Bermuda Here We Come!

Monday, May 2
Here we go!  Our Bermuda cruise vacation started yesterday.  We had to get up at 4:15 in the morning to leave the house no later than 5:30.  I had everything ready the night before to load into the car except the bathroom things. 
Mom and Dad are on the trip with us, along with another couple that we know from being very good clients of Hubby’s, as well as becoming friends of ours.  They are the ones that told us about this cruise they were going on and invited us to join them.  Don and Kay are about the same age as my parents - mid 70’s. 
Mom and Dad picked us up at exactly 5:30 and we headed out for the 3-1/2 hour drive to Allentown, PA, where we caught up with Don and Kay. We then transferred to a bus that took us directly to the Holland Cruise ship at the New York pier.

Mom checking the schedule at the bus station

We were already delayed by one day.  We were supposed to leave Sunday, but we got notice that the ship was delayed by a day because it wasn’t ready.  Then embarking was slightly delayed on Monday because the ship’s computers weren’t set up. 

l-r - Kay, Don, Mom and Dad - waiting some more at the cruise ship terminal in New York

A lot of "hurry up and wait".

Finally, we embark and set sail at about 6:00 pm.

 We’ll have two nights and one day at sea and land in Bermuda on Wednesday morning. We sailed past Ground Zero,  Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty in the New York harbor, which just seemed so appropriate and a little moving on this day after Osama Bin Laden was finally captured and killed 10 years after the terror he brought to this nation and to this very city.

The sun was setting quickly as we sailed out of the harbor, and this is the last picture I was able to get.  I don't know what New York City bridge this is.

We enjoyed the evening listening to live music being played in many locations around the ship, browsing the shops, playing a little bingo (didn’t win!), and watching a live show in the beautiful showroom. 

By then it was 10:00 at night and the long day had taken it’s toll on me.  First of all, I was freezing cold all day.  I need to get to some warm weather!  And they keep this boat too cold for my liking!  I was also overly tired from the days of preparing for the trip and the early and long day yesterday.  I now have laryngitis.  I think I just need to get some sleep.

Easter Without Kids

This Easter feels a little different than most since none of my kids will be here this year.

 I think this is the first year I haven't colored eggs.

I didn't buy my favorite marshmallow peeps.

I did buy a bouquet of tulips for my entrance table.  They brighten up the dreary  weather Easter weekend a little bit.

Hubby didn't want a bunch of candy sitting around just for us, but I did get some nonpareils with colored sprinkles to set in my candy dish.

My cousin, his wife and children came over from Harrisburg and spent Friday evening with us, so I did make some bite sized, raspberry filled brownies.  They are just a package mix and then I iced and sprinkled them.  They are (were) really good!

Tomorrow we'll go to church with Mom and Dad and then to the Lakeview Restaurant for brunch.

It will be a nice and pleasant Easter.  It's just different without my kids!

I wish a Happy Easter to everyone!

My Family Christmas Recipe

We had a great family Christmas at the Knox house!  ALL the kids were here. It was noisy and chaotic with much fun and laughter. Our recipe: lots of presents under the tree (any amount of presents will do),  add two grown sons & their beautiful wives, slowly stir in 5 grandchildren, (3 under 19 mo.), pour in three dogs (that are jealous of each other and the kids), top it off with two very proud grandparents (me and Bob) and two G.G's (great-grandparents - my mom and dad).  Then just chill and enjoy!  


The chill part is essential or nerves could get frazzled.  My oldest son and family went home yesterday and the other son and family from Spokane are still here.  That includes a 4 month old and a 19 month old.  Obviously there is no time yet for me to rest, but I'm enjoying every second with these babies.  They are sooooo cute!  My son has to fly back to Spokane on Saturday and then is spending a few weeks in Alaska for his job so his wife and kids are staying here until the end of January.   Today my two sons and families are spending the day together at oldest son's home, so I'm getting some much needed cleaning and laundry caught up.  


Last night, hubby and I babysat the two little ones while Brandon and Diana went on a dinner and a movie date.  Oh my - how did I ever do this 28 years ago?  I was 28 years younger, that's how!  It does make a difference.  But Brandon and Diana never get much time together without the kids so I wanted them to go out and enjoy.


