Monday's Music Moves Me/ Musical Mondays

 Lorie at The Shrewbridges of Celebration, FL told me about Monday's Music Moves Me, so here's another cool music blog meme to do

Amanda at Bloggin’ with Amanda hosts Musical Monday – What Move’s You?. You can get the instructions by clicking here.

This week's theme is music from our favorite groups.  When I was a tween and young teen,  I loved, loved, loved The Cowsills!  I remember seeing them on Ed Sullivan.  If you remember, they are the basis for the show,The Partridge Family!!  My friend, Maggie used to hang with them at the beach because they stayed at the same motel as her family when they would performing Atlantic City!  I was so very jealous of Maggie!


I was madly in love with Barry Cowsill!  He was soooo cute!!  See for yourself!

Even as an adult, Barry Cowsill was still easy on the eyes!

In researching all this, I learned that Barry Cowsill has passed on.  Apparently he drowned during Hurricane Katrina.  I remember now, reading that he was missing and feared dead.  I didn't know his body was found not long after the hurricane.  So very sad.


So, in memory of my first bout of unrequited love, I give you The Cowsills, singing The Rain, The Park and Other Things.

How to be lazy on a Sunday aka how my Sunday went

Stay in bed until around 12:30 pm.


Do whatever it is you do when you stay in bed until this late in the day. (Hey!  Hey!  Hey!  You could be reading or sleeping  or .... well, you know)


Reheat your Wawa coffee from yesterday, so you don't have to make a fresh pot.


Get in the car and drive to your favorite brunch place.  If you have the ability to orb, or teleport, do that instead.  Saves gas. (I really wish I could do this!!)


Get the buffet.  Saves your brain from having to think about what to order.


If your buffet place happens to be inside a grocery store, pick up dinner that's already prepared for later on.  I suggest you do this AFTER you eat the buffet, or you'll spend $100 on junk food.


Drive back home.


Take a nap, but set alarm so you only sleep for a short time so you aren't awake all night long.


Turn on the oven to heat up the already prepared dinner.


Surf on the computer while your better half watches Political Propaganda videos. 


Pretend to listen to the videos. (otherwise you'll be ready for yet another nap)


Eat your dinner, using paper plates and plastic utensils.


Get your jammies on nice and early.


Watch regular Sunday night TV shows.


Go to bed after checking the weather.


Go to sleep or ... whatever...

Six Word Saturday

I am so over this winter!

We had snow last Wednesday (Jan 19), around 4 inches.  Then we had another storm this past Wednesday that dumped 16.9 inches.  Tonight we're supposed to get a couple more inches and then on Tuesday night, we're supposed to get yet another storm!  But I don't know what that will bring just yet.  Yeah.  I'm really over winter.


Want to try your own Six Word Saturday? Go see Cate at Show My Face and link up!

Snow, it won't be long before we'll all be there with snow

As I was watching the snow fall and fall and fall, I couldn't help but think of the scene in the movie, White Christmas, when  Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera Ellen and Rosemary Clooney are all in the dining car of the train heading to Vermont.  Give a listen...




The weather man told us on Monday that we were getting a snow storm that was coming in from the Midwest.  Our area (Pottstown, PA) could expect 4 to maybe 8 inches of snow.  Whenever he has said that this year, we were usually on the lower end of the scale, and often even less than he predicted.  Predicted.  Now there is the optimum word!


The snow started on Tuesday evening, after midnight, like they said.  When I woke up on Wednesday morning, I was surprised how much had fallen overnight!  There was already about 4 inches of snow on the ground.  Wednesday is my day off.  YAY!!!


My son was home since Monday.  He kept procrastinating about going to the gym.  No gym on Monday.  No gym on Tuesday.  He decided he'd go first thing Wednesday morning.  Boy, was he surprised when he saw how much snow we had!  No gym for Tim on Wednesday morning!


We had a break in the snow storm for a few hours in the middle of the day, and the plows came though and the nice boys across the street came over and did their shoveling thing. (we have a deal.  when the snow stops, they shovel, I pay them. they don't even need to wait for me to call them.  just come over and do it. easy peasy.)  So Max and Alex did the shoveling thing and Tim high-tailed it to the gym before the next wave of snow started.  He got back just in time.


