Marcia, Marcia, Marcia

Different Paths in Life's Journey

2011-04-17T18:51:00.000-04:00

So in the past year you become an empty-nester, 5 year cancer survivor, turn 50, re-connect with your BFF from more than 25 years ago and you are still wondering what direction you should go...what is your journey? So what do you do? You pack up yourself and your husband to spend the week with the aforementioned BFF and her husband and son whom you have never met! And if that's not radical enough, you attend the Get Radical Conference in Washington DC. And that is exactly what I did several weeks ago.
So let me give you a bit of an overview of each of the motivating, inspiring RADICAL women that we saw....

Doreen Rainey, RADICAL Success Coach and Conference Founder, who left her career of 17 years in Human Resources to start her own professional development company to help others take charge of their lives and yet keep that ever delicate balance of successful career and personal well being. She also offers different levels of coaching, from teleseminars to small, intimate retreats in Southern Utah. She is such a highly enthusiastic and energizing speaker that help but feel passionate about what you can achieve, no matter what. This was her 3rd Get RADICAL Women's Conference.

Rhonda Britten, founder of the Fearless Living Institute, spoke of overcoming those emotional fears that hold us back. In order to do that you need Awareness, Skills and Support. Identify your fear, learning techniques to deal with them and the support you need to keep moving forward, be it a friend, life coach or even a spiritual leader. Rhonda didn't let her own personal tragedy early in life define who she is but rather it defined how she learned Fearless Living. Rhonda was the only witness to her parents' murder-suicide at age 14. What she learned in overcoming that experience, she passes on to others so they may be as Fearless as she.

Deborah Owens, author of A Purse of Your Own: An Easy Guide to Financial Security. Deborah encourages the start of Purse Groups which not only gives you the support that you need to accomplish challenging goals but also makes you more accountable for your decisions. Check out A Purse of Your Own Community Group Site.

Ali Brown, founder of Ali International, enjoys teaching women how to become successful entrepeneurs and designing their own destinies. She runs a multi-million business enterprise but as witnessed on a recent Secret Millionaire episode, she is generous in helping others less fortunate.

Jillian Michaels - arguably THE Media Superwoman for health, fitness and wellness. However, she showed that emotional and spiritual health is as important as physical well being. You must form an emotional connection with your dreams in order for them to come true! "What are you going to do everyday to make you life better and happier?" Her new book "Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life" has just been released.

Neicy Nash, actress, host and producer of "Clean House"shared how her faith, her family and her humor helped her during her toughest times. What you learn during these hard times you need to then help others going through the same thing. And keep it real - you can't give 100% to everything 100% of the time, you just have to do the best you can at that time!

Each of these women have amazing stories and even if you just heard one of them, you cannot help but be inspired! But to hear them all?? Well, it can put you in sensory overload! Your initial instinct is to run out to buy all of their books, sign up for their services and scour their websites. But wait, don't get so caught up in their personal experiences that you confuse their path as yours. Let's be honest, how many of us (me included) have done that, over and over only to be frustrated and get no where? You need to take the time to reflect and process all that emotional, inspirational, and motivational information that is coming at you a mile a minute. Take the time to look within yourself to determine which path is yours. Will it be a religious, a faith-based, a spiritual, a mystical, a intellectual, a tough-love or a combination approach...only you can decide. It is your own journey. Only you can live this life and once you decide what and who will help guide you on your journey, do not be afraid to follow your path. And do not be afraid to share your journey with others because even if they are on a different path right now, you never know when someone might need to ask for directions.
After much thought and reflection of all that I have heard and read about different paths in the journey we call life, I keep coming back to my religion....to me that is the path that I need to take...albeit one that I have too often strayed from but feel that is where I need to be.
So what is your path on life's journey?

BFF's Reunited & the Grand Social Experiment

2011-04-05T20:57:00.000-04:00

I'm sharing this blog post written by my friend, Rhonda.....
7 days together in one house after a 23 year absence and when the husbands have never met!