We have some great pictures taken by my son, Austin, the photographer.  I'm just too busy and tired to download and post right now.  I'll definitely show them soon because they are just too adorable to not share!


It's 5:00 p.m. and for probably the first time in two weeks I am alone, so I'm going to take a hot bath with a glass of wine!

The Flea Market and More

I'm having a very nice weekend with My Bob.  It's rare anymore that just the two of us spend time together without family and grandchildren.  This weekend is turning out to be one of those rare weekends and I'm loving it.  Now don't misunderstand, I love my family and love being with them, but this alone time was very enjoyable.
Yesterday was the first Saturday before the first Sunday of the month, which means Flea Market Weekend.  Mom and I usually go together, but she was tired, so Bob agreed to go with me.  It's definitely not an activity that I would enjoy doing by myself.  We didn't get out the door until noon, which is late for Flea Market day.  It was such a beautiful day and I just was going to enjoy walking outside.  I actually found a few things.  (I usually do).
The first thing Bob and I came across were sunglasses.  He hates spending a lot of money on sunglasses and feels like the $5.00 pairs are the same exact thing at the $150.00 pairs, just with a lower price sticker attached.  I tend to agree with him.  So he got a new pair.  And I have trouble with sunglasses since I wear prescription glasses and I don't want to spend the money on prescription sunglasses.  I also found a pair of clip on ones that actually look good.  I don't feel too much like an old lady wearing them!
Then I found some pink depression glass cups and saucers.  I have been looking for a set for quite a while and the price on these have become so high.  I found these four sets for $5.00 a set.

The pattern is "Coronation" with a banded rib.  I really wanted the "Cottage Rose" pattern, but the lowest price I have ever seen on that pattern is $24.00 each.

These were in excellent condition and they will do just fine.

They look so pretty with my "Virginia Rose" dishes that were my great grandmothers, which I have added to over the years when I see a good price at antique shops or the flea market.  I  noticed that the prices have really increased on these lately, too.

About a year ago, I found these English Rose Ironstone dishes at an antique store that was going out of business and I got all the dishes of this pattern that she had for about $10 total.  I love them.

One of these days I'm going to have a tea or luncheon for a few of my girlfriends and bring out all the pink stuff.  Otherwise all these pretty dishes sit in my china cupboard.  I sure like buying it and looking at it, though!

 On the way home from the Flea Market, we decided to stop at the Farm Market and I got some fresh peaches that I want to cut up for either peach cobbler or peach shortcake.  I think that will be on Monday's dinner menu.  We left there and Bob turned off a road that led to a local winery that we hadn't been to in a long time.  We had a small wine tasting and left there with two bottles of wine. 

Can you tell the "Mountain Mist" on the left is empty already?  When we got home, Mom and Dad came over with Subway sandwiches.  We took the sandwiches and the bottle of wine out on the boat for a little picnic dinner. 

 . 

After the boat ride we had homemade strawberry shortcake that Mom had made and brought with her.

It couldn't have been a more perfect summer day. 

Happy Memorial Weekend

Well, forget free time.  But the trade off is a busy, active and happy family.  I'll take that.  I had several topics to write about all week - no time.  Now here it is, Memorial Day Weekend and besides a small thunderstorm this afternoon, the weather has been hot and sunny; just the way I like it. 
Thursday morning my mother and I did our annual Decoration Day tradition of buying flowers, planting them at the cemetery on my maternal grandparent's and aunt's graves, then going to lunch.  It's really kind of a nice tradition that I enjoy with my mother each year.  This was a hot one, though, and I thought Mom was going to pass out.
Austin has a four day weekend off from work, so he and his gang came up Thursday afternoon and are staying until tomorrow.  Our long weekend has been action packed so far.  Starting with the boys being able to swim in the lake for the first time this season.  Of course, I don't allow them near the lake alone and without life jackets.  And for Landen, his idea of swimming is walking into the water only up to his knees. 

Grandpa Bobby gave Kayak rides.

Logan loves to be thrown off the dock.

I sit and watch, with a glass of Riesling, and take pictures from my reclining lounge chair.  My lake and fire pit seating area has a pink and blue theme this year with only pink and blue flowers.  I worked on that some more yesterday afternoon.

