NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS

NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS and OTHER STUFF...JULY 31 2012....

Effective August 1st, my one and only e-mail address is:  marthadou72@g.mail.com

My profile does not allow me to make a change.  Maybe bossman can figure it out.  So just ignore the Hughes.net. 

Lots of pounding and stuff going on today over-head.  Was upstairs last evening - looks like a war zone.   Did get a peek at the new shower stall - it is humongous.  Could have a whale of a shower party in there.

Going to actually cook a meal tonight - hamburger, fried green tomatoes and corn on the cob.  The T's and C are out of the garden.  Yummmmmmmmmmm.

Notified everyone in my e-mail  address book re new e-mail.  Rebecca taking care of my web-site.

Down side - had just re-ordered 500 business cards.  Guess where they are going - yep - trash.  Never fails.  Will be printing my own when my typing improves.

I can only think of one more thing that needs done shortly - and that is to pay Pa any state tax I collected the first 6 months of the year.  I am on a 6 month pmt. schedule, due in August and February.

Every day I feel better, getting harder not to get up and go.
Not used to just taking it easy.  One thing, will be well rested when I can resume my normal schedule.

Have been re-arranging the upstairs stuff that is now down-stairs stuff, so I can take it back upstairs and re-arrange it again.  Neither the stuff or I am going to know what is what.

Other-wise I thank everyone for their thoughts, well wishes and prayers.  It does make a difference.

Will be off line as our Internet dish is being replaced tomorrow.  Will no longer be hughes.net.  What  it will be, I don't know.  A whole new ball game.  Getting too old for all these changes.

Will be back as soon as possible.  Take care and God Bless.

TIME ON MY HANDS

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED......JULY 30 2012......

how you would react if your 18 year old daughter, upon graduating from H.S., decided to leave the nest and "see the world" before starting college in the fall?

They have to start somewhere.  It is not until the last minute you realize a young man is involved. 

She promises to keep in touch. 

Hence my first book review.  Don't know what I am doing but should be able ti fake it.

.................





FINDING AMY

by

SUNNY SERAFINO

This is a well written story of a Mother's search.  In the beginning post cards arrived, but as time went by they became fewer and fewer, Amy never returned home, just the post cards.

The final post card was from Philadelphia Pa.  Then nothing,

Days became months.  Months became years.  Always waiting.

One morning Amy's Mother awakened with a sense of urgency, it was time to leave Florida and travel to Philadelphia, time to find Amy.

This is a classic "cold case" story, involving the police, a private investigator, new friends, dead-ends, frustration. heart-ache and hope.

It is a book that you don't want to put down.

There is mystery, romance, the renewal of faith, and the knowledge that God's plan is not necessarily your plan.  And at the end of the rainbow there is a pot of gold, just not what you expected, but so much better than you could imagine.

......................

This book is published by Double Edge Press in Scenery Hill Pa.  Check out their entire line of published books.  You  can't go wrong.

Sure will be glad when the work is finished upstairs and I can get back on my computer and start to finish editing my pictures, and all that good stuff.

I feel completely out of the looop.   Not my style at all.

I know the dogs are getting very tired of all this stuff.  Their routine has been disrupted and that is a "no-no".

So stay cool, enjoy your routine and God Bless.





ODDS 'n ENDS

ODDS 'n ENDS ... JULY 29 2012....

Sunday morning and all is well.  Everything dry - no sign of a leak - but then who knows what the ghost has planned for my entertainment today.

I do know now what my new shower will look like - and no I have not been in the house,  There is a big hole in the bathroom flooor looking down in to the family room.  Looking up I can see it.  Looks awesome after the yucky old bath tub.

I guess they had a large turnout at the Barnstormers picnic yesterday.  It is always a fun day and one of my highlights of the year,  Maybe next year.......

As soon as I can type better will do my first, and maybe my second book review.  Lots of time to read right now.  And both books I will be reviewing are excellent stories, well worth reading and sharing.

Have to make some phone calls - I now have my "telephone book" so that will be something to do today.

I hope all of you have a good day, count your blessings, and God Bless.

I TOLD HIM

I TOLD HIM THE HOUSE WAS HAUNTED...JULY 28 2012...

But would he listen?  No.  Just goes to show....

Came home Wednesday.  working on bathroom directly over-head.  Pounding, sawing, hammering.

Ever since we moved here I would hear strange sounds - creaks, doors opening, things falling..  But NO - it was not haunted....

