What would helen do?

January 21, 2014

January 21st 2014 Tuesday SNOW DAY!!!!

January 21st 2014

8 am

2 pm

5 pm still snowing….

8 am

2 pm

5 pm

8 am

2 pm

5pm

driving home from center city I saw this girl
using a snow brush as her windshield wiper!
yikes!

a “normal” 45 minute drove home from the city
took 2 1/2 hours. lots of slow moving traffic.
Lots of SNOW!

the HorseHead outside PARX Casino.

Picassa, bird watching

Snow from my snow boot…
I thought it looked like a little snow character

had a family of bluebirds at my feeder today

resting in the bowl of mealworms,

bluebirds also on the bird bath. it’s heated.
a hot tub for birds!

FREE SNOWMAN. some assembly required.

I smile every chance I get…..

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Don’t let your situation determine how you are.
Let yourself decide and determine
how the situation is.

Your attitude is never forced upon you
by outside circumstances.
On the contrary, your attitude is based on
the way you choose to respond
to whatever may come your way.

You can have a great day
by choosing to be the person who
will have a great day.

~Ralph Marston

January 21, 2014

1.20.14 Martin Luther King jr Day ~ working from home today

1.20.14

Everybody can be GREAT!

had this visitor at my bird feeder today.
it is a Carolina Wren. Have you seen any around?

I was supposed to have a breakfast meeting at
FRED’s today but it got cancelled.
I had to use my “home mug” for coffee today!
You may use it as well if you come over for coffee.

Yup, a pending High School reunion.
Graduated in 1979, that’s how many years???

Based on this Business Card —
Can anyone tell me how I would
address an envelope to send MAIL to
Oriol?? He is the rep I worked with last week.

Love this picture of Oriol & brother Raymond 🙂

a simple dinner tonight.
I made garlic toasts & topped them with some spreads.
Plain ricotta cheese, olive tapenade,
parsley pesto (I made it!) and last
a truffle mushroom butter (also a helen concoction)

neighbor Deb’s dad passed away last week 😦
Services this Thursday.

Keeping the Post Office in business!!! 11 letters

btw – Stamps go up to 49¢ on Sunday

Happiness HERE!
the dog is smiling!

What are you doing for others?

*****************************

“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 21, 2014

Sunday 1.19.14 gym, reading, cooking, Camel & puppy bowl

Sunday 1.19.14

the gym was PACKED today – at least it won’t
continue to be like this once all the new year
resolutioners give up

Was THRILLED I could actually sit down today
and read the Sunday paper on Sunday 🙂
this always makes me happy.

today was a Cooking Day….
I like to cook but sometimes it takes too much time
so we end up going out to eat.
It’s all in the planning…..

Egg Drop soup is really easy to make.
My home version is slurpalicious.

vegetable fried rice is one of my specialities
in which I excel…

chicken cilantro dumplings
(compliments of COSTCO)

I got an email from Great American Volleyball
saying that since I placed in the Grand Prix
(remember the $200 I won?) I would also
be receiving a subscription to DIG volleyball magazine.
Yay, more stuff to read…. at least it is FREE!

sad to announce the passing of Princess the Camel.
She gained fame picking Super Bowl winners and dozens of other football games for the last decade.
She was a local celebrity!

Wonder if she goes to the Rainbow Bridge
with all our pet cats & dogs??
If so, she is in good company.

Set your DVR!!! Sunday February 2nd @ 3pm.
Puppy Bowl X is coming to Animal Planet.

Check out the cute video

http://animal.discovery.com/tv-shows/puppy-bowl/videos/puppy-bowl-x-is-coming.htm

rules of life: simple

#2 is my fave!

**********************************************
“The difference between the right word

and almost the right word

is the difference between

lightning and a lightning bug.”

– Mark Twain

January 19, 2014

Saturday 1.18.14 Weasel, hike with bike club, Union Jacks, Philly Bike club

Saturday 1.18.14

to see all the pictures from today’s hike
click this link:

https://helenspicturesoftheday.shutterfly.com/pictures/3228

Weasel found neighbor Sophie’s homework folder
while we were on our walk today.
wonder if there is a reward??

today we went on a hike with our bike club.
it was a little snowy & chilly – cold for a bike ride,
pleasant for a hike!

That’s TOM the hike leader.
Tom Thorsen,is the naturalist and steward
of the Hunterdon Land Trust.

Finnegan joined us for a hike

it was pretty cool looking with the snow &
the tree branches hanging over

ME!!!

We met some friendly horses on our walk.
note to self: bring carrots next time!

Selfie with the horses

BIRDS!!!! Look out below!!