In the meantime, Austin and Melissa met with a real estate agent to list their old house.  We've had this house sold once already, then turned down by the City zoning board, then back and forth with lawyers, and it's a long story.  Suffice it to say, they are now listing it with an agent because we're all sick of dealing with it on our own.  Then they went to look at new cars because they need a bigger vehicle that can handle 5 people and 2 baby seats and a toddler booster seat comfortably.  Baby #3 will be here end of June/first of July and this is now a necessity. 

This morning we awoke to a beautiful morning.  I made french toast and fruit salad and we had breakfast outside on the deck.  Ohhh, it was so nice!

Then to top off the afternoon, Big G.G.'s (Great Grandpa, my dad) boat was delivered to our dock today.  The boys get so excited every year when the boat comes back from winter storage. 

Austin and Melissa purchased the Chevy Tahoe they looked at last night and went to pick it up and bring home Chinese carry out for dinner.  I've been cooking almost non-stop and refuse to cook on a Friday night.

Tomorrow's plans include a bar-b-que and boat rides.  I just finished making the potato salad and it tastes really good, if I do say so myself.  Delish!!  It's called Steakhouse Potato Salad.  I'll post it shortly.  We're hoping my Grandpa will want to leave the nursing home for the afternoon to join us.  We think he'll feel comfortable being here at my house.  He just doesn't like having to get dressed up and going to a restaurant.  He gets very confused and disoriented.

I wish a Happy Memorial Weekend to all as we remember our loved ones that have passed on ( I think of them often) and enjoy the weekend with our loved ones still here. 

Goodbye, Mother Millie

This is a hard one to write but I feel I have to.  It's sad and depressing and it was a major event in our lives.  We just have to live through it as best we can and then continue on looking for the good, being positive, and knowing that you have to accept the sad with the joyful. 