Last night while sleeping, a leak decided to make itself known. This morning was wet carpet and water dripping.  Called Panhandle,  men were sent.  Collected a couple of gallons of water in trash can before it let up.

Checked everywhere - no leak found, but some of the over-heard insulation was wet, took that down, nothing wet but the insulation.  And it WAS wet!

After more searching, head scratching, you name its, they think they found a joint leaking, just barely, where they were working in  the bathroom.

Now a dehumidifier is running, two giant fans running, I can't hear myself think.

I still say the house is haunted as there is no way that much water would have accumulated in such a short time......

But then, what do I know?

Have a good day and God Bless.

LITTLE BY LITTLE

LITTLE BY LITTLE...JULY 27 2012....

Every  day a little bit better.  Writing is the worst.  Actually fixed and cooked pot of green beans - from my garden - for supper.

The worst  is being stuck downstairs and hearing the work being done upstairs and not able to supervise.

Also will miss the barnstormers picnic tomorrow.  Held in Belmont Ohio,  anyone want to be chauffeur for a day?

Non members welcome at no charge, lots of fun and lots of good food.  That is the best part.

As soon as my typing gets a little better will finish the Ireland Odyssey. 

Getting the much needed rain.  Things  getting greener.  In the meantime enjoy your day and God Bless.

UP AND RUNNING?

MORE LIKE BABY STEPS...JULY 26 2012

Got home yesterday.  not ready to run marathon but up and moving.

I want to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers, well-wishes and cards. 

I know I have a long way to go, but it could have been a lot worse.

Will take a while for my typing to go from hunt and peck, but just a few days ago I could not have even done this.

So count your blessings, live each to its fullest, and God Bless.

ALMOST DONE AND DAY 10

ALMOST DONE and DAY 10 IRISH ODYSSEY ... JULY 11 2012....

Should finish emptying everything for the remodeling project starting Monday morning.  Then it is matting and/or framing some new pictures I have printed for the Cain Park Art Festival this coming weekend in Cleveland Heights.  Will leave tomorrow and return Sunday night.

Our satellite dish for internet service has developed some problems, never know when I will have internet up and running.  Was out last night.  Back up this morning.  Repairs should be forth-coming.

Now that all of the above is out of the way, will proceed to Day 10 of our Ireland Trip.  Almost over.

The morning of Day 10 we drove to Belfast, where  we visited the Titanic museum.    It rained all the way, was pouring as we dashed from the bus to the museum. 





Learned about the construction of the great ship, a lot of history there.  I didn't realise that the Titanic had been built in Ireland.  I knew it sailed from Liverpool England, but never really thought about where it had been  built. 

The VERY BEST of the trip was saved for last.  We arrived at, and stayed the night at, Cabra Castle.

What en experience!  The castle was just spectacular.   We learned that there were wedding receptions at the castle every - that right every - day or evening of the year.  There was one scheduled that evening.  I saw, and photographed, the bride arriving in a horse drawn carriage. 

I met Oscar, the Irish Wolfhound that has graced the castle lawns, and the castle itself, for well over 100 years.  Pretty old dog.  Actually as one Oscar passes on, a new Oscar arrives.  And the tradition goes on and on.

Oscar meets all incoming guests, standing by the bus door as we all dis-embark, meeting the carriage to say "hello" to the bride, taking walks with you as you take in the grounds. 

I could not imagine a better ending to an unbelievable trip.  We spent the night, were to leave in the morning to return to Dublin. 

If my internet is up and running I can finish our Ireland trip tomorrow before leaving for Cleveland Heights.  If not, will, hopefully, finish when I return.

Enjoy your weekend.  Rain is predicted.  No guarantees, but we really really do need the rain.

Stay dry, stay safe, and God Bless. 

UP AND AT 'EM

UP AND AT 'EM ... JULY 10 2012 ...

That's right.  I am up and rollin'.  Lots to do, short on time.  But what is new about that?

First I will finish my past weekend with Ted and Judy, then, hopefully,  will get back to the Irish Odyssey.  But this is a short week for me, blogging wise.  Will be leaving Thursday for Cleveland Heights, will not return until Sunday night.

Whatever I don't get done, as far as clearing out the kitchen and bathroom bossman will have to finish.  He just loves that Idea!

Anyhoo - Sunday we were up at 6 a.m., had first of the morning coffee, then headed out for breakfast.  From there we leisurely drove the Old National Road (Route 40) from Washington to the turnoff for Falling Water...