We so enjoyed Marcia and Jeff's visit to Maryland from 3/25/11 to 4/2/11. It was a 6-hour drive South for them from Mexico in Upstate New York to Germantown in Northern Maryland. They arrived with a car full of food and wine - so what's not to love about that? Jeff and I hadn't seen each other in at least 100 years so we started off with a tentative hug. Kevin was off washing the van when they arrived (family joke) and took quite a while to get back. I think the guys both had a bit of social anxiety but you can't really blame them. We're proud they were willing to do this grand experiment for the sake of the ladies :-D.

Marcia and I celebrated our birthdays (her 50th and my 46th) by attending the "Get Radical" Women's conference in DC on 3/25. We got motivation (and some laughs) from Doreen Rainey, Rhonda Britten, Jillian Michaels, Ali Brown, Deborah Owens and Niecy Nash. For lunch we walked around China Town and had a bite at the Pot Belly Deli. Afterward we wandered a few blocks to the National Portrait Gallery in the beatifully restored Patent Building and shared a birthday toast of vino in the lovely atrium (ok, the Cabernet had a screw top but who cares when the location and the company were magical and we were tuckered out so it tasted like award winning wine). Truly a very nice day with my long lost best friend.

Kendall (9) got to meet and bond with Marcia. Made my heart go pitter patter. Since we both missed sharing the 5 other kids (Lauren, Aaron, Eric, Ryan & Donald) growing up during our 23 year hiatus (yikes - what were we thinking?), it was so sweet to have this last chance to share a kid! Marcia brought Kendall his own "kid" knife for the kitchen (big, big hit!) and spent time baking with him - they made gooey filled cupcakes and a scrumptious cake. Kendall was ever the "hugster" and took to Marcia within seconds of entering the house. She may never recover from all the hugs. During the baking events, Marcia Skyped with Aaron so we got to "meet" online. (Hoping for more of that later).

The culinary theme continuned when Jeff and Kevin shared a little male bonding by getting out the tools, putting the new BBQ together and tossing back a few cocktails. Jeff made us a lovely meal almost every night (NY Steaks, Pork Loin, Beef Burgundy, Mac & Cheese, Lasagna). Kevin made his signature Margaritas and Quesadillas and we had to introduce them to Yumm Bowls. I worked on organizing the kitchen and vowed to start cooking more. (Marcia informed me that flour from 1996 might have bugs in it. And it did - ewww). We girls visited the Lancaster Market in Germantown to check out the fresh pickin's from our nearby Pennsylvania Dutch neighbors down from Amish country. Hard to believe we never went out to dinner once. Jeff left us with a bounty of food in the fridge/freezer and wine in the mail slots that will keep us going for quite some time!

Did I mention that cheese was mightily available? Marcia was also somehow present and involved in all the cooking (hmmm, I suspect she just might be the brains behind us all).

Another theme was electronics. Wow - we are all just so plugged in these days with our laptops and smart phones, aren't we? It seemed we were constantly checking our social networking and looking for car chargers and outlets. Marcia and I both love photography so had fun there too with our digital SLR's and phone cams.

Marcia and I enjoyed sightseeing at the Cherry Blossom Festival (blessed with awesome weather and an early bloom on that day), a drive around to some of the DC sites and a visit to Frederick, MD. The weather was chilly and dull on most days so we took it easy a few days too. We did all of our exploring alone with just the two of us - Jeff suffered terribly from a pinched nerve in his neck so couldn't do much. It was hard to watch him suffering - especially since it was also his birthday (51st) and he'd never been to DC. Kevin also had to start work unexpectedly (gotta love the golf industry in the Spring). So we made the best of it sneaking out when we could. Overall, we had a great time rekindling and introducing the family. It seems we are all quite comfortable together which is good news to Marcia and me because we aren't letting this friendship go again. By the way, I got the biggest hug EVER from Jeff before they left (ok, maybe he was resting on me due to his shoulder pain but I'll take it!)

Love my BFF! More get-together's to come! Next up? Hopefully a cabin stay late this summer in Mexico, NY. Until then, Marcia is next off for her annual "Sister's Trip" and has a vacation planned with Jeff in North Carolina. We have Judy and Ivan coming in late May and Ryan is coming for the summer in mid-June so there's plenty of excitement this year. Yeah us!

