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Friday November 2nd 2012 Fred’s, unusual birds, margaritas & mexican

Friday November 2nd 2012

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friend Joyce let her granddaughters
use my mug when they went to Fred’s
breakfast club in New Hope.
If YOU go to Fred’s you can also
use my mug!

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A few unusual birds flew into our yard
with the storm.  This is a blue gray Gnat Catcher.

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This bird is not uncommon but at my feeder it is!
Black Capped Chickadee.

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the storm blew this beer into our fridge.
Not sure where we got it but am interested
in trying it.  At least it has a Bird Name!
Finch’s!

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our houseguest’s the Keeney’s.
They have been out of electricity since Monday
& may not get power back until this Wednesday
or later…….. I mixed up a batch of Margaritas
since we ordered out some Mexican food.

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Taco Suave was PACKED tonight.
Yes, more than one table is packed.
You actually get quicker service if you
do take out than if you eat in.

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Ava is growing a ghost while she is staying
at our house.
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Volleyball Jack-o-latern!

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Is Hindsight 20/20?

Sometimes20you20dont20know20th
moments become memories….
I think we will remember Frankenstorm!

T
Everything happens for a reason…..

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November 1st 2012 gym, house guests

November 1st 2012

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gym class at La Fitness – things are getting back
to normal after the storm
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Class in Action
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Mad Elf beer is now available!!!
Let me know if you need some!

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Our houseguests using up all our Monkey Plates.
Send all spare monkey plates to us!

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FINALLY – Our downstairs all ready for guests!
friends Vanessa & Ava are staying with us
until their power returns – maybe one day next week?
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friend Don’s houseguests!!
Everyone is opening up their home to
those misplaced due to the storm.
It’s nice!
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friend Dave’s son Ian came over to shower up
after passing junior black belt!
They have been out of power since Monday.
We’re happy to help!
A20childs20life20is20like20a20
Maybe the kids will learn a lesson
from the wrath of Sandy??
offer a helping hand top those in need.

Learn20to20appreciate20what20y
Appreciate what you have…..

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10/31/12 ~ HALLOWEEN in Ivyland Village ~

10/31/12 

 ~ HALLOWEEN in Ivyland Village ~

As in many neighborhoods Halloween was
postponed due to Frankenstorm.
Since our neighborhood had power (& candy)
we decided we were still celebrating
Halloween ON Halloween.

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Michael conferring with the police so they knew
what was going on.  Letting them know our
community was contributing to children’s
sugar highs this evening.

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Minnie mouse – our first trick or treater!
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neighbor Tanya all dressed up
with no where to go!
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our neighbors Mia & AJ
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neighbor Dave having fun giving out candy
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Halloween Dog
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Mohawk Man
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Georgia being a good girl!!
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neighbor Denise dispensing the goods!!
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Marilyn Monroe & her partner…..
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THEY were giving out candy to the kids….
and Jello Shots to the adults.
I LIKE these neighbors……
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Cat dressed as a dog – Unbelievable costume!
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baby grace not a baby anymore!!!
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Wicked Witch of Lambertville came trick or treating
in Ivyland tonight!
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Purple man – like blue man group but purple!
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Me with Friend Dave – he brought his son
over to do trick or treating in our
neighborhood since his had no power
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I traded some kid candy for this —
He got LYCHEE JELLY
Did you ever get LYCHEE JELLY when
you went trick or treating???

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

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You can see ALL the HALLOWEEN 2012 pictures here:

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Tuesday 10/30/12 the day after Frankenstorm

Tuesday 10/30/12 
~ the day after Frankenstorm

Does anyone need a briefing on
SANDY the STORM that the
East Coast endured??  I’m going to assume
everyone knows about it unless you tell
me otherwise ……

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This was on the news Monday night.
As you can see……
No one was going anywhere during the storm

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The day after the storm…… quite ominous skies
& strangely quiet. We didn’t endure much
damage at our house other than losing a few shingles,
Cable TV, Internet & landline
We couldn’t even get the Internet on
our smart phones! Really strange.

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We had a visitor to our backyard Bird Buffet.
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 a Sharp shinned Hawk!!!
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Chester & I ventured out to assess the damage
in our neighborhood. We first came across this.
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 some scattered porch furniture —
that really should have been put away!

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Who needs a mailbox anyway????
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leaning tree of Ivyland – a new visitor attraction
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WELL — if you need any help with your damages
call or email neighbor Don Martin

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later Michael, Me & the dogs walked over to
the old part of town to see what was going
on there.
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First encounter was an uprooted tree.
The owner was quite pleasant about the
whole incident!  Free Firewood he said –
come chop your own!

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The tree fell on the cars but missed the house
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Camera crews coming to take pictures of Chase Street.
Lots of damage there – it looked like a war zone.
I was happy to only be out Cable service –
these people have it WAY WORSE!!!
No electricity for probably at least a week!
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THIS was the problem – the transformer
laying in the street
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oh – and the trees laying on the power wires
added fun to the whole debacle.
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Then I saw this little guy in our yard & knew it
was going to be a GREAT DAY!!!
(see the Cardinal???)

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With no Internet to distract me I was able to
get a lot of homework done!!!
see? every adversity has a benefit!
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a photo from the seashore —
they now have a pond in their yard
& comes stocked with sharks…..

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SO MANY people were out of power so every
restaurant that had power was BUSY.
Even Burger King had a line out the door!
We wanted to get out & acess Wi-fi.
I’m so Internet addicted…..