From Washington it was a little over an hour.  We stopped to take some pics on the way, our tour was scheduled for 11 a.m., we arrived about 10:30.  Were able to scope out the gift shop, found what we wanted to purchase after the tour.  It was my third time there, but you always see something new.

Ted and Judy had never been there, they thoroughly enjoyed it.  We were told during the tour that the day before (Saturday when we were at McConnells Mill) by mid-afternoon for the later in the day tours, it was 105 - right - 105 degrees inside the house.  

Searights Toll House on Route 40. That's right, you had to pay a toll to travel Route 40 inthe 1800's.

After the tour we had lunch in the Cafe, made our purchases, then decided to head over to Kentuck Knob.  We stopped at Ohiopyle on the way to take pics.

Russ - this is for you and Kay:  saw all those red white water rafts lined up, with a bright yellow kyak off to the side.  Picture time!  I pull into a pull off, Judy and I are out of the van taking pictures, when a park ranger approached us and said we had to move our vehicle, - I guess it was a bus stop.  Anyway we got our pics. 

Ted has decided, what with all our stopping to take pictures, getting chased, etc., that next time he will let the two nutty females go and do whatever, just don't call if we get in to trouble.

From there we hit the Cucumber Falls State Park, wasn't much of a falls as it is so dry, just a trickle of water. 

We arrived at Kentuck Knob about 2:15 p.m.  Our tour was scheduled for 4:15.  We checked in at the ticket office, were told that since we were the only ones on the 4:15 tour, we could take the shuttle to the house at 2:45 and do an earlier tour, it is was o.k. with us.

Definitely was.  They gave us ID badges to wear with ID on them.  And so for half an hour we toured the sculpture gardens, were back in time to have ice cream before boarding the shuttle.

There were about a dozen other folks on same shuttle.  Arriving at the house, as I stepped off the shuttle this gal with her  KK ID stopped me and asked where the rest of my party was.  I pointed to T & J, she motioned them over and asked us to follow her.

Now what.  I don't remember us doing anything strange or crazy, we just sat in our seats, but we ere removed from the group and their tour guide.

Lo and behold, somehow - darned if I know what I did - we had signed up for the IN DEPTH tour (ID).  Everyone else had a number on their tags indicating their tour.

One of the views from the top of the knob a short distance from the house.


The In-depth tour was private.  We had our own tour guide, saw places in the house where the run-of-the-mill tours never go, our tour lasted longer than the regular tour, and, oh my!, the stories she told and the history we heard.

As much as we loved Falling Water, Kentuck Knob is far and away our favorite.  We had a ball.  Only downside is you cannot takes pics inside the buildings, but as many as you want outside.

From there we headed home, stopping for a bite to eat, takingmore pics, and then Ted proceeded to tell Jerry about our stopping everywhere, walking on the roads, cars whizzing by, taking pictures of heaven only knows what.  Bossman told Ted that was why he never went.  We had a ball, drank wine and laughed until we hurt.

But, all good things come to an end.  T&J left yesterday morning, I have been moving stuff out of the kitchen, dining room, and bathroom.  So had better get off my you-know-what and get busy.

At least it has cooled off some.  Enjoy and God Bless.

I WAS GOING TO SAY GOOD MORNING BUT....

I WAS GOING TO SAY "GOOD MORNING" BUT.....

It is actually afternoon.  And so "GOOD AFTERNOON".

What a whir-wind since my last visit on Friday.

My friends arrived from Senecaville Ohio mid-morning.  As of when they left to come here their electric had never been restored.  Boy! Did they love the air conditioning.

They had a chance to shower and wash hair and all that stuff before we left for the wedding later that afternoon.  Then on to the reception.

What an afternoon and evening!  A beautiful wedding, great reception, an hour of hor d'ourves and drinks, then the dinner, complete with desert, then a large table set up with nothing but coffee and pies and cakes, and, you name it, it was there.  Then a second table with coffee and cookies - every imaginable kind.  Russ and his family were handing out take-out containers and telling us "Please take all you can home with you".  Needless to say it was late when we arrived home.

Saturday morning we kind of slept in just a little, then had our coffee, then headed out to have breakfast on our way to McConnell's Mill State Park.  It was hot.  It was really really hot.  We were in the mill, outside the mill, taking pictures, in and out, then to the covered bridge, taking pictures, walking along the path down-river, taking pictures.  Ted took a few, but mostly he just watched Judy and me and shook his head.