Rhonda Tisinger
Friday, April 1

Cherry Blossom Festival in DC

2011-03-29T18:35:00.000-04:00

2010-09-21T19:33:00.008-04:00

Yeah, well it looks like I took the whole summer off....maybe I have in a sense. Sometimes it's good to step back and take a good look around.

Everyone's on a journey.....sometimes our paths will intersect, sometimes run paralell, and sometimes way on the other side of the world. But it's our life experiences and how we react to them that guides us down our certain path of life. And just when we think we found out where we are going, life comes along with another new twist or turn.

For a long time, I felt that my path was to be everywhere for everyone. You know, volunteer for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, church, active in union at work, school board, etc. And I'm not complaining, truly! I learned so much, met such great people and had a great time. Then almost 5 years ago I got my breast cancer diagnosis. The support from family, friends and my medical providers were amazing - they kept me up and going. When you are done with treatments you experience relief and happiness. But then it hits you....inexplicably you miss the feeling that everyone is there for you. Don't get me wrong - they are there but because it had been so intense there seems to be a bit of a letdown. Then factor in changes in brought upon by chemo and a certain age....well, lets just say that it is not uncommon to feel a bit depressed. I think that one of the reasons that I kept pushing myself was that I was not let going to let that bring me down.

So after constantly pushing myself, I finally asked myself why? What was I doing? Where was I going? After much reflecting, I decided it was time to exit the freeway and take some time for me! No more BOE meetings, no more push and pull, no more you gotta go, go, go!! Wow! What a change that was. A much needed change. And you know what? I like not having to do so much! I needed the break. I thought I'd be ready to take on some new challenges after a year but even though I tried, I just wasn't ready. I'll volunteer to do things but I'm just not into organizing or making a long tern commitment. Selfish? Maybe. But for me, it is what I need at this time.

I started this post way back in September and just came across it again. Ironic as I just spent several days helping prepare for a Holiday Open House for Jeff's new business venture. But that's the key - it is Jeff's. I will certainly support him and help in many ways, but I'm not putting in huge amount of hours in addition to my full time job. I still have my time to spend with Jeff, family, friends and ME. And time to resurrect my blog....for me :-)

Brunch at Tin Pan Galley

2010-05-31T12:37:00.000-04:00

Ham and cheese omelette:

Life's a beach!!!

2010-04-28T07:59:00.000-04:00

Great advice......not just for the beach but for life as well....

What appears as a fun, light-hearted collage is really a collection of wise advice for everyday. This will be on my desk, for sure!! 'Cuz life's a beach!!

Edited with Photogene

Marcia

Spring Fever

2010-03-07T20:53:00.024-05:00

Today we headed out to enjoy the beautiful sunshine, play with my camera that I got for Christmas, have a picnic and also ended up visiting a couple of wineries...Hunt Country and Heron Hill.

Here are some pictures that I managed to get - not all of them have been edited yet

Finger Lakes

Chicken piccata, broccoli, spaghetti squash

2010-02-20T18:21:00.001-05:00

Edited with Photogene

Marcia

Happy 80th Birthday,Dad!

2010-02-07T15:43:00.000-05:00

Edited with Photogene

Marcia

Felix trying to get ladybug

2010-02-04T11:12:00.000-05:00

Edited with Photogene

Marcia

Felix

2010-01-01T18:24:00.001-05:00

Aunt Sandy & grandchildren

2009-12-20T08:56:00.000-05:00

Edited with Photogene

Marcia

Aunt Sandy & family

2009-12-20T08:53:00.001-05:00

Edited with Photogene

Marcia

Dianne's green thumb!

2009-10-11T12:43:00.001-04:00

Can you believe it? Dianne can grow African violets!

Nice Group Effort.....

2009-10-10T21:05:00.001-04:00

Strip steak, spicy bacon wrapped sea scallops, roasted asparagus and roasted potatoes with a nice Cabernet! Sooo good!

Edited with Photogene

The end of a fall day....

2009-10-05T18:25:00.001-04:00

A day of clouds, rain and also bright sunshine and breezes. A fall day in upstate NY!

Edited with Photogene

A chilly October morn...

2009-10-05T16:44:00.001-04:00

The full moon getting ready to set as another breezy, chilly, lake-effect rainy day begins...