When the snow started again, it started in earnest!!  We were getting an inch or two an hour!   I took a few shots of my front yard during the evening.  I nearly forgot to add that we thunder and lightning for a short while during the night time storm!  That was really odd!  I think they call it Thundersnow. 

The snow finally stopped some time after midnight Wednesday night, going into Thursday morning.  I wish I had grabbed my camera to take photos of the digging out.  


My neighbor woke his sons up around 9 am to come over and get my driveway cleared because I had to go to work!   Tim went out and cleared off our cars and as soon as the driveway was clear enough he moved the cars to the street so they could get the driveway as snow free as possible.  


My neighbor, Dominic must have gotten a new toy this winter because the next thing I knew he was there with his snow blower!  He got rid of that snow in no time!  Even my walkway got done!  (the cats were happy!  they could finally go outside.)


The official number for snowfall for our town was 16.9 inches.  4 to 8 inches my ass!!!


I had to pick up a couple of gals on the way to work because they don't drive and/or have cars.   I wasn't too happy about that, but it was either that, or I'd be hosting, bussing and serving by myself today and that wasn't going to happen!  Two other servers had already called out (wimps). 


The thing that really surprised me was, when I left for work, at approximately 10:30 am, the roads were clear!  And I mean down to wet asphalt clear!  Pottstown is not known for the great snow plowing abilities.  They must have improved in the past few years, because my drive to work was easy!!!  My township, which usually does a really good job plowing (my development looked great!) didn't do such a great job on the the main roads.  They plowed but there was still a decent layer of snow on the road.  I guess they were concentrating on getting the developments cleared and figured the cars would take care of the main roads.  They did, for the most part, but even this evening, as I was driving home, there were places that were still snow covered and feeling like they were getting slippery.


We weren't real busy today, but with just 2 servers and a very hung over bartender (yesterday was his birthday and he partied hearty and apparently fell down about 5 times and injured his back)  I made some fairly decent money (would have done better if 3 tables had given me more than the less than 10% they did leave me ... cheapskates)


I just hope Old Man Winter, along with that mean lady, Mother Nature don't stop by here too often with more of that white stuff (although I think we're getting 2 more hits in the next week.)  We shall see.

Strangers In The Night

I enjoy doing these silly questions about me things.  I also like reading others answers too, so feel free to do one yourself!


And since we are little more than "Strangers in the Night", I'm going to tell you a little more stuff about my favorite topic, ME!  (Besides I haven't got anything else good to write about at the moment!)  So if you have heard quite enough about me, feel free to contain your enthusiasm!!   :)  Here we go!

1. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT?
I was riding on the back of Anna Marie Dorsaneo's bike.  She put her arms and legs out and I did too.  We lost our balance and when we fell, my foot went through the spokes of the back tires and I had a BIG gash on my ankle!

2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM
In my bedroom, nothing but wallpaper.  In my family room, a few prints (Monet, Andrew Wyeth, Renoir), a Celtic cross, a clock, and a print of my daughter performing as Dinah Lord in The Philadelphia Story when she was in college!


3. DO YOU SNORE, GRIND YOUR TEETH, OR TALK IN YOUR SLEEP?
Most likely, all of the above at one time or another.


4. WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?
Oldies (60s, 70s), some country, some classical


5. WHAT TIME WERE YOU BORN?
7:10 am


6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
to be out of debt (as I sign papers for a Plus Loan for my daughter's tuition)


7. WHAT DO YOU MISS?
My 33 year old body (I was looking good that year!)


8. WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION(S)?
It was the string of pearls I had gotten years ago, until some little bitch stole them.
Nowadays?  My car for now.


9. HOW TALL ARE YOU?
5' maybe


10. DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?
I don't think so, but I can't keep my head under covers too long.


11. DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?
No, I don't think so.


12. THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY?
When I read on Daria Maluta's blog that she had passed away.  Her husband posted a message to let us all know.


13. WHAT'S YOUR WORST FEAR?
Probably dying and leaving my kids, my family and John.

14. WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOR DO YOU LIKE ON PEOPLE YOU'RE ATTRACTED TO?
It's not an issue.  I like hairy guys though! and not necessarily on the head!


