Wednesday July 21, 2010
Danny diehl & sister Pat were in town & surprise visited me at work today.
They came over to my office then we grabbed an early dinner in town.
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http://www.villagewhiskey.com/
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It’s casual but “fancy” – does that make sense?
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Danny ordered this burger called the WHISKEY KING…
we didn’t realize it COST $26 until we got the bill….
it was an 8 oz burger with:
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maple bourbon glazed cipollini,
rogue bleu cheese,
applewood bacon, foie gras
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BBQ Pork Sammy (pat’s dinner)
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pulled pork shoulder, whiskey bbq,
cole slaw, fried pickles (ROCKED!)
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“Duck Fat” French Fries with Cheddar side ….
not exactly DIET FOOD……
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I just got a snack – wasn’t real hungry –
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House-made cheese puffs with Gruyere cheese
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Me, sister Pat & Danny diehl
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our next stop was Capogiro for gelatos
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http://www.capogirogelato.com/
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danny got Chocolate & berry….
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by now i was hungry —
I got toasted al
mond & malted chocolate –
mond & malted chocolate –
quite a tasty combo
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That’s our friend
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JUDITH —
I got a picture of a car trying to back up into her —
Glad you safely made it to the other side of the street Judith!
**************************************************************
“The indispensable first step
to getting the things you want out of life
is this:
decide what you want.”
* Ben Stein
* Ben Stein
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LOL butter…..get it??
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EMAIL and BACON…….
this car has EVERYTHING!
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always positive,
Helcha 🙂
http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/
Tuesday June 20th 2010
Tonight a few of us got together & tasted new wines we
may carry at Terranova – if we like them & think there’s a market.
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(owner of Terranova) brother’s restaurant.
http://www.cafemichelangelo.com/
Cafe Michelangelo is located in NE Philadelphia –
maybe 20 – 30 minutes from Ivyland.
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Giuliano (
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carmine’s brother) & Carmine
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Mary – Carmine’s wife plays in a Bocce league in the
restaurant’s courtyard. Mary & I went to High School together.
(St Basil Academy)
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courtyard photos – can you see GRAPES?
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ladies bocce league
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view of courtyard & outdoor seating area
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Let the tasting BEGIN!
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Brian was my tasting buddy tonight
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A nice crisp Italian white
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we always use Waiter Corkscrews….not the rabbits…
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Paired the AMARONE with a tasty pasta duo
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The Amarone is one my FAVORITE wines —
I love that “raisiny” flavor/characteristic that it has
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Brian Propp
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(former Flyer…… fans, do you recognize him?)
— we exchanged tasting notes all night.
http://www.brianpropp.com/
*************************************************************************************
Find out what you like doing best and
get someone to pay you for doing it.
get someone to pay you for doing it.
– Katherine Whitehorn
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always positive,
Helcha 🙂
http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/
19 July 2010
Our friend Chris was retiring from the Air Force after 25 years of service.
We were honored to be invited to his ceremony.
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Mary and I are childhood friends (for 40 ish years, yikes).
She’s married to CHRIS & they have an 11 yr old daughter Colleen.
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Our first stop was to check in & get our visitor passes.
I don’t mean to be disrespectful but….
the process & personnel could be MUCH MORE efficient….
We spent over a half an hour there when it should have been
5 or 10 minutes…….
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it WAS a bright & sunny day — until five minutes before
leaving the visitor check in…..then we were caught
in a MONSOON….. which is why i couldn’t bring my
“good camera” into the ceremony….
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(we got DRENCHED running from the car to the building)
basically, I’m apologizing in advance for the quality
(or lack of quality) of my pictures……
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Posting of the Colors
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(this explains it http://www.drillpad.net/DPpostingcolor(A).htm)
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Chris receiving presentations — one after another.
I don’t think they wanted him to retire…..
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MARY receiving a well deserved award.
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the flag ceremony
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Chris receives the flag in the final sequence of the ceremony
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Lieutenant General Allardice spoke on Chris’s behalf
at the Retirement Ceremony
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Lieutenant General Allardice is a THREE STAR GENERAL —
Michael told me this is GOOD.
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I’m not the savviest when it comes to rank —
but working for a “military firm” you’d think I’d learn??
http://www.drexelhamilton.com/
(and THANK YOU to my boss HARRY who let me
take the day off to attend!!!!! Very much appreaciated!!!)
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Congratulations Chris
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AND…….
Thank YOU for your service……
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Me with
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MISTER Valle & his wife Mary!
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???What we call the beginning is often the end.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
The end is where we start from.???
~T.S. Eliot
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???Beginnings are usually scary
when you find yourself at the beginning.???
and endings are usually sad,
but it???s the middle that counts.
You have to remember this
when you find yourself at the beginning.???
Sandra Bullock
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always positive,
Helcha 🙂
http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/
Sunday 7/18/10
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biking friends Joyce, Tom & Michael.
Today we went to FRED’s for breakfast –
it is a private breakfast club
that our friend Joyce is a member of.
I can’t tell you where it is our I’d have to kill you.