Edited with Photogene

Not my friend!!!

2009-09-26T20:07:00.000-04:00

Hope I didn't get up close and personal!

Edited with Photogene

Serene reflections .....

2009-09-26T18:21:00.000-04:00

Edited with Photogene

Serenity....

2009-09-26T18:15:00.000-04:00

Edited with Photogene

Mountain Brook Lodge

2009-09-26T09:09:00.000-04:00

Loving the cozy lodge feeling

Edited with Photogene

Downpour

2009-09-23T16:11:00.001-04:00

Waiting in my driveway for the rain to subside a bit

Late summer dinner on the deck

2009-09-08T18:21:00.001-04:00

Sour cream & chive potatoes, almond green beans, bacon-wrapped scallops and steak with Bogle petite syrah. Perfect way to de-stress after a hectic day! Thanks, Jeff!!!!

Edited with Photogene

Life is good.....

2009-09-07T13:02:00.001-04:00

Spending another great day with Jeff....

Watkins Glen

2009-09-06T20:25:00.000-04:00

A beautiful day! The weather was perfect. Lots of people though so it
was hard to get some nice pics. Will post more when I download them
from my camera. This us the only one I got from my phone. Jeff was
great even though the steps were killers, especially the last ones!!!
They were getting to me and my legs are normal ( well somewhat)!!!
Buttermilk falls tomorrow!

Full moon rising...

2009-09-06T20:15:00.000-04:00

A beautiful sight on my way home last night....

Edited with Photogene

You Gotta Have Friends......

2009-09-01T18:59:00.009-04:00

(cue Bette Midler.....)
Friends....such an important part of our lives. So simple and yet so complex. So healing and yet sometimes so painful. Friends of all different types and different levels. Forever friends, forgotten friends, former friends, family friends,
You would think that the act of friendship is pretty straight forward....but we humans have vastly different personalities and expectations - precisely what can make a friendship can also break a friendship. Regrettably, I have had my share of lost friendships - in which, I certainly bear a fair amount of blame. It's not like any of us truly want to weaken or break a friendship - it is usually due to miscommunication/misunderstanding of each other's expectations. If only friendships came with an owner's manual and warranty!
I came across this book at a tag sale... The Friendship Covenant (How To Be Best Friends for Life) by Connie Dianne Walters. A book that is the closest thing to a Friendship Owner's Manual if there ever was one. It is written with common sense and humor. 45 principles celebrating the bonds, joys, challenges, admonitions and spiritual journey of friendships. Now don't let that number scare you - each principle is detailed in about one and half pages each. It is a book to read, re-read, share, learn from and keep as a reference guide - just like your other owner's manuals - well, then again maybe you should put this book in a safer more accessible place then the refrigerator or stove manual!
Ok - so now you want it, don't you? Unfortunately, it appears to be out of print but can be found here. Or perhaps we can meet up and share the book over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine - just like friends do....but be patient with me....I'm still learning after all these years......

Dinner fit for Lola

2009-08-25T17:17:00.001-04:00

Rice pasta, fresh organic ingredients

Dinner at sunset

2009-08-19T20:09:00.001-04:00

Beautiful ending to a wonderful dinner with friends at Rainbow Shores
restaurant ....

Saturday in the park.....

2009-08-15T15:54:00.000-04:00

Silver girl

2009-08-14T18:55:00.000-04:00

She was amazing!!!! But I don't know how she doesn't pass out from the
heat!

Parking

2009-08-13T20:06:00.000-04:00

At 9 am it was $10, at 1 pm it was $12 and at 5 pm it was up to $15!

Barnacle Billy's

2009-08-13T17:58:00.000-04:00

Enjoying the seafood and some more beer. Fireworks over the beach
later tonight. Oh, the life! Could so do this the whole summer.....if
I won the lottery!

Lobster roll for lunch...

2009-08-12T15:39:00.001-04:00

So yummy!!!!

Lunch at a classic diner

2009-08-11T12:38:00.000-04:00

Today's travels ......

