Saturday, October 31, 2009

Oct 31st

I hate when Halloween is on a Saturday. It just seems to go on and on FOREVER!

Last night's dinner at Tesoro's was nothing short of a food orgie!!! I'm so full today!
It started with ....
-pizza bread
-an olive and cheese platter
-mozzarella, roasted peppers and prosciutto platter with balsamic vinegar sprinkled around
-Clams Oreganata
-Eggplant Rollatine
-Shrimp wrapped in Bacon (the BEST!!)
Then out came the pasta with a fresh tomato sauce and basil on top
I ordered the Veal dish. It was Veal bla bla bla Marsala. I don't know the word that was in the middle. It was veal, rolled with spinach and cheese in the middle with a delicious Marsala sauce and mushrooms on top. YUM! PJ got the Salmon. They also came with potatoes and broccoli.
THEN came the dessert....
Platters of Tiramasu, cream puffs, chocolate mousse cake , cheesecake, cannolis, cookies, boscotti and Tartuffo, PJ's favorite. They brought PJ over an extra plate full of Tartufo because they know he loves it so much.
We didn't end up leaving until about 11:00. We had a really nice time and a GREAT dinner!
The Yankees have Game 3 tonight. It went until almost 1:00 AM. I went to bed but PJ told me that................................................................................................................................................

THE YANKEES WON!!!!!!

Friday, October 30, 2009

Oct 30th
Tonight is our Softball Dinner at Tesoro's. I've been salivating over the shrimp wrapped in bacon with that delicious sauce over them for about a week now in anticipation!!

Good food, Good friends.... what more could you ask for!!!!!!


Oct 29th

I spent a good part of today organizing and packing for Sunday's crop. I LOVE going to crops, especially the fundraiser ones. I hope I win a raffle this time or at least someone at my table. We need lots of excitement!!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Oct 28th
Boston Market has a $1 meal deal going on with a coupon. I decided to give it a try. I was plesently surprised. It was delicious and I'M STUFFED!!!!

Alyssa carved this pumpkin the other night to show her support of the Yankees. Tonight is Game 1 of the World Series so hopefully the'll have a good game. Hopefully the rain will STOP!
Oct 27th
Today was a dismil , rainy day. What else to do but declutter! I bought 2 boxes of cooking magazines during the summer from garage sales. I gave a lot of them away to M., who loves to cook. Normally I would just donate the rest of them but decided to list them on Craigslist. A few months ago I put a bunch of scrapbooking magazines on craigslist and got good $ for it. I also decided to get rid of my scrapbooking books. I'm going to a crop on Sunday. Having extra $, other that what I'm planning on bringing, would be very nice!!!



At lunchtime I went to Dad's house to get him his lunch. He's seeming much more frail again. It took him about 20 minutes to be able to scoot over just about 6" while sitting in his bed. He didn't want any help so I just watched.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Oct 26th

I decided to use the bread machine today. I made these delicious Cresent Rolls. They reminded us of Uncle Stan's rolls. They were really good! I made 2 trays of them and this is all there was left:
Scott had to have AT LEAST 10 of them if not more! The recipe will be in my cooking blog.

Oct 25th

PJ and I decided to take the MGB out for a spin to take advantage of the beautiful weather we're having today. We always end up in Massapequa near the nice houses. We stumbled on to a garage sale and hit the mother load! They had a box of qt. size and a box of jelly jar size canning jars for $1 per box! One of the boxes had a rolled up tube of newspaper that I thought was holding the jars from moving around. When we got home I looked and it was a pretty glass bud vase rolled up in the paper. We also got a bread machine $3 (it's a bigger capacity than mine I mine is broken anyway!), and a food dehydrator for Scott for $3. He mentioned a while ago that he wanted one of them!

I didn't realize that the beach chairs were in the trunk. When we got everything piled into the car I told PJ to use side streets to go home so no one would see us. We had the boxes of jars and the dehydrator on my lap and the bread maker between us at our head level. We looked so funny! Well, we took Merrick Rd and 135 to get home so EVERYONE saw us!!
I wish I had my camera for that one!!
Oct 24th

We did our last running around with brooke. She wanted to be sure to get to the Cookie Factory in Hicksville for their Rainbow Cookies and Black & White Cookies. They're her favorite and you can't buy them in FL. We ended up driving to Guintas for the Rainbow cookies because they were fresher looking and more for the $.
Brooke left to go back to FL at 7:30 tonight. The Yankee game was canceled because of the rain. She was really disappointed because she wanted to watch the game on the tv while flying home. I guess the food channel will be on now!