15. WHERE CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF PROPOSING?
Propose??


16. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINK?
Coffee!!


17. FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING?
pepperoni and extra cheese


18. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
a great big pizza with pepperoni and extra cheese!!


19. FAVORITE COLOR OF ALL TIME?
Emerald green!  (I like red too)


20. HAVE YOU EVER EATEN A GOLDFISH?
Only the ones from Pepperidge Farms!


21. WHAT WAS THE FIRST MEANINGFUL GIFT YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED?
My mom and dad gave me a black and white pearl ring.  I lost it. :( 

22. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH?
I sure do!  On John Russo!


23. ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED?
No, but my daughter is!


24. FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND?
Clothes that fit me.  I'm not fussy.


25. WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FEMALE/MALE CELEBRITY?
Probably Sandra Bullock.  


26. DO YOU HAVE A PET RIGHT NOW?
I have 2 cats, Cameron (grey tabby/siamese mix) and Mason (black short-haired domestic)  My son's cat, Tucker (orange tabby) moved in when Tim moved home after college.  But Tucker will leave when Tim moves out.  Right Tim?  Right?  Tim??


27. WHAT KIND IS IT?
See answer #26.  

28. WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING?
Well, I fell in love with John (even though I fought it like mad!) and shortly after, he was diagnosed with cancer and I didn't bail.  But then, in the long run, neither did he!  :)


30. SAY A NUMBER FROM ONE TO A HUNDRED?
"A number from one to a hundred"  (haha!  swiped that from Linda!)

31. BLONDES OR BRUNETTES?
Well, I'm a brunette with blonde highlights, and John used to be a brunette.   

32. FAVORITE QUOTE?
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the Devil says, "Aw shit, she's up!"

If a woman steals your husband, the best revenge is to let her keep him.
~anonymous

"Never regret growing older. It's a pleasure denied to many."

33. FAVORITE PLACE?
Oh several!!!
Ocean City, MD, the Caribbean, New York City
  

P.S.  I stole this meme quiz from http://mellodeemusings.blogspot.com/
She stole it  http://maggieosullivan.blogspot.com/  
She stole it from http://sundaystealing.blogspot.com/   
He stole it from http://aceofhadeon.livejournal.com/11515.html 
(You beginning to see a pattern here?)  

Water Heater Update, with pictures!!

So I put a status message on Facebook about not having hot water, and I wish my water heater was working, and how I had to wash my hair with cold water.  My sister (Trey's mother-in-law)  has Facebook. :)    


Trey and Patty are on their way to my house as I type to fix my water heater!  Hopefully I'll soon have hot water!!  And when I do I'm taking a shower and staying put until I use it all up... and it better refill!!


I will fill you all in later!!!


I should have done that weeks ago!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that evening...


One of the heating elements was totally fried!!  It could have happened if the tank wasn't full, the element was dry and it fried.  New element was $10.  We replaced both top and bottom elements, just to be safe.   No leakage this time and I had hot water in less than an hour.  Last time it was 2 days.

This is what a heating element should look like

 This is the element Trey removed from my one-month old water heater.  

A close up of the element.  Think maybe it was defective?

So so so happy now!  It's late but tomorrow I am going to enjoy a nice hot leisurely shower... maybe even two.

Major Rant, and I dropped a n F-bomb or two.

You remember when my water heater broke, two days before Christmas?  And how, on Christmas Eve, I used the car insurance money to buy a new water heater?  And how my niece's husband offered to install it for me?   Well, a few days after Christmas, he did install it.  I was at work when he was here.  My daughter gave him the $100 I had set aside.  He didn't hang around to make sure it worked.  It didn't.  There was a small leak and it wouldn't get hot.  After some finagling on MY part, I got it working.  It took 2 days for the water to get hot enough.  It worked for 2 days.  Then it stopped working. No hot water, but it still leaks. 


The water heater has not worked since around New Year's Day.  He told me he was coming up to fix it.  Then it snowed.  Then my niece had emergency surgery.  Now he doesn't answer my calls.  My niece told me he'd be here today.  Guess who didn't show up?  