2009-08-11T10:59:00.000-04:00

Ben and Jerry's

2009-08-11T10:27:00.000-04:00

Went on the first tour of the morning. No crowded that way! They were
making peanut butter cup and chubby hubby - which brought back fond
memories of Brian and Sue ;-). The free sample was chocolate
therapy!!!! I think Jeff called them ahead of time to arrange that!
And since there was do few of us on the tour, guess who got an extra
sample!!!! What a breakfast. Off to mote adventures.

Waiting for the ferry....

2009-08-10T09:48:00.000-04:00

The sun is trying to peek through and burn off the haze. Less breeze
here but I did take my bonine ;-)

Bridge over tumbling waters.....

2009-08-09T16:46:00.000-04:00

One of the few covered bridges in NY...

Summer is so fleeting...

2009-08-09T16:41:00.000-04:00

Leaves starting to turn in the ADKs

Bacon-wrapped scallops and steak on greens

2009-08-07T17:42:00.000-04:00

Crabcakes on greens with feta

2009-08-04T18:48:00.001-04:00

Homework....

2009-08-02T15:09:00.001-04:00

2009-08-02T11:01:00.000-04:00

Mother/daughter dresses ;-)

Campfire-altered

2009-08-01T21:09:00.000-04:00

Campfire

2009-08-01T21:08:00.000-04:00

Mexico Point Park Concert and Fireworks, July 12t

2009-07-11T14:26:00.004-04:00

The Annual Mexico Point Park and Fireworks will be this Sunday, July 12th startng at 5:30.

MACS Class of '79 30 year Reunion

2009-07-06T19:33:00.000-04:00

MACS Class of 1979 30 Year Reunion!

When: Friday July 17th, 2009 (Mexico Field Day Weekend)
Where: VFW Banquet Hall, Rt. 3 Mexico (very nice 2 year old facility)
Time: 6:00pm
Cost: $10.00 per person (the cost includes rental fee of the facility, cheese, crackers, pepperoni, veggie tray, chips, dips, cookies, munchies, etc.)
There is a CASH BAR available!
We also encourage anyone to bring a favorite appetizer to pass!
Please spread the word, come and have a good time with old friends! (Life goes by SO quickly!)
“And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.” - Abraham Lincoln

Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

2009-05-26T18:55:00.003-04:00

2 Tbsp bacon drippings (or butter)

3/4 cup onions, chopped

1 Tbsp curry powder

2 large carrots, peeled & sliced

1 large sweet potato, peeled & sliced

2 cups chicken stock

salt & pepper

6 slices bacon, chopped (optional)

Fry bacon, drain on paper towels & reserve for garnish. Drain fat except for 2 Tbsp. If omitting bacon, melt 2 Tbsp of butter in med pan. Add onion and saute until soft & translucent. Add curry powder, carrots, sweet potato and 1 cup of the stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender. Puree mixture with an immersion blender or regular blender (do not cover tightly.) Add remaining cup of stock and heat throughly. Garnish with bacon. Makes 2 servings so this can easily be doubled or tripled.

Sweet Potato Brownies #2

2009-05-20T07:58:00.002-04:00

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Splenda sugar substitute
5 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sweet potato, mashed
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan.
Cream the butter and sugar.
Add the egg whites one at a time scraping the bowl and beating after each addition.
Fold in the rest of the ingredients except the pecans.
Spread batter in pan and top with pecans.
Bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick incerted into the center of the brownies comes out clean.
© 2009 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved. http://www.recipezaar.com

Sweet Potato Brownies #1

2009-05-20T07:45:00.001-04:00

1/2 cup butter

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup mashed sweet potatoes

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 300. Grease a 9 x 9 inch baking panIn a large bowl, cream together butter with sugar. Add sweetpotatoes, vanilla and eggs, mix well. Stir in flour and cinnamon, mixwell. Pour into prepared pan.Bake for 1 hour or when knife inserted into brownies comes out clean.Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Remove and let cool in pan 5minutes; then transfer to cool completely on a wire rack.