My Bob's mother, my mother-in-law, Millie, passed away last Tuesday evening in Cincinnati.  It was 12 days before her 79th birthday.  She had a longer than expected bout with pancreatic cancer.  She was diagnosed last March and already at a stage 4.  At that time they gave her 3 months without chemo and radiation and 8 months if she decided to go that route, which she did.  She did so well and looked so good even up to the 10 month point that I think we all thought she might just beat all odds and go on as if this was just a bad dream and never really happened.  Then at Christmas we went to Cincinnati to visit and she was looking thin and weak.  We knew then that the dream was turning into a nightmare.  Bob decided that he wanted to make a trip to see his mother once a month to spend as much time with her as he could.  So in January we made another trip to visit and we actually thought she was doing pretty well.  She was still thin, but wanted to go grocery shopping, so we did.  Then she wanted to stop by the Eagles Club to sign the book for the weekly lottery, so we did.  Then she wanted to go out to dinner, so we did.  She had as much energy as me if not more.  In looking back, I think she was just excited that we were there and happened to be having a good day.  We promised her we would be back around her birthday, March 14, and we talked with Bob's five sisters and one brother about possibly having a party for her around that time.
Then we started hearing from the sisters around the end of February that we should maybe move the birthday visit up a little as she was getting tired and weak.  We set this past weekend aside for our Cincinnati visit.  We stayed in daily contact with a couple of the sisters and knew that things were going downhill.  Bob talked with his mother daily and could tell a difference in her voice and comprehension.  He would tell her we were coming down on March 5th to try to boost her up a little.  It wasn't working.  Wednesay a week ago we got a call from Debbie, Bob's oldest sister, that she had taken Millie into the hospital because she was filling back up with fluids and thought they would drain the fluid, as they had done once before, and send her back home.  That's not what happened.  They told her there was no use in draining the fluid again as it would cause more pain now and she would fill up again even faster and they admitted her into the Hospice unit. 
Bob and I started making arrangements to leave for Cincinnati.  We both talked to Millie on the phone and she sounded OK.  Bob had to re-arrange his appointments for the following week and I started packing, asked my parents to keep Ellie Mae (my black poodle) and we would take Fergie (my apricot poodle) with us, and talked with my DIL to postpone our grandson's birthday dinner that we were going to have here last weekend.  We left for Cincinnati on Friday not sure of how long we would be gone or what to expect when we got there.  We drove 6-1/2 hours (it should have taken 7 hours) and went directly to the hospital. 
We were not prepared for what we saw.  The difference and drastic decline in Millie in one month was big.  She was extremely thin, lost all her hair, and was obviously in a lot of pain.  I know it took Bob by surprise and I just started to cry. 
Without going into a lot of very sad and painful details, she got continuosly worse every day.  She talked a little bit when we first arrived on Friday, and by Sunday she couldn't talk at all.  The diloted (pain medicine) was steadily increased until it was changed to a morphine drip by Tuesday morning.  Bob stayed by her side from about 6:30 in the mornings until late in the evenings, taking small breaks to eat or go back to his sister Debbie's house close by for a nap.  That Tuesday he had just left her side at 5:00 pm to come back to the house to get something to eat and just as he was leaving to go back up to the hospital at 6:25, his brother called to say she had passed away.  With seven children, there was always at least a son, daughter, daughter in law, son in law, boyfriend of a daughter, granddaughter or grandson by her side.  Millie had eight children but Bob's brother's twin passed away 10 years ago today.  Needless to say, that is also weighing heavy on the familie's minds right now.  Millie also had four brothers and sisters that visited in and out and she had a boyfriend of 38 years, ever since she and Bob's dad divorced.  Larry spent the night with her each night she was in hospice, except for the night he showed up drunk and Bob's sister, Brenda, took him home with her.  Larry is one year older than Bob.
You're probably starting to get the whole background picture now.  There was total chaos and uphevel going on behind the scenes for this whole week.  This is too much to go into right now.  These stories could take at least one other post.
Bob and Debbie made all the funeral arrangements the following morning and they did a beautiful job.  The funeral was Friday from 11:00 to 3:30 and everything went well and it was a well attended (family alone was a large crowd) funeral. 
We headed home directly from the cemetary.  Bob's job was done and done well.  He was there for his mother and it was comforting to stay with Debbie and her husband.  The behind the scenes turmoil was just too much to take.  We couldn't wait to get back home and try to calm back down into our comparatively good life. 
We now smile when we think of good times with Millie, the vacations that we took her on with us, and how she made us laugh.  We are trying to get the images of the last 5 days of her life out of our mind.  We don't want to remember her that way.  We are so glad she is no longer in pain and in a much better place.

Valentine's Weekend is Over!

Thank goodness it's Monday.  These weekends  lately have not been relaxing at all.  This was a good weekend, with the kids here and Valentine's Day, but I'm glad it's over.  I love having them all here, but they do wear me out.
Friday night we had a pizza and wing dinner.  Not very nutritious, but who cares, it was a Friday night.  Then we had our ice cream sundaes with hot fudge, whipped cream and valentine sprinkles.  May as well have all the junk in one sitting.
Saturday, Melissa and I spent the whole day at their old house and we got the main house all clean.  Now this week the carpenter man is supposed to come to make a few minor repairs.  Austin showed up after dropping the boys off at a friend's house to play and he got everything moved out of the guest house and into the garage.  I was so tired by the end of the day I told them they were on their own for Sunday's cleaning of the guest house.
Sunday I stayed home with the boys and made a roast and mashed potatoes dinner.  Austin and Melissa came back home with a pretty little flower arrangement for me for Valentine's Day and to thank me for everything. 

Isn't it sweet?  I really appreciated that.

 We had a very nice dinner with them before they went home.
Those boys are so busy and loud, but we can't help but laugh at them.  They just come up with the funniest things.   Logan spent the day watching Cartoon Network with a movie marathon going all day.  He watches a lot of TV and his mom and dad really limit his television time during the week.  Bob asked him why he was such a TV kid and his reply was, "Because when I was in my Mommie's bellie I watched TV in there".  Now where in the world did that come from?  We laughed so hard.  It makes you wonder what all goes on in those cute little heads of their's.  Then Austin came home with a whoopie cushion for Landen because he's going through a phase right now where he's just obsessed with poop and farts.  It seems like that's all he talks about.  And I guess we all don't do much to discourage it because he's so funny about it.  Austin put the whoopie cushion on Landen's chair as we were sitting for dinner and he got the biggest kick out of it.  So then he thought he was "surprising" the rest of us with it as he put it on each of our chairs.  Of course we acted like he was tricking us all. 
The boys got their bath and pajamas on for the ride home and then they just had fun blowing up the whoopie cushion and sitting on it themselves as I finished cleaning the dining room and kitchen.