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SEE all the Pictures from the Day After here:

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Monday 10/29/12 The beginning of Frankenstorm !!!!!

Monday 10/29/12

~ I got up early to catch up on Picture of the Day
before we lost electricity.
As many of you know we are in the midst of getting
pummeled with the “worst storm of our lives” –
that’s what “they” are saying……

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Calm before the storm – 6 a.m. this morning.
If you look out in the distance the flag is straight out.
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The gym was open so I took advantage before going off
to work.  The gym might be closed for a couple days.

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some of our emergency supplies
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after work I took this picture of Nordstrom’s…..
All the shopping malls were a Ghost Town –
Of course I had to go into work  —
didn’t you know Wine Sales People are
essential personnel………

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The pending storm picture at 4:30pm….

It was annoying to go into work for 2 hours –
I should have just called to see if they wanted
me to come in.  It takes me 2 hours (round trip )
to get to/from work & costs $20 (tolls, gas).
It doesn’t pay to go in for 2 hours!

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BUT — good thing I went to work
 bc I needed to get some wine for a neighbor!!!!
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I made some cheesy garlic bread with prosciutto (before) 
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cheesy garlic bread with prosciutto (after)
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I also made a roasted eggplant parmesan.
I usually grill the eggplant but the weather
wasn’t cooperating so I roasted the eggplant.
It was really good.
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I cracked open a “kick-ass” Napa red blend….
It is SOOOOO delicious – I wish you were here
for me to share it with you!!!!! 
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Chester checking on the weather….
R
A guy rescuing his dog from a flood….
S
LIFE GOES ON……

T
let’s end with a basket of cuteness……

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Sunday 10/28/12 Preparing for the storm, Re-invention cards

Sunday 10/28/12

~As most of you know we are preparing
to get hit with a storm/hurricane.
Nothing is going on NOW but “they” expect
a huge storm to hit us in the next day or so.

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Calm before the storm…..Warminster Park.
I took Chester for a run this a.m. because
I don’t know when we will be able to get
out again.

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We have the Emergency Services Command Center
literally in our back yard – I feel good about that!

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At least we are not getting snow??
I heard if the storm were snow we would
be getting 5 feet of snow!!!

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Michael decided to check that our sump pump works.
Not really sure what a sump pump is but I think it
helps keep water out of the basement?
Well, ours DID NOT work & none of the stores had one.

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Then our friends Mary & Tom came to the rescue
& had a spare…..BUT – Michael found a spare one
in our garage……WHAT??  I don’t even know what
a sump pump is & people have SPARES????

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Batten down the Hatches……
We still have some stuff to put away but we’ll
get to it before Storm Sandy gets to us.
I guess I’m not making grilled eggplant for dinner.
Time to get creative.

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Remember my reinvention cards??

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ReinventionCards™ are a fun and engaging game designed to stimulate conversation and get to the heart of what you need to know to transform your career or your life.

Each card contains a question.

Unexpected, thought-provoking, and sometimes, hilarious.

 

 

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For the drawing of all who said they were
interested in winning them:
I wrote everyone’s name on a slip of paper
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and had Weasel pick a winner.
BUT — instead of picking a winner she
took them ALL & dropped ONE of the papers.
SO THAT is how we chose a winner for
the reinvention card drawing!!
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Patte – the paper that Weasel dropped
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PATTE – winner winner chicken dinner…
(do YOU know what that means??)
The cards will go in the mail Patte –
~~after the storm – of course!
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Michael doing his last injection for his blood clot.
He had to inject twice a day for 5 days then he
will be on blood thinners. We want the blood clot
to go away & not take a walk to places it’s not
welcome…..even though Michael reminds me
“you have to die from something”…….

The20trouble20is20you20think20
Fortunately, for THIS pending STORM we’ve
had time but for LIFE – maybe not so……

U
I’m not touching that EMERGENCY button……

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V
Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion.
Every day you’re alive is a special occasion

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Saturday 10/27/12 Brew with the Masters / Home Brew Lessons

Saturday 10/27/12

A
Today we were hosting a Home Brew Session
compliments of friends Jim & Chris –
our friends who regularly brew beer at home
AND it’s not crap

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my co-worker Jeff gave me a bottle of beer
to share with all the students.
It was one of the best beers of the day.

3Floyds Dreadnaught

A hophead’s dream beer.
This Imperial India Pale Ale is strong and
intensely hoppy , its complex flavor is both
smooth and memorable.

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Today’s teachers:  Chris (left) & Jim
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Students of Beer
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mixed bag of grains
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Three different kinds of hops
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Weasel inspecting
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Chester inspecting
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Dan inspecting
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and the process continues…..
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neighbors Todd & Roman
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Mayor Bob stopped over before going to the
neighborhood Halloween Party
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measuring hops
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we took the spent grains over to neighbor
Roman & Denise’s house – they have a composter

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the hops smell delicious – nice & florally
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in the vat they go!!!
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HOPS!!!

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we like HOPPY BEER!!!!

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I was also re-using the spent grains…….

Spent grain is a byproduct of beer brewing
consisting of the residue of malt and grain which remains in the mash-kettle after the mashing and lautering process.

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I made some dog biscuits & the dogs LOVE them!!!

let me know if you want the recipe!!

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ALL the picture from BEER SCHOOL
can be found here:

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