I have learned a valuable and expensive lesson.  Do not ever rely on family to do a job for you.  Lowe's wanted $300 to install it.  Now I'll probably have to have a plumber come in, and it'll probably cost me even more than if Lowe's had done it in the first place.  I might even need some new parts for it.  I am so fucking mad right now, I could cry.  He offered to do the job, I didn't ask him.  All I want him to do is fix it.  Make it work again.


I've managed to get a shower at John's twice a week.  I didn't get to go to his place this weekend because I was sick with a cold.  I went back to work today.  I had to wash my hair in cold water because it needed it so badly.
That was fun.  


If Trey was here right now, I'd kick him in the balls.  Then throw his ass downstairs to fix my heater and not let him back upstairs until I had hot water.    I want my $100 back.   

Musical Mondays/ Monday's Music Moves Me: Freebies

Lorie at The Shrewbridges of Celebration, FL told me about Monday's Music Moves Me, so here's another cool music blog meme to do.

Amanda at Bloggin’ with Amanda hosts Musical Monday – What Move’s You?. You can get the instructions by clicking here.


This week, we have a freebie week.  We can post whatever songs we want.  I decided to share one of my favorite all-time groups ever.  I can identify with so many of their songs!!  I used to listen to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons over and over and over again!  I just really love their sound!  This is I've Got You Under My Skin.



One of my wishes is to see The Jersey Boys on Broadway.  Right now the tickets are mucho expensive, so I'm waiting... sort of patiently.  Probably because I want center orchestra seats!!  This is a clip from one of the performances by the original Broadway cast!  These fellows really capture the essence of the Four Seasons! This is You're Just Too Good To Be True and Who Loves You, Pretty Baby.

A wacky day! chick flicks and no complaints!

Today was a weird day for me.  As you know, I've been down with a cold, bad enough to keep me home from work, in sweats and a tee and not washing my hair.  Last night, John came over after work.  He had to work 11:30 am to 11:30 pm and drove an hour to get here in the middle of the night (we live about 30 miles apart).


So he gets here around 12:30 or so and I'm beat, so it's straight to bed for us. (Ah, get your minds out of the gutter!  I was feeling lousy, but on the mend, so sharing my bed was as close to sex as he was going to get)


I woke up around 9:30 and went downstairs for coffee and computer time.  John followed about an hour later.  We settled in for a day of movies... just relaxing and taking it easy.  If John were to stay tonight, he'd have to get up at 5:30 am to get to work on time, so he left for home just a little while ago. 


So, we're settled in and I turned on the TV.  Last night I watched You've Got Mail on TBS and that station was on the TV when  tuned it on.  Runaway Bride had just started and for some reason, it caught John's attention.  Well, I'm not going to say anything if he's going to sit there and watch it without complaint!


In between all these movies today, we're getting meals and snacks (I'm back on Nutrisystem so I had all my food prepped for the day).  


When Runaway Bride was over, we decided to watch Giant, with Rock Hudson, James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor, which I recorded on DVR nearly a year ago.  It was really good, by the way!


When this movie was over, the TV went back to TBS and  What A Girl Wants comes on.  AGAIN, it catches John's interest!!  Um... ok... I've never seen this movie, so we watched that one too!    OK, this is just crazy!  John NEVER watches more than one chick flick in a month, never mind 2 in one day!


John told me he wanted to leave when What A Girl Wants is over.  So, he's getting his shoes on, getting ready to go home and Mamma Mia comes on!  He had to force himself to get up and go home!


I just don't get it.  What I do wonder about is, what is he going to make me watch?  I feel a payback coming on.  I like action movies and I'm a Trekkie and I like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, so none of those are a sacrifice for me.  I have a feeling I'm going to have to watch some of his Political Propaganda DVDs.  


Or even worse... some of his cult classics.  yuck.

Rest In Peace, Daria

I "met" Daria, who lived in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada  from Living With Cancer when I started blogging about John's Journey with Lymphoma.  I think we met on the Wellsphere Community on the Cancer site.  Daria was one helluva brave lady!  She battled cancer for about 11 years.  It began in her breast and eventually moved into her bones, liver and lungs.  But she never gave up.  She was still blogging on Tuesday about the treatments she was getting and hoping and praying it would buy her more time.  