Today I took all the Valentine decorations down, which also got rid of all remnants of Christmas that was still hanging around.  The Valentine tree was completely taken down and put away.

I was ready to see it gone.

All the other Valentine decorations are put away.

All gone. 

                                

The only thing left hanging is my Valentine quilt.  I don't have a St Patrick's quilt and my Easter one will go up shortly.  I may just leave this up for another month.  I'll have to think about it.  It'll probably bug me, though, so I'll have to find something else to go up for a while.

Mom and Dad also got back safe and sound from Florida.  Now everything seems all back to normal again.

I'm looking forward to a quiet evening of Olympics and knitting.  Uhhhhh! 

Oktoberfest in Cincinnati

Oktoberfest party in Cincinnati, two weeks ago.  Sorry I'm so late in reporting! I think I've got too much going on, by my own doing, that I'm having trouble staying caught up.   The weekend of October 16-19 was a busy, fun and productive one.
My brother and his wife had invited us to their big Oktoberfest Party and we had been wanting to make a trip to Cincinnati (6 - 6-1/2 hours away) for a while now, so this was the perfect time. 
I lived in Cincinnati, with my family, back in the 70's during my high school and college years.  My two brothers still live in that same area.  My husband is also from Cincinnati and his family is still there.  We try to get back at least once a year. 
This particular trip included My Bob and I, my parents, my son Austin, and my little toy poodle, Fergie.  My parents, Fergie, and I left on Thursday.  No particular reason why the three of us wanted to go a day earlier than Bob and Austin other than to have more time with my brother, Chuck,  and his wife, Jill.  I drove the whole way with Mom in the front so we could talk and Dad sat with Fergie in the back so he could spend six hours on his new little wireless computer.
When we arrived, we noticed the huge enclosed tent that had just been delivered and set up in Chuck and Jill's large back yard.  Complete with plastic windows, a heater, and tables and chairs for 75 people.

Chuck and Jill have a beautiful home on a large lot and throw great parties.  They requested on the invitation that everyone bring a 6 pack of German beer.  We're not beer drinkers, so we brought German wine.  They also had two kegs of beer being brought in and we found out when we got there that Jill was making most of the food herself.  So Mom and I contributed to the preparations as best we could.  There was cabbage boiling for two days for braised cabbage, and I think 30 pounds of potatoes being peeled for German potato salad.

Now back home, Bob rented a small U-Haul.  His sister had gifted to us an antique Larkin Victorian fainting couch that she had and no longer had a place for.  She knew I had a perfect place for it and she wanted us to have it.  She had it re-upholstered and it's beautiful.  We had to have a way to get it back to Pennsylvania. 

This is it all set up in my piano/tea room once we got it back home.   I am now on the search for an antique little coffee table to replace this white iron table.  It just doesn't go with this.  The back and sides of the couch fold down, which I will probably never fool with.  Isn't it pretty?  This is the little bench that used to be here, and it really never belonged.

 This is where the white bench is now.  In my dining room in the bay window.  It gets a lot of use here.

The reason for getting the U-Haul round trip was because I had been cleaning and had quite a pile sitting in the basement for Goodwill.  So did my mother.  My sisters-in-law, five of them, asked to please not take everything to Goodwill.  They all love Goodwill stuff and wanted it all.  And I'm always impressed at the knack they have for fixing up and arranging their "finds" in their homes.  So Bob and Austin loaded the U-Haul and arrived in Cincinnati Friday night.

The other major reason for the Cincinnati trip was to see my mother-in-law.  This is why Austin decided to arrange to make the trip with us.  DIL Melissa stayed home with their boys.  Bob's mother is very ill with pancreatic cancer and is getting weaker.  So Friday night I met Bob and Austin at his sister's house and his mother was there, along with several other family members.  Debbie had very good food and wine for us and we had a very nice time with family.  At the same time it was sad.  Mother Millie does not look well and she cries when you talk to her.  I would, too.  On a good note, we got to see our niece's new baby boy.

