How many things do you have that have lasted 32 years*?

Today is our wedding anniversary. Norman and I were married (drum roll or a chair to catch you when you faint...) 32 years ago today. Aren't we cute!

No disaster stories to tell. Instead our wedding was a great party for those who attended. Me, I was too nervous about how things were going and obsessing over whether we were doing things "right" to really enjoy myself.

Times have changed, colors have DEFINITELY changed and for better or worse, some of the people have changed. From left to right in the photo are: Ted Lundquist, Norm's best man. Ted was a friend from college who Norm asked as he really didn't have a best friend from childhood or any siblings. Ted was a pip! Funny, great with the ladies (especially the grandmothers!) and an all around good guy. We lost contact with Ted and haven't heard or talked with him in over 28 years.

Next to Ted is my maid of honor, Barbara Scandurra O'Dea. To this day, Barbara is my best friend. The sad part is we only get to see each other once every few years. This has me bummed immensely. Luckily she reads my blog and is much better at calling me than I am her. Her daughter, Laura graduates high school - probably this week. I owe her a call and a whole lot more for all she has done and meant to me over the years. She out distances Norman by 10 years as we have known each other since we were 13 years old!

The bride - me. Story goes I met Norman on the 2nd day of freshman orientation for college. He was with the roommate of the only other person I knew in the state of New Hampshire (where I was going to school). He says he saw me playing volleyball on the lawn in front of the Commons and I looked really cute in my hot pants and great legs! We started dating about a month later and have been together ever since. That's where the (*) comes in above. I want life experience credit for the five other years between meeting and marriage!

Next is Norman. Isn't he the cutest thing!! Girls, I lucked out in the cute department. He was prettier than I was at the wedding! Truth be told now, he has the cuter legs. I inherited my grandmother's thick ankles which kicked in about 15 years ago - bummers :-( Story goes he was dating Mary Betha Fales (my friend's roommate) but spending all his time with me! Took him a month to get it right.

Next is Suzanne Hensler. I had known Suzanne since the first grade when as a new student, brought into my class in the middle of the semester our teacher asked me to show her to the girl's room. Suzanne was my daring, dangerous, not mom approved friend. But she was cool and fun and non-judgemental and didn't make fun or tease me like my other childhood friends would do. So Suzanne and I formed a friendship that lasted a number of years. We had one really big falling out as kids. I don't remember what it was about but the bottom line is we didn't speak to each other for a year! We made up only to have her move away to upstate New York within the next year. We kept in touch, I spent a week up at her house almost every summer and then we drifted apart again. We continued to stay in touch but her life took a different direction from mine. She married her first husband about a year or so before my wedding. It wasn't a good relationship and although she was my bridesmaid, she spent very little time at the reception and in the prep stages before. She had a lot more problems with her family, her husband and her health. The break came in 1999 when she told me I had to believe her way or it was the highway for our friendship. She was into a lot of fundamentalist, zealot, doomsday stuff and believed(truly) that the world would end at the stroke of midnight starting the year 2000. I told her that while I could respect her decision to live her life a different way and believe differently, I could not accept that it was her way or nothing for all mankind (let alone little old me)and that I could not live my life according to her rules. So we ended our friendship and I haven't heard from her since.

Last, but certainly not least is the Boy Wonder, my brother Brion. The only major glitch in the wedding date was that the next day my brother would graduate from high school. My mother saw this as not a great omen. Brion was allowed to bring a guest to the wedding so what hot date did he pick...Richie Papperno (sorry about the spelling). Well, he and Richie had a great (and I mean a really good time!) Brion was dancing away with his cousins, he was the life of the party. Come to find out later that while we were winging our way to Florida the next day, Brion was hung-over with a barf bag under his robes, graduating from high school!

So that's what I was doing 32 years ago today and yes, we decided to renew the contract for another year...