Daria's last post that she wrote herself, though brief was on Tuesday.  On Thursday, her husband Don started leaving updates on Daria's condition.  Today he let us all know that she passed peacefully in the wee hours of this morning.  Don was with her and was able to tell her good bye.


Rest well, Daria.  I was glad to have known you, even if it was just thorough our blogs.  You were and still are an inspiration for many people fighting the good fight.  We were all privileged to have known you.

Six Word Saturday

My ribs really hurt from coughing 

(and now, so does my throat)

Want to try your own Six Word Saturday? Go see Cate at Show My Face and link up!

Dear So and So: I hab a code

Dear Cold,
I don't know where you came from, but I want you to leave right now.   I didn't invite you here and I resent your presence.  Even with taking Zicam for several days, you still showed your ugly face here.  GET OUT NOW!!


Achoo!
Joanie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Zicam, Dayquil, Nyquil and Robitussin,
Please work, and soon.  I don't want this to turn into bronchitis.  On the other hand, I have an unexpected couple of days off from work.  Not sure if this price is worth it.


Sniffle,
Joanie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Snow, 
Come on down!  I'm at home, sick, and won't be going to work tomorrow (this is being written on Thursday evening) and have no plans to go anywhere until at least Saturday.  Leave as much of the white stuff that you want.  The boys across the street are happy to make money, shoveling my driveway.


Honk,
Joanie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Appetite,

Why is it, no matter how sick I get, you're always there.  I don't get it.  You'd think you'd want to stay far away from me when I'm sick.  

Cough, cough,

Joanie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Friends,
If you like Dear So and So, and want to give it a try, just pop over to Kat's Place at Three Bedroom Bungalow, hook up with her Linky and add your own!  It's a great way to blow off steam, and you can read lots of other letters!

Love,

Joanie

Lunch and the sniffles

I was lucky enough to come down with a cold on Tuesday.  

Yesterday wasn't bad, but today, I'm hacking and coughing and sneezing.  

And I might have a fever.  

And I hope Martha didn't catch my cold on Wednesday when we had lunch. 

 I made sure I didn't go anywhere near her!

We didn't think to get pictures of our yummy Reuben sandwiches until we ate them.

Martha and Joanie at Molly Maguire's Irish Restaurant & Pub in Lansdale, PA

White Elephant Gift Exchange

Not long after Christmas, Margaret from Nanny Goats in Panties asked if anyone would be interested in having a white elephant gift exchange to pass on a gift you had no use for. Now everyone gets something they don't want or need and I was no exception! I was happy to jump on this fun little bandwagon! I just hope the person whose name I had, received her gift in time for today's party!!! It's coming via UP Postal Service and it was mailed at the end of the week! I swear! I just didn't count on the Martin Luther King holiday to mess up the delivery.


The other day as I pulled into my driveway, I saw a box sitting by my front door. I had ordered a few things that were being delivered, but I could not think of what this could be! When I saw it was a UPS package from Canada, I remembered about the gift exchange!!! YAY!!! (then, OH CRAP!! I need to mail mine!)


I was excited to open it up and see what it was! Inside the box was a gift bag with a tag from Nicky at We Work For Cheese !! Their blog is written by several people.  I'm guessing this gift came from Nicky, who is a girl.  The gift exchange just seems like a girl thing to do!  If I'm wrong, my apologies!  I wish I had read the labeling on the box more closely because I don't know where in Canada it originated.


Anyway on to my gift.


I ripped open the box and found this gift bag inside.

Oh!  There are 4 items inside the bag!  All carefully wrapped in paper to keep them from breaking.  I take one out and unwrapped and it's a....... hmmmm... what IS this pretty thing??  It's about  4 inches high and about 2 inches in diameter.  All 4 items are identical.  The painted design is definitely Oriental in nature ( can we say Oriental now?)  I'm guessing they're Japanese.  Are they sake cups?  Little bud vases?   Okay, take a look at these and tell me what you think.  I think they're sake cups.  

Ya know?  I've never had sake.  I just might have to remedy that!


Thank you, Nicky (or Mike) at We Work For Cheese!!!  I love them!!!