Oct 23rd

Alyssa went to the Dr. today. Her back seems to be doing good. He said that the epidural usually lasts for 9 months to a year. By that time, her disk should have healed and she'd be as good as new. She needs to go to a few therapy visits to strengthen her back though.
We went to visit Grandpa (my father). He was happy to see everyone but that was about it. He continued to read the newspaper as we chatted with Ann. Typical!

Friday, October 23, 2009

Oct 22nd
Today we went to City Island to visit Pops. Cousin Jeannie came by for lunch as well. It's always a pleasure catching up with her. Pops was so happy to see us. It was sad to see him. He cried a lot yesterday. He's doing well but you can really see a change in his health. He's pretty forgetful now, hard of hearing and walks pretty unsteady. He still has his sense of humor though! He's not supposed to drive and is to stay on City Island. He told us that he HAD to get out so being that the weather was nice, he took the car out, went off the island and bought
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS! He said that he'll put them up tomorrow because it's so nice out and he doesn't want to deal with them in the cold. Makes sense! Aunt Winnie and Uncle Ronnie stopped by. That lady never shuts up! I could NEVER live with her!
We had Jeannie take our picture outside. It's amazing how the sun changes the color of your hair when it shines on you!! Right now my hair is BROWN, not the RED in the picture!


Jeannie and Pops
Oct 21st
The girls went to the city today. It's nice seeing them together again!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Oct 20th

Brooke flew in today. It's like she never left! The conversations just continue as the do all the time and everything just flows!
Alyssa and Brooke went to get their eyebrows waxed so I decided to try to make a card that I've been meaning to for a while. It's called a Wiper Card. The video explains it all. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDrn0UG2Bto This was the display card.
Oct 19th

I painted the chair rail in the dining room today. It needed 4 coats of paint! I put the blue painters tape along the top and bottom so I wouldn't mess up the wallpaper on top and the paint under the rail. When I started to take off the tape, I noticed that it was ripping the top layer of wallpaper off! It was mostly just a skinny line close to the rail. One spot took off about a 2" X 5 " spot! I was trying to avoid rewallpapering because there's nothing wrong with it. It's paper though and not that sanitest or whatever that stronger wallpaper is made out of. I think I'm going to try to hide it for a while and when we need to, then I'll change it. It's not in a spot that everyone will see so it's not that bad but I know it's there!


Oct 18th

We were supposed to have a norester today with lots of flooding. We hardly got any rain!!! It was a boring day. PJ watched about 4 or 5 hours of football. He hardly ever does that so i figured I should just not say anything. It's his only day off this week. But WHAT A BORING DAY FOR ME!!!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Oct 17th
This morning I sat down to watch the Dr. Oz show that I taped yesterday. It was the episode that PJ and I went to last month. We're sitting behind that Ask Dr Oz sign. It looks like PJ has a mustache! I took the pic from the tv. That part of the episode was the funniest part of the show... and gross I might add. The girl was asking about.... well, just listen! http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/nose-picking-achy-joints-cholesterol-and-food-allergies

Friday, October 16, 2009

Oct 15th
What a nasty day. It rained pretty much all day.
I went to the VA Administration with Ann today. Lots of paperwork that needs to be filled out!
PJ and I went out to dinner with P & N. We went to Big Daddy's in Massapequa.


"Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler"
Cajun French for
"Let the good times roll!"

I've heard great things about this place. It's typical New Orleans fare. The atmosphere is nothing to write home about but the food was EXCELLANT! We shared the Crabmeat Beignets as an appetizer. They were so good. I would have never guessed that you can have a filling in them but then again, why not? YUM!
I had a cup of Gumbo which I gave to PJ after I ate about 1/3 of it. I broke out in such a sweat! It was SPICY! I got the Shrimp Etouffee that i ordered. What a huge plateful! It was really good but more spicy that I would have preferred. I was stuffed after about 1/4 of it but ate a little more. I brought the rest home. Scott tasted it and said it was good but that he likes mine better. That made me smile! Alyssa started choking! She tasted a very spicy part and she loves spicy foods!
We had a very nice time with a lot of laughs.
Oct 14th
The Easter Lily flowers opened up. They're beautiful! The dining room smells like springtime!