Update: Norman just got home and for our anniversary and this is what he said, "Because I care enough to give the very best. I did extensive research and discovered that chocolate cake from the Medaille college cafeteria is what is given on your 32nd anniversary." With that I got a piece of chocolate cake from my honey.

Observations and Updates

I have some observations and comments about other events and news from the last week or so.

I got an envelope from a former student of mine, Kelly O'Malley Dutton last week and when I opened it look what I found! The beautiful, absolutely adorable, Claire Marie Dutton! I was so excited. Kelly was a work-study in my former office and she was not just a student worker, she became a wonderful friend, and an absolute delight to have in my life. I was honored to attend her wedding and absolutely thrilled to introduce her daughter to world!

Buffalo's Favorite Son...

Tim Russert's sudden passing last week has left Buffalo, western NY and much of the nation in shock. I'm not a political person - verbally. I let my vote do my talking. In this day of biased, left wing vs. right wing political reporters and networks Tim Russert was an example of what a reporter is supposed to be. Someone who challenges our political leaders, someone who does not let his own political bias rule and dictate his reporting. A reporter who demands the truth from our politicians and holds them to task. It is getting harder and harder to find a journalist and/or reporter who is willing to submerge his or her political opinions and personal ambitions and bring to the American people BOTH sides of an issue. The type of reporter and journalist Tim Russert was is what we need in this country more than ever right now.

On a local level, Tim Russert was Buffalo's favorite son. This city has been in mourning since we received the news last Friday. He was loved by Buffalo and he loved Buffalo. The son of a city worker who grew up in the blue collar Irish Catholic neighborhood of south Buffalo, Tim never left his roots behind. He was proud of Buffalo - something many of the city's leaders and citizens today - are not. He announced the opening day line-up via the big screen every year for our AAA baseball club, the Buffalo Bisons. Her returned to the city often to visit his dad, Big Russ and he never turned his back on his roots. He will be missed here as much as he will on Sunday mornings by the rest of the country.

What Fun!

I'm a couch potato that really likes to watch sports - on the couch! I get my love for spectator sports from two people, Jim McKay and my mother. Saturdays we would watch Wide World of Sports. This was way before ESPN. Jim McKay covered everything from ice skating to barrel jumping to the Kentucky Derby to the Indianapolis 500 to Arnie's Army. Many, many weekends I'd sit with my mom and watch WWS on Saturday and then the final round of a golf tournament on Sunday. My mom really liked Arnold Palmer and like me she was the spectator in spectator sports. The most active she ever got was her Monday night bowling league when I was a kid. But thanks to both mom and Jim McKay I watch golf, ice skating, gymnastics, football, baseball, auto racing and the Olympics to name a few.

I had the best time watching the U.S. Open this past weekend and Monday. Watching Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate was a gas! I haven't enjoyed a golf tournament this much in a long time. I'm a big Tiger Woods fan. I think he's the greatest thing to hit golf since Arnold Palmer - my mom's favorite. This weekend was a tour de force of excitement, skill, luck and good sportsmanship.


So, while we say a tearful and thankful goodbye two broadcasting icons, as a nation, life goes on. Welcome Claire Marie.

Heat and Sex, not necessarily in that order!

I had a girl's night out last night. A bunch of us from the store went out to dinner at the Oliver Garden and then went to see 'Sex and the City'. What fun!!

We don't have HBO, but while the show was still on the air, every time we were in a hotel that had HBO I'd be looking through the TV listings to see if it was on during our stay. The only trouble was the trip would have to be sans Alexa as the ladies could get a bit risque. Then they started showing 'abridged' episodes on TBS. I finally got to see most of the series - and I wanted more!

Now, the movie! I could have dragged Norm (under extreme duress) but it was so much more fun to go with Sharon, Dimitra, Linda, Marty and Elisabeth. We went to dinner first. Trying to fill in the ladies who didn't know the show in a public restaurant was a bit of challenge. So was our waiter (another story). It was like in the movie. I needed words to substitute for the more graphic and earthy language, like in the movie. Coloring was good, but I needed polite euphemisms for different types of coloring and other coloring instruments and accessories! Luckily, the beginning of the movie explained each character and their individual backgrounds. Being with the other ladies meant I could laugh out loud, cry (yes, I cried, more than once) and revel in the joy of girlfriends!