Peace and Quiet

2009-04-21T20:16:00.004-04:00

Ahhh....
The house is quiet and I am home alone. After a day of stressing on how to get everything done and feeling overwhelmed by the demands it felt so good to just relax with the patio door open to the beautiful sunshine. Then the dark clouds started rolling in. A quiet, still mood took over - not depressing, more calming, really. Then the first claps of thunder and the bright streaks of lightning. There really is something quite magical about the first spring thunderstorm. While it was so nice to be alone, I do wish Jeff was home with me. How wonderful it would have been to snuggle up on the couch in the dark watching nature's fireworks outside the large window. The rain came in a deluge but quickly let up. The thunder is in the distance and the peepers are now out in full force. Yes, such a magical night - just wish I could have shared it with my love. But I will use this time for reflection and just maybe when he gets home from work, we can still listen to the thunder in the distance and the peepers......

Where has the time gone?

2009-04-03T18:53:00.000-04:00

Wow - 3 months since I last posted. I really wish I could say that I went on a long vacation somewhere warm for the winter. But alas, no, I stayed up here in the snowy Central New York. Doing what you say? Hmmm.....let's see, writing the next greatest novel? No. Expressing myself in artistic ways? No. Saving lives? No. I guess what I have been doing might seem quite mundane and boring to many but I guess it's really my life. I've been enjoying working with some incredible co-workers who encourage me and keep me on an even keel. I have had many meetings that are important but time consuming and somewhat draining at times. It has made me really think about what my priorities need to be. Jeff and I have spent some absolutely wonderful times with some special friends. We seemed to have crossed paths in our journeys and it has been so good - for all of us. We support and encourage each other and look forward to some fun times in the future as well. But the best and most important thing that I have been doing is re-connecting with my husband of almost 30 years. At times it's as if we are dating all over again - and that is a very good thing. We have had some very special times together. Jeff has really caught the cooking bug and that's fine by me. He usually brings me and my co-workers lunch several times a week. It is so neat to see his creativity come out in his amazing dishes. He takes great joy and pride in it and that makes me very happy.

So I guess we don't have to save the world, as he says, if we take care of our little corner of it then the rest will follow.

8 Principles of Fun & The 5.75 Questions You've Been Avoiding!

2009-01-03T19:17:00.009-05:00

My friend, Steven came across 8 Principles of Fun on this website and "tweeted" about it earlier today. He then added it to his blog. I loved it - have watched several times as well as the The 5.75 Questions You've Been Avoiding! . How timely this came along as so many of us are either making resolutions or determining our goals for the year. Please check this website out - I'm sure that you will find it very interesting....

The Year In Review

2008-12-30T19:39:00.005-05:00

Growing up, my parents subscribe to the Post Standard and Newsweek. I loved the year end editions when they wrapped up the year in review. While, trust me, my life is certainly not exciting fodder for a newspaper or periodical, I do like to think back and reflect on the past year....

This was a year that I got really connected: Twitter (and all the apps), FaceBook, my blog, etc. - sometimes to the annoyance of Jeff and rightly so. I get so into it that I tend to lose track of time and my surroundings. I need to work on finding a balance.

Friends: Well, let's just say it was an interesting year...I certainly found out that a few friends weren't really what they seemed to be. And yet, the love and support that I received from my true friends was just amazing. And I also discovered some new friends/co-workers who really are the "real thing". You all know who you are! And of course, my cyber friends from Twitter - always good for a smile and a laugh!

Family: We are so fortunate to have 3 terrific sons! They have been so helpful to us, especially when Jeff broke his ankle. We also have enjoyed having Jen and Maggie spending time with us. Maggie & Don went with us to Catawba Island in July while Aaron & Jen went with us to North Carolina in October. Such an enjoyable time for us! Dianne, Sue and I had our annual Sister's week at Myrtle Beach in April. I'm telling you, we have such a wonderful time - it is a very special treat! And of course, it's a riot when the whole family gets together! Crazy chaos but fun!!
And finally (saving the best for last), I am so thankful to have a wonderful, supportive husband in Jeff. Everyone has their bumps in the road, especially after 29 years. We made a special re-connection this year....like not taking each other for granted,etc. It's so good to re-evaluate your life and even better when you can make positive changes.

And above all thank you, God for making all things possible.........

