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12/23/10 Christmas Eve Eve Hilton Concert

12/23/10

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Each year our neighbors Brett & Bonnie invite us to their
“Kids Concert”.  Bonnie teaches piano to
several of the neighborhood children.
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Waiting patiently for concert to begin
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Esther was up first
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Anna’s turn
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Isaac always does an awesome job
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play it again Sam!
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Curtsey for a job well done!
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Brett sang us a holiday tune while Bonnie played piano
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Rebekah on right, their oldest daughter
singing silent night with a friend
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concert foot wear…..may as well be comfy!
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All the participants
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Having FUN 🙂
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Me & Brett
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sister Pat, Bonnie, my friend Joyce & ME

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an interesting video….

THE DIGITAL STORY OF NATIVITY – ( or Christmas 2.0 )

 

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Joseph on Twitter

always positive,

Helcha 🙂

http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/

Thursday 12/23/10 train, "lucky parker", absinthe

Thursday 12/23/10

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my morning train – PACKED!  Is anyone working today?  I wondered.

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 The after work Rush Hour — it is usually a SEA of PEOPLE — today – we just
had a puddle of people…..

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 Fellow passenger enjoying FIRST CLASS. Can’t you see why I love it?
You get your own space… sit back, relax, put your feet up……

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  Picassa (bitch cat) being Queen of the Chair in front of the Christmas Tree

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Danny sent me a text the other day about being a “LUCKY PARKER” two times
at the King of Prussia Mall which is an insanely busy place — I just got a kick
out of it -that he texted me to tell me.  I thought he deserved special recognition….
I asked sister Pat to help me create a LUCKY PARKER certificate for danny —
this is what she came up with:

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           LUCKY PARKER AWARD  for Danny Diehl

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  i like the line Pat added “Continued success in finding future parking lot spots”.
Really, Pat should be a Greeting Card writer…….. oh wait – she used to do that…..

CHEDDAR is one of our nick names for Chester…..

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     later at night we visited neighbor Vanessa. Her husband Adam has been out of town.
       broke out the ABSINTHE for a special treat.

are you familiar with ABSINTHE?? 

        Absinthe is an alcohol made from a number of different herbs, most notably

wormwood. It was  very popular among the artist and writer crowd and was known for its mild hallucinogenic properties.

  It was banned in most Western nations by the 1920s and remained virtually
unavailable until a widespread revival in the 1990s following its re-legalization.

learn more here:   http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-absinthe.htm

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Making a batch of absinthe — there is an art to it……..

The ritual of drinking absinthe is perhaps one of the most ornate surrounding any alcohol, with special glasses and slotted spoons made exclusively for its consumption. The slotted absinthe spoon is placed resting over the

GREAT! I SAW A CARDINAL!

GREAT! I SAW A CARDINAL!


Below is a comic strip I sent to my brother Raymond years ago (in 2005).
When I see a comic or an article I think Raymond will like I save it.
Then I give him a big envelope of goodies that will make him (hopefully)
laugh (at least SMILE :))

 

Raymond is an artist (metal/sculpture)
and he loved this comic so much he hung it in his studio.
In April of 2008  his studio  burnt down & he lost EVERYTHING.
all his work for the past 20 years, all his current projects,
his machinery/tools, his studio ???
like i said EVERYTHING .. and to make things worse…. h
e had NO INSURANCE….
Saying it was DEVASTATING is an understatement.
BUT the comic survived sort of.. I don’t know HOW it survived.
Metal MELTED
but the comic was only singed & charred yet still readable.

 

 

WHAT I DID was ~~~~~~

I wrote the comic strip illustrator/writer ( Rick Stromoski)
& told him Ray’s story.
Rick sent RAY the ORIGINAL of this strip. (and signed it too).
Ray got the original framed with the charred one below it –
I think it is all pretty cool because
one –  THIS comic survived
two –   When i contacted the creator he graciously offered
to sign & send the ORIGINAL to Ray!
I mean we were total strangers to him  he really DID NOT have to do that

 

That’s the story –
so EVERY TIME we see a cardinal we say
I guess it’s a GREAT DAY. I saw a cardinal!
THANK YOU Rick Stromoski :)

 

       GREAT! I saw a Cardinal :)

How to Give a Cat a Pill

How to Give a Cat a Pill


1.
  Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. 

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Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat’s mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand.  As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. 
Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
 

2.  Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. 

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Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
 


3.
  Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away. 

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4.
  Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. 

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Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger.  Hold mouth shut for a count of ten. 


5.
  Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe.

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then……..

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Call spouse in from the garden. 