Oct 13th



Today is my birthday! I had a very funny moment today. I went to AC Moore to use a gift card. While shopping, Alyssa called my cell phone asking when I'd be coming home. I said I'd be home in about 1/2 hour. Well, that didn't work because I kept browsing. I guess 1/2 hour after the phone call, I finally went to the register to pay. I then left the store. As I was driving home I heard my cell phone go off (a text) but I was close to home so I waited to read it until I got home. What did I see but a picture message from Scott. It's the back of a lady at the checkout counter of AC Moore! She looks familiar! It's ME!

They thought I had left the store. Alyssa wanted to get me scrapbooking supplies for my birthday! Little sneaks!!!!
Alyssa game me a bunch of Jolees that will match all of my latest L/O's that I've been working on. Love them!!
Scott made me a spice rack/curio case. He's put so much thought and time on this gift. It's beautiful. He's not completely finished yet. I can't believe that he designed it by himself. I'll post a pic when it's finished.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Oct 12th
I went out to lunch today with Judy. We went to Thai Taste in Massapequa. We both got what we always get... the Nightingaleus Nest. It always a safe tasty meal. We had a great time catching up.

Oct 11th

About 6 months ago, we started getting a couple of 'bumps' in out blacktop. There are 4 in all. Each one of them is in the upper part of the driveway. None of them ever open so we could see what was in there until this weekend. I was sweeping all of the acorns from our neighbors tree that overhangs our driveway. I swept over the latest bump that had already started splitting on the top. The broom took off a few pieces of blacktop! So what the hech was in there but a MUSHROOM!!! A BIG MUSHROOM!!!

This could be big trouble! A mushroom grows in decomposition or rotting matter. We're figuring that the neighbors tree has roots going under my driveway. The tree is right in line with these 'bumps'. I bet the roots are rotting, hence the mushroom spores. (I hate the word 'hence' but it was fitting.)
So now what to do... ask the neighbor if it's happening to their black top playing dumb and hoping they get a hint, not say anything and have it ruin our driveway or maybe open up the other 3 bumps and put some Roundup in each whole, on each mushroom. That would eventually kill the tree. But then it may fall on my car in the process of dieing so maybe that's not a good idea. I just don't know what the right thing to do would be.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Oct 10th

Today was a special day for me. I was inducted into the Jerusalem Chapter of D.A.R. It's been a long road getting to this point!!!

The ceremony was held at the old train museum in Wantagh. First we had a plaque/sign dedication at Duckpond Dr / Wantagh Ave. One of the women asked me, as soon as I got there, if I was Lynn. When I said yes, she must have seen the concerned look on my face like how do you know who I am? She said she recognized me from my picture in the Who's Cooking in Newsday! Pretty funny!

There were politicians there along with other DAR members. The sign is announcing the Jerusalem Settlement and the Seaman House (where Denglers Nursery was). After that, we drove down to the train museum.

There was another inductee there, Beth. The lady that swore us in was from the Hamptons and in charge of NYS DAR or something like that. The members were so impressed that she inducted us.
Beth and I each got American and DAR flags. Just what I wanted to put on my desk!!

This was an interesting day!!
Oct 9th
Alyssa is, once again, in pain but this time it's whip lash and aches all over her body. Hopefully, within a few days, she'll be back to somewhat of a normal life.
I went out into the yard to snip some Thyme and Sage from the garden when I happened to glance over to the right. I noticed the Easter Lily that PJ brought home from work at Easter time. It had 2 HUGE buds on it!!! I have to remember to tell PJ about it!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Oct. 7th
Alyssa had her epidural this morning. So far so good.
The wind is howling outside. There's gusts of up to like 50 MPH!

Oct 6th
Today I went around returning things to various stores. Dave was back from TX so he was with Alyssa for a good part of the day.

Oct 5th
PJ and I took Alyssa to get her epidural today. It turned out that it was the 'consultation' to get it. UGH!!! At least this guy gave a name to her problem. She has a buldging herniated disk. He's thinking the epidural will fix her up really well and she can get on with her life. Hopefully!
PJ and I went food shopping later.
Oct 4th
Today was Mike and Merrie's wedding. It was a beautiful day at the Westbury Manor. Merrie was STUNNING! The ceremony was really nice and quick! It was actually HOT out there in the sun!

Kris and John... happy parents
Judy, Lauren and Lew... I love that the bridesmaids can use their dresses again!

Andrea and Joe

John playing the bag pipes for Merrie and Mike


I have to send this pic to Chris. He went to school with these girls. He'd get a kick out of seeing them now.
Rebecca, Amanda, Merrie, Heather and Lauren

Merrie made her own wedding cake!!! It turned out so beautiful. The color in the pic doesn't do it justice though.

