoop.
Be sure to go see lots more nifty tips at Shannon's!

"Day late, dollar short....."

I live in a bubble - apparently.

I seem to find out about stuff up here the day after or later.

I passed up a chance to be an extra in the film in Huntington, W Va, "We Are Marshall", starring my fav, Matthew MacCaunaghey, because it was sleeting. Yeah, I kicked myself.

Also, (don't poke fun) Billy Ray Cyrus dropped by his hometown to give a concert. I missed getting tickets...by one day.

Naomi Judd was the hostess for her mom's Christmas Tour of Homes here this year. I forgot which night it was.

Last night, George Clooney and Renee' Zellweger were in Maysville, KY, about 20 miles from here and where I buy furniture, for the premiere of his new movie, "Leatherheads". He and his aunt, Rosemary Clooney are from there.
I found out today.

But I DO know that Pres. Bill Clinton will be in Chesapeake, W VA, tomorrow, about 10-12 miles from here. He would remember me, especially if I wear my Razorback shirt.

Am I going?
Eh, why break my stellar record? :-\

Ah, Skybus!

I love you....I hate you.

The good news is we enjoyed our $20.00 airfares to San Francisco last month. You were cramped and rude but efficient.

So, we have you planned for our trip to New York and Canada next month. I am ready. I kept in mind the best and worst you have to offer and I have my suitcase and carry on set aside so I can be a good customer. I add to them and take away so I can stay within your guidelines and still have enough essentials to be warm and comfortable.

And then you cancel the route to New York...along with our $10.00 fares.

Ah Skybus, I loathe you!

The only redeeming factor is that we can actually drive to New York (468 miles) in almost the same time it would take us to drive to Columbus, Ohio, wait, and then fly and rent a car.

We are STILL going to see Niagara Falls and Toronto - except I will be able to take as many clothes as I want, I will be able to eat and drink on the trip, and I won't have to hide from the rude flight attendants if I decide to snack on some crackers.

Skybus.....you get what you pay for.

(Oh yeah. I also get to take Blue Pillow this time.
Blue Pillow is my little soft, squishy pillow that I have slept with for years and the trip to Calif. was one of the few times it had to stay home. It WILL go to New York!)

P.S. I WILL get the last post from SF up soon. I have to or else I am going to be looking at the Niagara recap as well!

The Jelly Bean Prayer

RED IS FOR THE BLOOD HE GAVE.

GREEN IS FOR THE GRASS HE MADE.

YELLOW IS FOR THE SUN SO BRIGHT.

ORANGE IS FOR THE EDGE OF NIGHT.

BLACK IS FOR THE SINS WE MADE.

WHITE IS FOR THE GRACE HE GAVE.

PURPLE IS FOR HIS HOUR OF SORROW.

PINK IS FOR OUR NEW TOMORROW.

A BAG FULL OF JELLY BEANS
COLORFUL AND SWEET,

IS A PRAYER, IS A PROMISE,
IS A SPECIAL TREAT

MAY THE JOY OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION
FILL YOUR HEART AND BLESS YOUR LIFE.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Happy, Blessed Easter to All!

San Francisco - Fourth And Final Day, Part One

If you have been following along our little trip, I apologize for the delay.
Life, work, dental appointments....all have a way of disrupting blogging intentions. ;0)
(Remember, you can click on pictures to enlarge - but please, NO borrowing!)








Aww, our last day was kind of sad.
We had such a good trip, enjoyed our time together so much, and saw so many interesting sights...I really hated to leave.
But we still had things to do and places to see so we started our morning as all others - up bright and early, breakfast downstairs, a recap of the day's agenda, and a brisk morning walk down to Fisherman's Wharf.
I loved the brisk, cool, salt-tinged air!

We had decided to go to Alcatraz Island first so we would plenty of time to explore. We headed to the dock to catch the ferry boat.


We slipped in right at the gate closing!
Whew!
We almost missed the boat! ;0)










We took a lot of pictures from around and inside the prison.





We used the audio MP3 tours and it was very interesting to hear the history of the prison, its inmates, and colorful tales.




I found it rather depressing and intimidating but fascinating at the same time.
The recurrent theme was that NO ONE had ever escaped from Alcatraz alive.
However, when listening to the story of the three inmates who escaped by digging out with spoons and leaving papier mache' heads on their cots as decoys, I noticed a sign posted in one of the cells. It states that items contained within were used as props in the "Most Wanted" television series and that the "three men were still considered to be fugitives".
So!



They DID escape, or at least made it off the island.
It's hard to believe anyone could survive that choppy, freezing cold water and swim over a mile to land.
But who knows for sure?