6.
  Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. 

Ignore low growls emitted by cat.  Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth.  Drop pill down ruler and rub cat’s throat vigorously. 


7.
  Retrieve cat from curtain rail. 

Get another pill from foil wrap.  Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains.  Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later. 

8.  Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. 

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Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw 


9.
  Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans and drink one beer to take taste away.  Apply band-aid to spouse’s forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap. 

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10.  Retrieve cat from neighbor’s shed. 

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Get another pill.  Open another beer.  Place cat in cupboard, and close door onto neck, to leave head showing.  Force mouth open with dessert spoon.  Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
 

11.  Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges.  Drink beer.  Fetch bottle of scotch.  Pour shot, drink. 

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Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot.  Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect.  Toss back another shot.  Throw tee-shirt awa
y and fetch new one from bedroom.
 

12.  Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from the top of the tree across the road.  Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. 

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Take last pill from foil wrap. 

13.  Using heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed, tie the little *&#%^’s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table.  Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet steak.  Be rough about it.  Hold head vertically and pour two pints of water down throat to wash pill down. 

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14.
  Consume remainder of scotch.  Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room.  Sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye.  Call furniture shop on way home to order new table. 

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15.  Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters. 

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How To Give A Dog A Pill

1.  Wrap it in bacon.

2.  Toss it in the air. 

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That’s it!


                   SMILE 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12/22/10 lame Christmas party, secret santa

12/22/10

 

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Today was our Christmas party at work –
it was pretty lame. They ordered sandwiches
from downstairs & people stood around & ate them.
I’m not complaining, just observing…..

It was good to see all the “big bosses” in from out of town.

They didn’t have to come,and they did.

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during the Party – co-worker RAY (right) was teaching
our new guy ERIC about trading equities…

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Here are our Secret Santa presents – which we never
exchanged because some people had to leave & others
were in meetings…. so maybe one day next week
we’ll get to it?
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co-worker CAL in his “Santa Suit”

 

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You moon the wrong person at an office party

and suddenly you’re not “professional” any more.

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dog nativity scene

always positive,

Helcha 🙂

http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/

Ride the Divide

  Ride the Divide

“An award-winning feature film about the world’s toughest mountain bike race,
which traverses over 2700 miles along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains.
The film weaves the story of three characters’ experiences with immense mountain beauty
and small-town culture as they attempt to pedal from Banff, Canada
 to a small, dusty crossing on the Mexican border.”

http://www.ridethedividemovie.com/

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Ride the Divide was an AWESOME inspiring movie.  When I told some friends
I was seeing a movie about people bicycling across the Rocky Mountains they
thought it sounded BORING.  I NEVER thought that.  I always had HIGH
EXPECTATIONS for the movie… it delivered and some!    The documentary
follows cyclists as they race 2700 miles along the Continental Divide in the
Rocky Mountains.  Over the course of a few weeks they attempt to climb
over 200,000 vertical feet over the Rocky Mountains.  (“That’s the
equivalent of ascending Mount Everest from sea level seven times.”). 
The movie doesn’t just show them biking – it gives you an idea about
everything that goes along with the race — “mental breakdowns, treacherous
 snow, hellacious blisters, and total fatigue”.    Additionally – they race with
no support – and often they are in total isolation. We meet the people the
cyclists encounter along their journey & get a glimpse of the places that the
cyclists encounter on their expedition. One can’t watch this movie and walk
away unmoved. Ride the Divide totally engages you in the experience.
I might even one day want to Ride the Divide – supported at touring speed –
NOT racing on my own.  If you have the opportunity to see this movie –
don’t pass it up. The soundtrack is equally as awesome at the film.

Images

12/21/10 dogs, veggies, gifts wrapped

12/21/10
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neighbor Lily (and her mom) came over & delivered cookies.
Lily HAD to get a picture with Chester & Weasel.

Do you know which dog is which?

G

Tonight I tried a new recipe

“Parsnip Bacon”
here is the recipe for success:
http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/parsnip-bacon

It was actually pretty good.  I am sure I will tweak the recipe
after I make it a few more times.

H

We signed up with an organic fruit & veggie delivery service –
 great prices & so convenient  –they deliver right to your door!!

Today was our first week & everything was nice & fresh.

http://suburbanorganics.com/

I’ll post recipes of what we cook up.

J
I spent the night wrapping presents.
I didn’t realize all I had to wrap –
but now I am finished


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This was my favorite present to wrap.
I used Christmas cards – it’s really cool looking –
especially in person. What is inside the box
is REALLY REALLY COOL!!!

you’ll see…….. but you have to wait!