Rosemary Breadsticks

2008-12-21T13:43:00.009-05:00

Rosemary Breadsticks (Breadmachine)
(adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Christmas Cookbook 2003 Omnimedia)
1 1/4 cups warm water
3 1/2 tsp yeast
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp shortening
3 Tbsp fresh rosemary*
1/2 Tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Place all ingredients in bread machine as per manufacturer's directions. Set for dough cycle. When done, pat dough out into 2 5x12 rectangles on a greased cookie sheet, cover with greased plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, approx 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with oiled parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Slice 1/2" piece off short end of rectangle and carefully stretch the length of cookie sheet making sure that shape is uniform for even baking. Let rise for 10 miutes, uncovered in a warm place. Bake for approx 20 minutes, rotating pans in oven after 10 min. Remove to cooling rack. When completely cooled, can be stored in airtight container for up to 10 days.

*This can be changed to use any of your favorite fresh or dried herbs.

Italian Whiskey Balls

2008-12-12T19:07:00.004-05:00

3/4 cup Crisco
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp whiskey
1 cup milk
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup raisins (soak in some add'l whiskey)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Cream together crisco, cocoa and sugar. Add vanilla, whiskey, baking powder, milk, egg ans spices. Mix until well blended. Gradually add flour. Stir in chocolate chips, raisins and nuts. Chill dough for a couple of hours of overnight. Flour hands and roll dough into small balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool. Dip cookies into frosting and let set overnight.

Frosting
1/4 cup Crisco
1 Tbsp butter
3 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
strong black coffee

Beat Crisco, butter,sugar, cocoa til desired richness. Add coffee til right consistency (almost like a glaze) so that cookes can be dipped to coat.

Will post picture later :-)

Christmas Traditions

2008-12-07T20:53:00.008-05:00

~ There is no ideal Christmas; only the one Christmas you decide to make as a reflection of your values, desires, affections, traditions. ~ Bill McKibben

It is so easy to get sucked into the commercialism of Christmas. We are bombarded by ads everywhere ....on the radio, TV, Internet, etc. Christmas has changed so much since we were children. I hear myself saying that just as my parents said that to me. Of course, everyone wants to make the Christmas experience memorable for their family and friends, especially when there are young children involved. And while it certainly is every one's right to celebrate as they seem fit, I hope and pray that everyone remembers truly what Christmas is about. The birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ...while that may seem obvious to some, I think all too many believe that it is just about Santa, trees and presents. My family has always celebrated with all that. I fondly remember sharing popcorn and grape soda with my sons while watching Rudolf, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. And I am a sucker for all the Christmas movies on TV especially on the Hallmark Channel. I love decorating the house (especially with family) making our Christmas cookies (next Sunday) but we also celebrate the fact that Christ was born. My parents made sure I understood that and I passed that on to my sons. They took part in many church activities growing up and still accompany me to Christmas Eve service. I truly believe that my boys still share those values. Due to circumstances, our Christmas tree may have fewer packages this year (as will many families') but the most precious gift is our faith, family, and friends....

~ The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. ~ Burton Hillis (Better Homes and Gardens)

Christmas in Mexico

2008-12-03T17:19:00.006-05:00

This weekend Mexico will have the holiday spirit in full swing. Most of the events will take place on Saturday starting at 9 am with bazaars at four of the local churches. Many of the shops and the library will have refreshments available. Our newest store, Hart & Stone has a great retro feel and yummy food. "Friends of Bob Cratchit" will be strolling the streets as well as carolers. A horse-drawn carriage will be available for those who get tired of walking. At 10 am the library will have a reading of "Twas the Night Before Christmas." Lucienne Henneberry's Studio will be taking photos with the North Pole Elves. At 4 pm parade down Main Street will end at the Cooperative Extension office for the tree lighting. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in the Fire Hall next door for pictures with the young ones. For the older visitors, Mexico Liquors will have wine tastings from 5-7 pm. And so much more to do!!!
So bundle up and come on out and enjoy the day in Mexico. And if you do....stop by the Methodist Church and say Hi! I'll be there with my Mom selling some cute Christmas decorations!!!

Autumn in Mexico

2008-12-02T17:27:00.008-05:00

I know that as many of us look out our windows there is snow on the ground and Christmas decorations up but I wanted to get this in before I move onto winter things...