The Feller and I had a long conversation about the possibilities and "what ifs".
It was a very intriguing place to visit and strangely beautiful. I found myself needing to take deep cleansing breaths as we pulled away, back to "freedom".
(Being confined is a huge phobia of mine.) ;0)


Okay, pretty flowers to make me think of something less scary! ;0)





It was a bit early in the year for the gardens but Alcatraz is said to have beautiful flower gardens. Maybe next time....






Then,it was back on the boat and ferried back to SF.



We had both worked up an appetite and it was now or never to get my crab!
We headed to the Wharf and selected a vendor and ordered a yummy Dunganess crab.
He promptly dropped in a huge vat of boiling water
(for about 45 seconds max!),
then he swiftly cracked the crab so I could pick the sweet flesh out more easily.
Oh, I could barely wait to dig in!




Could I have looked any more goofy?!

Ummmmmm!


He got the chowder in the sour dough bread bowl again.
Next time, we have decided he should just get a big bowl
of soup with bread on the side.
There is not enough chowder in the bowl....but it sure is tasty!
We found a little patio with public seating and ate our lunch there.
We had eaten there before and knew to expect visitors.
And yes, I always save a crumb for those pesky gulls and pigeons!




After our little appetizers, we decided to walk about the Wharf some more. We only had a few more hours and we still had things to see and do.
We decided to take our Boudin Bakery tour but they were having a private event so we settled on some pictures and I bought a French loaf of sour dough bread for the trip home.








Back later with the wrap up our day.

San Francisco - Day Three, Part Two

It has taken me a while to continue as I have been working and blogger has been difficult. It will only let me upload one picture at a time. That takes forever!

After we left the Legion of Honor, we hopped a bus back to Fisherman's Wharf. We got off around Pier 33 and decided to ride a trolley car.
We found a stop and decided which one to get on. I kept telling the Feller I wanted "an old, original one". :0)



The one we hopped on was old, but not what I meant. And it was funny...it only took us up the street a block or two. We finally made it downtown on Market Street and got off in the Financial District where we had started the first day.


We found the trolley car turn-around and Feller was amused by the way they have to physically turn the cars around and point them back down the hill. We had found the "old" cars and I was excited to get to ride one. This was "San Francisco" and I was tickled.




Here I am, Miss Eager Beaver, at the front of the line. Couldn't wait to hop on!

Our driver was so funny and entertaining. I was pleasantly surprised how open and engaging and friendly our encounters were in California. The folks reminded me a lot of southern people. It made for such a fun trip.

I was leaning out on the running boards to get a better shot of the hills.




Wheeee! And it was about here that I sang the old Rice-A-Roni jingle....just a little....as I had promised him I would. ;-)


It was time for some more walking. We headed back toward Lombard Street. After stopping into a corner coffee shop for one of the best cups of coffee I have ever had, I was ready to tackle the steep climb up America's crookedest street! (Oh, my aching feet!)

(Just a cute flower cart that caught my eye. It reminded me of the lovely old florist carts in France.)


Look at the SLOPE of this street!



That is Coit Tower in the background.











After taking a few pictures and watching the traffic navigate that really steep hill, we had to walk back DOWN that hill. Wow.



We walked back down toward Little Italy. The irony of this teeny tiny apartment next to a nice hotel, above a cleaners, with LAUNDRY hanging out....just made me laugh.

We hopped a bus, rode down to Fisherman's Wharf and decided to partake of an early dinner once more. We both like Nonna Rose so much, it was easy to make that choice.
I looked forward to sitting down as my feet and legs were REALLY beginning to hurt and make me miserable. Maybe I will learn not to overdo it some day...but not likely.


Ummmm, clam chowder, sour dough bread, bruschetta, (pronounced [brusˈket:a]) - tasty appetizers.

(Just a note: My daughter is hostess for an Italian restaurant in the Virginia Highlands. She made brushcetta for me last summer and taught me how to make it. I have to say, hers is better than Nonna Rose's!)




Yummy shrimp salad again.




The Feller got this dish:
Sautéed Shrimp & Scallop and Salmon, Roasted Garlic, Tomato, Mushrooms with Rice

Yummmmm!


And I got this:
Sautéed Shrimp & Scallop, Roasted Garlic, Tomato, Mushrooms with Rice



Ah, another end to another fun day. Tired as I was, we had a wonderful time and were ready to rest and retire.
It was another full day - the Legion of Honor Museum, Pier 33, Market Street, trolley car ride, walking UP and DOWN Lombard Street, dinner. The Feller took it easy on me this day and I appreciated him taking care of me. *Thanks, Love!*

We snapped a few pictures on our dusk dark stroll back to the hotel. San Francisco is a beautiful, friendly city with SO much to see and do. I felt sad that we only had one day left. There was still so much I wanted to see and do!
Here are just a few "neighborhood" shots:









Look who we saw again? The Feller's pals! ;0)




See ya' later, Boys!



You see that sign in the store window behind the sea lion? Maybe I should have checked that out!


Our last day is coming soon.....