Arrived home early evening, had sandwiches, wine, cheese and crackers, sat on the deck a while, the called it a day.  Sunday would be a long day, we had to be up by 6 a.m.

Will finish this blog tomorrow.  After they left this morning have been cleaning out all my dining room and kitchen cabinets and under the counters as the crew will arrive Monday morning to start remodeling my dining room, kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room.  Everything has to be empty. 

Hope to finish the kitchen today and tomorrow, do the bathroom, and finish the laundry room on Wednesday.  Have to leave Thursday for Cleveland Heights and the Cain Park Art Festival on Friday thru Sunday.  Will get home late Sunday night, then spend the next 2-3 weeks watching my rooms being demolished and rebuilt.

And so, after reading this, take a deep breath, a long stretch, pretend you know how I feel, and God Bless.

GOOD MORNING

GOOD MORNING ... JULY 06 2012 ....

That's right - 'Good Morning'.  No Irish odyssey today, darn.  Right now too much going on, and it takes a lot of time to chose which pictures I am going to use, reduce them in size, upload them, then add them to the blog.  There probably won't be any more blogs  on  Ireland until Monday.    Depends.  On a lot of things.

Expecting, just any time now, the two couples that are arriving from Ohio for tonight's wedding.  Wednesday and yesterday were whirl-wind days.

Wednesday thoroughly cleaned the house.  Took all day, as this bus makes frequent stops.

Yesterday - another story.  After finishing my blog, had go get pictures together.  I was the guest speaker at noon for the Golden Agers yesterday and I was asked if I could speak about our covered bridges, etc., etc.

Didn't get out of there until around 2 p.m., headed to the walmart at The Highlands to buy company food.  Got home just in time to fix supper for bossman, then used the push mower to trim around the flowerbeds.  After that headed for the garden to get my tomato plants staked.  Whew!!!!

Today will be (easy?).  Have lunch for company, then try to clean up my act so I look presentable for the wedding, which is at 4:30 p.m.  Don't know what time we will arrive home. 

As far as I know, Ted and Judy and spending the entire weekend.  As they have never had a chance to do much sight-seeing and  photography in this area (Judy is the photographer), I have tentatively planned the weekend - based on their thoughts when they arrive.

If all goes according to plan, will go to McConnell's Mill tomorrow.  It will be an easy day.

Sunday, will tour Falling Water and Kentuck Knob.  A little longer day.  On Monday they will be heading home and pick up their dog at the kennel.  I will be seeing them again in August, as I will be staying with them for the Y-Bridge Festival the first weekend, and the Salt Fork Arts festival the second weekend.

So, better get my you know what in gear, and try to stay cool at the same time.

Pray for the folks still without electric in this horrendous heat wave, stay safe, and cool, and God Bless.

IRISH ODYSSEY - DAY 9

IRISH ODYSSEY ... DAY 9 ... JULY 05 2012 ...

Another storm last night just after midnight.  Lots of wind, lightning every where, lights blinked, but stayed on, and rain.  We needed the rain, but not the lightning fireworks, thank you.

Lots of humidity today, looks like more rain.  Hope that is all we get.

Watched an old movie on TMC  last night - Yankee Doodle Dandy - with James Cagney.  I had forgotten what a great movie it was.  And how very appropriate for the 4th of July.

Friends from Sardis, Ohio probably coming this evening to spend the night - they are still without electric, live in the country, have a well, no power, no water, etc. etc.  As they are going to the wedding tomorrow night  they might as well come here and get one cool night's sleep.

Friends from Senecaville arriving tomorrow morning.  Hopefully no more storms will make an appearance.

Now for happier things - Day 9 of our odyssey.

This was the day we did the Derry Walk, Dunluce Castle, and the Giant's Causeway.

DERRY WALK...we had a tour guide board the bus with us, and as we slowly drove around Derry he told us about the "troubles", and brought that period of their civil war to life.  We saw the many murals through-out the city depicting that time of their history.

Both the Catholics and Protestants thought they were right.  No one really won.  They reached an agreement, and a truce was signed.  In fact in 2010 a walking bridge across the River Foyle was completed.  Called the Peace Bridge.