He's about 1-1/2 weeks old here and is beautiful.  This is Roxanne's fifth child.  She's a good mother.

Now, back to the Main Event.  Saturday  is Oktoberfest Day.  The signs and posters got hung, the port-a-potty was delivered (Jill didn't want all those drunks messing up her beautiful home and I don't blame her), the kegs were delivered and the cooking continued.

  Jill's sister also brought deep fried goetta balls and deep fried pickles.  Oh my gosh, were they delicious!  I don't know if everyone knows what goetta is.  I only ever see it in Cincinnati.  It's a sausage mixture and it is so good.  By 6:00 at night the German music was going in the tent and the people started pouring in.  My brother swears that he had the 3rd largest Oktoberfest Party in Ohio.  I believe it.  Fun was had by all and some had way too much beer.  It was fun to see some of my brothers old friends that I hadn's seen since they were little kids.  Sunday morning was clean-up day.

Bob and Austin headed back home with U-Haul in two on Sunday morning.  Mom, Dad and I stayed one more day.  My nephew and girlfriend also had a new 1-1/2 week old baby girl, Natale, and we got to visit with them on Sunday afternoon.

This is me with my new little niece.

We had a great trip.  Very busy, fun, a little sad, a lot happy, and productive.  A lot crammed into a weekend. 

Monday morning started the 6-1/2 hour drive home.  This always includes a stop at Cracker Barrel at lunch time. 

It took me about a week to recover.

I need to shorten these posts up a little bit, but so much happens all at once.  I should divide our events up in chapters, I guess. 

How Many T.V.'s Do Two People Need?

We played musical televisons all day Saturday. Here's how it started. My Mom and Dad wanted to get rid of their entertainment wall unit because they wanted to get a big fireplace/TV stand for a new, big 52" flat screen TV. Mom just didn't know what to do with the big wall unit. So I got to thinking about our finished basement "grandma's room" and after doing some measuring I thought it would look nice on our red wall down there. But then we had to get rid of an antique dresser and little TV stand. Well, Mom agreed, so we borrowed a truck and first moved the dresser and little TV stand back over to Mom's house. Luckily they only live 3 miles away from us. She put the dresser in her guest room and it looks really nice. The TV stand is now in storage. Here's how our wall looked before. My Bob started moving furniture before I got a real good picture, so I made him stop for a minute and at least got a picture of the back of the dresser. Then Dad and Bob had to make three trips to get the wall unit over to our house. After a lot of other re-arranging, here's how it turned out. We were real happy with it. We are now going to get our antique maple furniture (used to be my grandmother's) recovered. Waiting for the upholstery guy to show up. We also had bright plaid valances on the windows that don't look right now so I took those down and want to get just some shear scarves for the two windows to let the light in. Even though it's a basement, it's ground level in the back of the house so it doesn't feel like a basement.

Now the smaller TV that was in the basement looked too little for the wall unit and since Mom and Dad are now getting that new 52"er, we brought over their old big TV to go back into the unit. As you can see, this is much better.

We moved the smaller TV that was in the basement up to the kids/guest room. The TV that was in there was very small and old and you couldn't even hook a DVD player up to it. Which is just beyond comprehension to my grandsons. So now they are thrilled The little TV that was in the kids' room is now in our storage room. Anybody need a TV? We seem to have an extra.

Now what you need to know is that most of the time it is just My Bob and I in this house. Although we aren't alone so much in the house as we used to be. The kids are here a lot and we have a lot of guests, and Mom and Dad are here a lot when they take their boat on the lake. Keeping that in mind, here's the TV in the living room.

And the little new flat screen in the kitchen.

The one in our bedroom.

Of course, I have to have one in my sewing room.

Now it's time for Dancing With the Stars, so I'm going from the kitchen up to my sewing room to sew or knit something while I watch. It's a good thing I can multi-task! I am a TV junkie. Can you tell?

By the way, Mom and Dad bought their new fireplace/TV stand Saturday night and bought their new TV on Sunday afternoon. Everybody's happy.