It was so good I went out this morning and bought the first three seasons on DVD - now I want to see the unabridged version! Again, maybe I better wait until Alexa is in bed - maybe even Norm too!

P.S. - AC is fixed, living in a comfortable 75 degree house - but, the manufacturer's rep is coming on Thursday to check out the unit because we asked for a new one. To be continued...

How I knew it was the beginning of summer...

Summer has begun - I'm not a summer person. I know most people look at the calendar counting the days until the "official" start. Me, summer really begins when I have to turn on the air conditioning. If you are a faithful reader you know I already have issues with heat - the internal variety. Now, not only is my internal furnace working past what is required, mother nature is hitting me again with external heat!

But, I digress. We've 'enjoyed' and I use that term very loosely, two days of 80+ degree temps. So yesterday when I turned on our central air (one of the reasons we bought this house), guess what didn't work...again. When we moved here four years ago the house had central air. As a 50+ year old woman, yippeee! I thought, my misery is solved! Well, the AC worked great the first year but the second year, no go. So we called the company that the former owners used. They came, they saw, they advised and we bought a whole new unit. I have another name for the 'new' AC - LEMON!

Every year on the first hot day, we turn the AC on and it doesn't work! This year was not exception. I've slept in the basement the last two nights - I want my bed - any bed again! I am a hot, unhappy, hot flashing, camper! Stay tuned for updates

P.S. - Had to change the color, green wasn't working for me!

Ooops!! II - Mea Culpa!

I think I'd have 'Old Timers' if I hadn't been doing this all my life. Doing what you ask? Forgetting peoples names and faces. I am awful, terrible, mistaken, confused, befuddled and NOT amused!!

I haven't been able to remember names since I was a kid. High school wasn't that bad, college - who remembers? Jobs - that was a toughie. Not good to forget the boss's name or an important client. When I worked at Keuka it was still bad - but thank heaven, students are more forgiving and there was one of me and 900 of them!

My husband and I would run into someone on the street, in a store, at a restaurant and we'd have a lovely conversation with them for a few minutes and then say goodbye and walk away. Id lean over and whisper to my DH - "Have I met them before?" Norman would just shake his head and tell me when and where.

There are two lovely ladies that I have know for four years now. First, we took classes at Michael's together - they are friends of Debbie Shuh and today they crop at the store on Wednesday afternoons when they are in town. Both are named Susan, but one goes by Suzie and the other by Sue or Susan - do I know which one is which - NO!! (I'm so sorry ladies, I've admitted it publicly now, please forgive me.) They are so nice, they ask about Alexa every week and how things are going and I can't remember which is which!

The kicker came this week when I saw Marty at the store and she pulled me over and told me that I labeled her husband with the wrong name on my blog in the entry that included the store move pictures. She's telling me it's Kirk - I apologized profusely, I'm so sorry, I'll post a change - I'll change it - Kurt, Kurt, Kurt, I'm muttering to myself. Marty gently says, no, not Kurt - KIRK - finally the light bulb goes on - Kirk, like Captain Kirk - Yes! I've got it now!

So first, let me apologize to Kirk. I'm so sorry for the mistake and I'll change the post as soon as I post this. For everyone else out there who has spoken to me and gotten a totally blank or questioning look - please forgive me, it's not you it's definitely me, - what's her name...

New Layouts

Bear with me, I'm still trying to get the hang of scanning and stitching. I hope I've gotten it right and my layouts down to size. These layouts are two I'm doing for the store. They are my first shot at teaching a class. Both are very, very simple and easy. Both can be used with vintage pictures or heritage shots.