If you want to go let me know & I’ll try to get you in…
maybe……
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It’s a FUN place to eat – I brought my own mug to leave there
& Joyce will use it when she goes without me.
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that’s the KEY
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(between the mugs) to get into Fred’s
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FUN @ Fred’s
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I forgot to take any before pictures –
this was Michael’s after … biscuits with sausage gravy
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fun pictures on the wall –
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you have to apply to be a member & some are VERY CREATIVE!
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the restaurant is named after the owner’s dog FRED
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WHAT can i say???
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getting ready to ride……
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Tom, Helen & Joyce —
we rode 27.5 miles – a “recovery ride” for me & Michael –
since he biked 100 miles yesterday & I played
beach volleyball ALL DAY!
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We ran into a friend – RICK – we know from Volleyball –
it was GREAT seeing him!!!
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Unlucky Snake – we saw an Unlucky fawn too –
but i was NOT taking that picture!!!!!
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Receiving my PRIZE that I won in a silent auction last week
at the Tinicum Arts Festival — an STARFISH dog toy.
I won it from:
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Yellow Dog Pet Supply – a cool pet store in Frenchtown, NJ.
http://www.yellowdogpetsupply.com/
check them out if you are nearby!!!
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I think Joyce’s bike jersey says it all…..
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If it’s not fun, WHY do it??
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Tom & his “polish luggage” —
the brown bag for his clothes….
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Mary (tom’s wife) said she couldn’t go biking
b/c she had to go grocery shopping —
so when we got to their house I checked
just to be sure it wasn’t an excuse….
Looks all stocked up to me!!!!
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Weasel with her new starfish toy….
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Chester instantly stealing it from her
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Chester instantly starting to “kill” it……
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****************************************************************************
It doesn’t matter so much where you start in life;
it matters where you go
~Peter Buffett
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dog bone
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always positive,
Helcha 🙂
http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/
Saturday 7/17/10
Played VOLLEYBALL today with DIANA – one of my regular partners.
Our tournament was in Pt Pleasant, NJ – about 1 hr 15 minutes from Ivyland.
Michael biked down to the seashore to watch us play. (100 miles)
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As of Sunday – the search is still on – very sad 😦
http://www.app.com/article/CN/20100718/NEWS/100718015/Search-for-NJ-man-who-drowned-trying-to-rescue-family
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/07/paterson_man_is_believed_to_ha.html
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when we heard all the sirens Diana said:
“I wonder what my kids did?”
Well….. her son had a little foot accident —
YUCK – we were wondering if his toe was broken?
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We found a fun raw bar/restaurant the next town over
in Brielle, NJ — we like clams & oysters … and
a grey goose dirty martini….. well deserved!
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Cool Starfish necklace the BEACH TAG LADY – ELAINE gave me —
THAT’s another story…… a GOOD ONE 🙂
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*******************************************************************************************
“Love the life you live
and
live the life you love.”
~Bob Marley
**************************************************************************************
always positive,
Helcha 🙂
http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/
FRIDAY 7/16/10
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(let the bidding begin……)
Thanks Pat 🙂
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treats for the canines arrived via USPS….
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THANK YOU KELLI —- what an awesome surprise —
super nice of you — I totally forgot you had
the “treat box”……hmmmmm —
I’m already pondering what I can send YOU!
friend Kelli & I have been sending each other “surprises” in the
special treat box…. one never knows WHEN they will get it
or WHAT will be in it….. such FUN 🙂
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I bought these “Meeting Playce Mats” from my friend
Rich’s website.
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http://shop.nevergrowup.com/product.sc?categoryId=6&productId=27
We don’t have too many meetings but thought they could use spicing up.
I have to say they are quite AWESOME. If I didn’t think so –
I’d tell you.
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close-up of one of the sections…..
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i cannot believe i did not doodle MORE.
Honestly – I generally space out in our meetings but
I wanted to pay attention so I could fill in stuff –
so in that regard – it definitely kept me more engaged
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afterwards – on the back you can evaluate the meeting –
which I did — then I went one step further & gave my
meeting overview to the guy running the meeting.
I KNOW no one ever gives him feedback.
I probably scored some brownie points by sending
him an email “evaluating the meeting”.
I really prefer brownies with NO NUTS.
so…………. I KNOW these playce mats are NOT to be reproduced – (understandably)
however – I think I am ALLOWED to give some away – share the wares…..
e-mail me & I will send you one – then you can become addicted
& order your OWN batch — then tell your friends about them —
then share one of YOURS & it just becomes one vicious cycle…..
not kidding!!!!!
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Tom & Josephine Taormina —
we came here for dinner & i FORGOT to take food photos –
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I got the HELEN PIE — You all already know what that looks like.
check your archives…..
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sister Pat & Michel carrying out leftovers.
I did not get the green short memo –
wasn’t allowed to be in the photo!
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Perspective is an antidote to fear.
Most things you fear will never happen,
and even if they do, you can handle it.
and even if they do, you can handle it.
~ Michael Josephson
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Thursday July 15th 2010
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What would helen do? 