KATY the dog. She had puppy breath

Ray-Ray

CHANCE! he was one cool dog!

after the hike I took the Vizslas to get toenail trims.
Chester was first

Weasel cooperating

we went with friends to Union Jack’s before attending
a Philadelphia Bike Club Travelogue meeting.
A tasty IPA on nitro.

the girls attending: Joyce, Deb & Joanne

wonder which coat is HELEN’s???why have boring when you can have BRIGHT?

This event is an enjoyable evening of socializing,sharing of bike trip photos, stories & memories, and refreshments.

Weasel using the pillow pet as a pillow!
she is too cute!

**************************************

The way to get what you want is 
not to beg for it or hope for it or demand it. 
The way to get what you want 
is to do what you must to make it happen. 
Stop waiting for life to be the way you want. 
Start doing all you can to make it great.

 ~Ralph Marston

January 19, 2014

Friday 1/17/14 Wine Scool, Macaroni’s, Cafe Michelangelo, Iron Abbey, Ming’s

Friday 1/17/14

today Wine School was all about Austria.

Here are a few of the Whites we tasted.

A few of the Reds.

Questions about Austria? Ask me!

stopped at Macaroni’s today.
hoping one day they will offer my wine!

they are still building their outdoor deck

called on Cafe Michelangelo – showed him the Juve y Camps.
Still all sparkly the next day.
Jules fed me too – a tasty plate of cheese, salami,
bread, peppers…mmmm.
Wine tastings make me hungry!

bought my first box of girl scout cookies this season.

Cranberry Citrus Crisps

Crispy cookie, made with whole grain, full of tangy cranberry bits and zesty citrus flavor. A sweet addition for the new cookie season: this crispy cookie is filled with 9 grams of whole grain! Made with real fruit, this new cookie has no high-fructose corn syrup, and no artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners.

mmmmm Stone Enjoy By 2.14.14

Thanks to friend Jim & his excellent reconnaissance work,
he let us know where to find the coveted Enjoy By beer.

Cheers! I love this door they have at the Loft
with the little peep window.

http://www.ironabbey.com/the_loft.php

funky monkey….
we went down to the bar & enjoyed some
ENJOY BY on tap. It’s quite nice on draft.
Unlikely they have any more left by now.

neighbor Chris’s kitty Gigi enjoying a toy I gave her.
or not.

I was astonished to find GLOVES
in Michael’s glove compartment.
Who puts GLOVES in the glove compartment???

we ate dinner at Ming’s in Hatboro.
It’s been a long time since we’ve been there.
It’s always good. Never disappoints.

Sesame Beef with Broccoli. yum!

***********************************************

“Do the things you used to talk about doing but never did. Know when to let go and when to hold on tight. Stop rushing. Don’t be intimidated to say it like it is. Stop apologizing all the time. Learn to say no, so your yes has some oomph. Spend time with the friends who lift you up, and cut loose the ones who bring you down. Stop giving your power away. Be more concerned with being interested than being interesting. Be old enough to appreciate your freedom, and young enough to enjoy it. Finally know who you are.”

Kristin Armstrong

January 19, 2014

Thursday 1/16/14 Weasel, WorkingToday I with Juve y Camps rep from Spain

Thursday 1/16/14

Weasel not wanting to give up her coat –
she was a chilly dog

Today I worked with Oriol (left)
from Juve y Camps (Spain).

http://www.juveycamps.com/ingles/index.htm

We sell their line of Cavas.
Cava is sparkling Wine from Spain.
Here we are tasting with Kyle from the Loft at Iron Abbey

our next stop was KC PRIME:
this was our line up

At Continental Tavern with Ross the manager.
He bought a case of the Sparkling Rose’.
So be sure to order it when you go there!

http://www.contav.com/

We stopped to visit brother Raymond on our way
to our next appointment

Oriol showing Bill a presentation of the vineyard

this was the clear winner of the day.
DELICIOUS!

I got some FAN mail today!!

Thank you Cousin Rose Mary 🙂

Wine tasting at neighbor Deb’s house.

Spanish, Italian, French & Argentinean wines.
Taste around the world.

friend Deb was going through her dad’s paperwork
and she came across this birth certificate for
a relative. I think they are a little different today.

*********************************************

In my country we go to prison first
and then become President.
– Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

January 18, 2014

Wednesday 1/15/14 gym, wine tasting, Sushi mmm, Kaylie

Wednesday 1/15/14

once in awhile we get a brave guy attempt BOOT CAMP.
It is a CHALLENGIONG class. really.
I don’t know why more guys don’t do this class.

My friend’s son left papa bear-bear in a rental car.
I had to hunt him down & perform a rescue mission.
Accomplished.

trying to attract the Blue Birds.
I saw them in the neighborhood, enticing them
with their favorite food – mealworms.

Had a tasting at Maggio’s today.
It was ok. If you ate here & drank wine,
what kind of wine would you want to drink?
If you eat there tell SAM I sent you!
and drink the Pinot Noir.