I created the one above on my last Sweatshoppe retreat back in March. It's my favorite picture of my dad. He signed on with several of his golfing buddies as extras for a movie being shot in Wilmington, NC. The movie was an early Coen brothers piece called "The Hudsucker Proxy" - a cute, quirky film about the invention of the hula hoop (not a true story). It starred Paul Newman, Tim Robbins, Charles Durning and Jennifer Jason Leigh. My dad was an extra in the mail room scene and although we never quite saw his full face, I swear I saw his nose!

This is my mother's high school graduation photo. I just love this picture! I apologize for the lousy scanning and stitching job, still working on it, but I put this together at the store one Friday night during the crop.

Both layouts for the store are designed to be used with a single 5X7 photo. There are a few slight variations on each and a sample is on display in the store. Check them out if you are interested.

Star of the Week...

Getting ready to bug out to Alexa school where she is 'Star of the Week' in her homebase. She had to do a poster board presentation of herself for Monday (above) and last night she was busy creating a power point presentation, complete with music (Hannah Montana, of course) We get to go (at not be too visable) and bring cupcakes and juice boxes and see her presentation this morning. I'll try and take pictures and post later today.

Well, as always there were a few glitches. First, Alexa forgot she had a music lesson and apparently, according to her teacher, "Music is God in this school!" So the time had to be moved up and cut in half because she could only be 10 minutes late for music. Above Alexa is reading her 'biography' while two classmates hold up her presentation boards. As you can see the background is pink, the letters are pink glitter and she had me mat all the photos in various colors of glitter paper. Remarkably, we got credit as being her parents and where we both worked was mentioned also.

After she read her script she pointed out all the photos and what she was doing and who is in each photo, etc. She also brought a few things from home for a 'show and tell' portion but unfortunately the mini snowglobe she brought from DisneyWorld broke. You can see the water stain spreading in the bag she is holding below.

Classmates got to ask questions afterward and she was asked what she did in gymnastics, what was her favorite site in NYC (Statue of Liberty and Americal Girl Store). We were asked what trait Alexa had that we thought was special. Her father answered and mentioned that how mad at us she gets, she never holds a grudge.

Lastly, a number of the boys and Mrs. Sedor commented on Norm's Yankee jacket. We were asked if we were Yankee fans and supported in our YES comment. I was able to tell the story of how Alexa was barely in the country for a little over a month before she attended her first Yankee game and we were able to get 'Welcome Alexa Muir and Family' up on the Diamond Vision message board. This impressed several people.

Cupcakes and juice boxes were handed out and Alexa had to hustle butt to the music room and we left to go on our merry ways. Thus ends, Alexa Muir, Star of the Week!

Yawn (..............)!

Here it is 10:33 a.m. and I can't wake up! More appropriately, I'm falling asleep! I feel like that lady in the commercial who has fallen and can't get up. Well, I'm awake and I can't stay that way!

Now for Donna 101 - I've always been a night owl. That's not to say I can't get up in the morning. I was never one of those kids who's parent's needed a bull horn to get out of bed. Matter of fact, my mother was usually still in bed when I left for school because I went in so early and she didn't have to go to work until later. She was a night owl also who stayed up past midnight, too. I can get up - if I have to - that's the operative phrase! Also, when I get up, don't expect Miss Donna Dew Eyed - I'm a bear. I figure out what is last possible moment I can stay in bed and still get all I need to get done in a morning and still be where I need to be at a specific time within a five minute window. Then I count back and stay in bed until I have to positively, absolutely, can't put it off any longer - get up.

My grandmother gave me a portable TV as a birthday present one year when I was very young and I became hopelessly addicted to TV and we all know the good shows were on after 9:00 p.m. So I'd say my good nights at nine, go upstairs and pretend to be in bed. (You see, my Dad was convinced children needed 12 hours of sleep or whatever. Me, I'd do just fine on 7 or 8.)