This picture I think is the funniest part of the whole day. While Merrie and John were dancing the Father Daughter dance, Merrie saw the waiters lift up the cake and walk really fast out the door with it!

We had a great time. Everyone was just so happy. It was great to be able to celebrate with them.
Alyssa did really good today. Scott was home most of the day with her. She's pretty mobile now but still has pain.
Oct 3rd

We were able to get right in to the Dr's office. They gave Alyssa a shot for pain and a shot of a high dose anti inflamatory. Hopefully these will do SOMETHING to help her. She'll get an epidural on Monday. By the late afternoon, Alyssa was able to walk to the bathroom holding on to the back of a chair. That's BIG TIME! PJ picked up Gran's walker from Mary's house on his way to visit Stan tonight. WHAT A GODSEND!!! Alyssa can move about a bit better now. I guess the shots are doing something. She was so happy to have the walker!!
Oct 2nd

Alyssa had her MRI today. She was having such a hard time walking to even get in the place! While there, she sneezed. That was BAD! After the MRI, we went home. As the day went on, Alyssa got worse and worse. By night time, she was in horrible pain. She could only walk to the bathroom by having a person on each side of her to hold her up. I called the Dr on call to see about taking her to the ER. He suggested that we try to wait until the morning and he will get her right in and give her 2 shots that should help. We chose that step. I feel so helpless when she yells or cries.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Oct 1st
I can't believe it's Oct 1st already! Where did the time go?
I got my hair cut this morning. It's always nice to chat with Vicki while she cuts away!

Sept 30th
Today was catching up on laundry day. It took forever because I had the blankets and comforters, clothes from our trip that were all now muddy!

Sept 29th
Today we slept late and kind of lounged for a while. I kept waking up thinking that I didn't put my sweatshirt on. I had a sweatshirt on 24 hours a day in Ithaca so I guess it was ingrained in my head! The sun was shinning. We set up the tents to dry out then packed everything away. PJ and I went for a walk at the beach. It was so windy. I guess the wind that we had yesterday (45 MPH) made it's way down here!
Mrs. Celenza sent us a cookbook that she wrote that has PJ's Grandmother's recipe for Superb Crescents which Stan makes us every year for Thanksgiving/Christmas.
Sept 28th
Scott ran from the campsite to the property and back while PJ and I had our usual coffee, bagel and muffin at Wegmans. After he came back and showered, we decided to drive to Seneca Falls to bring Scott to Sauder's Store, a Mennonite store. He had a blast. It was like being stuck in the 40's. We bought vegetables, spices and we each got a hero for lunch. We headed to Goosewatch Winery because they let you eat out on their deck without having to buy anything. We sat down and all of a sudden a few drops started to fall. I ran and took some pictures and we gobbled our sandwiches down. The rain started to come down harder so we decided to finish eating in the car.
This is my turkey hero. I only managed to eat 1/2 of it because I was stuffed!
This picture was taken when we first got there... nice fluffy clouds and a blue sky.

Within about 7 minutes, this is what was above us when we were eating in the car!


We left and decided to drive back to the campsite. It POURED!


Being that Taughnnock Falls was on the way, we went to the overlook, ran out of the car to peak and ran back in! The rain was coming down by the buckets.

The forecast was for heavy rains to continue throughout the day and into the night and rain tomorrow. We decided that instead of staying until tomorrow, let's just pack it all in and head home. So that's what we did. We got home at 11:00 at night.
Sept 27th
Scott wanted us to drop him off at the property so he could run back to the campsite (6.8 miles). PJ and I went to Wegmans to have breakfast while Scott ran.
Later on, Scott drove to Cortland to see Kerry while PJ and I went to the Naples Grape Festival. Chris always told us that we would love it. The festival is on Main St where he used to live. It was once again, another festival with tons of food... not much in the way of grapes though. There were a lot of people selling Grape Pies which we wanted to try so we bought one to bring home.

PJ noticed that the fire hydrants are all colored purple for the purple grapes.
We got back at dinner time and Scott had just gotten back also so we decided to go have dinner at Maxie's. They have great Crabcake and Oyster Po Boys!
It was cloudy but we wanted to show Scott Sunset Park being that we talk about it so much.
There were a ton of mosquitos there. Here's PJ swatting them!


The town came and cut down all of the trees and wild bushes that were blocking the view of the sunset. MUCH better! But now I can see someone falling down the cliff!