After we completed our drive-thru we walked the 'Wall of Derry'.  Now for some history:

 Derry is also known as Londonderry.  It is the second largest city in Northern Ireland, the 4th
largest city on the Island of Ireland.  the old walled city lies on the west bank of the River Foyle.  The city now covers both banks.

Derry has the only remaining completely
intact walled city in Ireland.  The walls were built during the period of 1613 to 1619, withstood attempted invasions from England and Scotland.  The wall stands intact today, we walked the wall, our guide was great, what a wonderful way to spend the morning.

We had started early 8 a.m., so it was only mid-morning when we finished our tour, we re boarded the bus and left Derry for Dunluce Castle and the Giant's Causeway.

Dunluce Castle was built by Richard de Burgh, Second Earl of Ulster.  It is surrounded by steep drops on either side, accessible by bridge connecting it to the mainland.  Built in the 13th century, the castle changed hands many times  Finally in 1690, following the Battle of the Boyne, the castle has stood empty and is gradually deteriorating.

Our final stop was the Giant's Causeway.  This has been declared a World Heritage Site  due to the unique nature of its geology.

Composed of 40,000 (you are reading this right) regular shaped basalt columns packed closely together as if forming a stepping stone pathway, stretching out to sea.  the columns were formed by the cooling and shrinking of molten lava from a volcanic eruption over 60 MILLION years ago.  Most of the columns are hexagonal, but some have 4, 5 6, and even as many as 8 sides.

The tallest coluns are 36 feet in height.  Local legend tells how it was actually the Giant Finn McCool who created the Giant's Causeway to challenge his Scottish rival Benandonner.

Because of their curious shapes, some of the rock features at the Causeway have been given familiar names, Such as the Giant's Gate, the Witch Chair, The Camel, the Organ and so on
Every rock is unique and has it's own story.

From there we returned to Derry for out last night there before checking out in the morning heading to our next adventure.

Hope you are enjoying the odyssey, keep tuned in as my life never slows down.  Take care and God Bless.

IRISH ODYSSEY - DAY 8

IRISH ODYSSEY ... DAY 8 ... JULY 04 2012...

Another hot day.  No rain here, but there was rain in other areas.  Guess we will just dry up and blow away.  Pleasant thought.

Today bossman and I have the place to ourselves.  No cook-out.  No guests.  Just us and the dogs.  But that doesn't mean we will be loafing.

Major house-cleaning to be done today.  Friends from Senecaville Ohio arriving Friday morning to spend the weekend.  Another friend's youngest daughter getting married Friday evening.  Russ (the father of the bride) informed me there would be an 'ARTISTS TABLE' at the reception for all of our artist friends to sit at.  Does that make us special?  Or just weird?

But for now will share Day 8 with you.  Only 4 more to go.

We checked out of our hotel in Galway, and drove north to Castlebar and the Museum of Country Life.  It was interesting, but the best part of all was finding the thatch-roof cottage, showing the three different types of thatching, and the actual work being done.   Next best thing was the big tree where Nancy and I had our picture taken.  I also took pictures of several of the other couples on our tour at the same tree.

From there we continued north to County Sligo and visited the Drumcliffe Churchyard to see the grave of the writer W. B. Yates. 

I love to visit these old cemeteries.  They are so very unique.

Our last stop of the day before checking into our hotel in Derry, Northern Ireland, was the Belleek Pottery Factory.

Our tour took us from the wet clay through the final steps for the finished product.  Of course most of us brought a piece of Belleek Pottery home with us, my purchase was a candy dish.

As Northern Ireland was getting ready to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 60th Jubilee, they were in the process of finishing 60 pottery basket bowls to be given when the Queen arrived.  How neat!

From there we continued to Derry.  It kind of gave me a strange feeling, knowing we were in Northern Ireland, what with all the fighting between the Catholics and Protestants.  They are at peace now, but still, you wondered.

Bob, our driver, told us just to relax, we would not be there if there were any danger, just DO NOT TALK POLITICS OR RELIGION. Needless to say we were very aware of what we were saying.

Everyone in Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, treated us as very special guests.  Bob had told us that if it were not for the tourists (American tourists being the majority), that both Irelands, experiencing hard financial times, would probably sink.  Hence, the 'royal' treatment.

I loved the country, the history, the ruins, the scenery, and the people.  Everywhere we went Nancy and I tried to talk to some of the locals, it was fascinating to compare life styles.

And, so, enough of my rambling for today.  Enjoy your 4th, and the fireworks, stay safe, and God Bless.