I'd tip-toe to the TV in my room and turn the switch on and turn the channel selector til I found the station that had my 'must see' show on. I was convinced my Dad could hear every little sound that clicking TV made so I had the process down to a fine art.*

*Time out for all you newbie kids out there, born after the ice age. This was in the old'n days, the days before remotes when you had to manually turn on and off your TV and change channels by, gasp! getting out of your chair or off your couch and walking, that's right using your two legs and going to the TV set to change the channel. Two other archaic notes, first, we only had about 7 channels and my little set was black and white - NO COLOR! How's that for the stone age!

I'd lay at the foot of my bed with sound down really low and watch whatever show it was and then at the end try and turn the set off without making a sound. I got away with it most of the time, but when my grades went south, so did the TV eventually being put into the basement so that video temptation would be farther away.

Anyway, I'm still a late owl for the most part. I'll be awake all night and fall asleep during the last five minutes of 'Law and Order', you know, when the verdict comes in. I wake up just in time to see Dick Wolf's name plastered across the screen. Then, when I should go to bed, I get my second wind and can stay up for hours - just because I slept for five minutes!

I've tried going to bed early, I just stay awake in the dark. I try and read - I'll finish the whole book and turn out the light at three in the morning. I've tried Tylenol PM and all the other PM's out there. I'll go to sleep - and then wake up at 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 5:00, 6:00, 7:00 and then, when I've got to get Alexa up at 7:30 - I sleep until almost 8:00 and have Miss Pris whining at me, "MOM, why didn't you get me up earlier!" Do you think she would have liked 3:00 or 5:00 a.m.?

So here I am instead of taking a nap, blogging! Hey, if I can't sleep - neither can you!

China Memories

I've been thinking a lot about China over the past 48 hours because of the terrible earthquake they suffered on Monday. We have some very fond memories of China because it's where our daughter was born and in a million years we never thought we'd travel halfway around the world to find our family or have such a tangible link to China.

Norman has been lucky to have travelled back to China three times since our initial journey in 1998. The last time he was there was just a few month ago in March. He got to see one sight I've never seen and would love to, the Terra Cotta Army. In the photo above Norman is standing above the army in what looks like a vast airplane hanger. It gives you an idea of how large the find was.

This is outside the building that houses the army. I believe the story is that a farmer tilling his land found the army back in the sixties. It is a full size army of men and horses made out of terra cotta clay. Hundreds of soldiers and horses have been excavated and put on display. Each soldier is different They are also life size, not miniatures. They are not carbon copies of each other. The poses, facial expressions and clothing reflect individuals. Here you can some of the soldiers and horses.
Here is an attempt at a little more detail. Norman said that outside the exhibit the farmer that discovered the army sits and for a yuan or two will sign a book you can purchase that has photos and the story of the find. He has become quite the local celebrity.

Nothing prepares westerns for China. It is like no place we have ever seen or have here. We traveled very little in 1998. Just the cities of Hong Kong, Fuzhou and Guangzhou. The size of the country is amazing and the number of people is overwhelming. Even more than the tangible comparisons we make of today's world. The history of this land is even more astounding.

Our thoughts and prayers for the millions (yes, millions) affected by Monday's earthquake are with this nation that has given our family so much.

Happy Mother's Day

It's after 2:00 a.m. so it's officially Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mothers I know out there. I'm posting really late or really early (depending on how look at it) because I was trying to get some pictures up on the store blog and I'm tech challenged as always.

I'm finally committed to teaching a class at the store. It will be a Vintage Pages class featuring two 12x12 layouts. They are very, very, very...simple and easy. No challenging techniques, no knock-em dead design innovation. Just two single photo layouts to hopefully inspire you to start on those vintage pictures you keep putting off scrapbooking.

I think I enjoyed these layouts more than the ones I've been doing lately of current times, events and people because they each contain favorite photos of my parents. One is of my mother taken for her high school graduation and the second is my favorite photo of my dad when he was an extra on a movie being filmed in Wilmington about 10-15 years ago. Just looking at both of these photos really made me smile and remember how special both my parents were. A good thing to do on Mother's Day.