Mexico is lucky enough to have a beautiful community park right on Lake Ontario that has historical significance as well as natural beauty. In the Spring, Summer and Fall there are some really nice community events as well as tours of Casey's Cottage. I love going down there to take pictures.....

I stopped by my parents' cottage on a quiet, sunny Sunday afternoon and took these...

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T21:32:00.004-05:00

I'm relaxing....the family has left for their separate ways. It's so quiet now. Time to reflect....
There are so many things to be thankful for. This year seems like even more so. I have had a bit of an emotional and stressful year (mostly work related) but I am so thankful for the support that I have received...especially from Jeff, the boys, my sisters and my special friends. I have learned so much...some were hard lessons but in the end, I believe I am a better person for it. I have re-thought my priorities and now know that family and friends come first. I have made important re-conections...with my husband, my family, my faith and true friends. I have made some new connections....my sons' girlfriends (Jen & Maggie),a new co-worker, new friends, new spiritual growth, new learning experiences. So above all, I truly thank God for guiding me down the right path...

Spiritual and Renewing Weekend

2008-09-22T19:27:00.004-04:00

This weekend was quite a busy but rewarding one. Our church, Mexico First United Methodist has been celebrating their Bicentennial this year. The celebrations have included a visit from retiring Bishop Violet Fisher, ice cream socials, parade floats and culminating a homecoming weekend. Friday was a Hymn Sing, Saturday a banquet and Sunday a special service. It was so nice to see everyone, including some of our former pastors. In the coming weeks, I will add more regarding the church's celebrations.

Also on Saturday, I attended a surprise 70th birthday party for my dear friend Dolph Beyer. A truly wonderful celebration for someone who has gone through so much the past year.

And finally, Sunday afternoon Jeff and I attended a Walk and Talk with Dr. Rob. It was so inspiring. I'd love to have friends join me for the next one - coming soon. Please check out his website, Mind, Body, Smile.

MIA

2008-09-04T17:36:00.003-04:00

I have been so neglectful of my blog. As you can tell it has been almost 4 months since I last posted. Do I have an excuse? I could tell you that my life has just been so hectic (which it has) but then again, isn't all of yours? Seems like I have been on the go - to North Carolina the end of May for the funeral of my dear Aunt Elizabeth, a weeks vacation in Ohio at Jeff's cousin's (absolutely wonderful!), and then back to the grind at work trying to keep up with 2 jobs until my new co-worker joined us the beginning of August. It seems like a lifetime. I guess I was overwhelmed at returning to my blog thinking that I needed to make sure everything was in chronological order, that I had the all the right pics and links - that seemed like just too much work to contemplate...much less do. And through it all my faithful friends and family kept asking when was I going to update. Well, it finally dawned on me....this is not work or school. If it isn't in logical order that's ok. It's about me (Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!!!) and I can do what I want here. :-) So hopefully I will get back into the seing of things. Thanks for sticking with me.

Dianne's Trip to Tuscany - Day 4

2008-05-14T21:49:00.004-04:00

Today, Dianne was to go see Michelangelo's David.
Here is a link to a great website for more information on Florence and Michelangelo's David.

Dianne's Trip to Tuscany - Day 3

2008-05-13T16:32:00.006-04:00

Siena/Montalcino:
Concert of Gregorian chants. Unfortunately, I'm not exactly sure where the concert is - possibly the Abbey of S. Antimo. But I will update when I get more information from Dianne.

Montalcino-famous for its Brunello wine

Dianne's Trip to Tuscany - Day 2

2008-05-12T22:06:00.005-04:00

Today Dianne was to take a tour of the Siena/San Gimignano area complete with a cooking demonstration and then dinner. Can't wait to find out what they made and ate!
Above are some pictures from the Avventure Bellissime Website

Sisters' Week 2008

2008-05-11T18:41:00.016-04:00

Well, another sister's week has come and gone - and so quickly, too. Sue and I started out on Saturday, April 26th at 4 am! We got to Clinton, NC by 4 pm but waited for Dianne to meet up with us before we oontinued on to Uncle George and Aunt Elizabeth's to stay the night. Unfortunately, Aunt Elizabeth has been ill and was hospitalized. After taking Uncle George out to eat we stopped by to see her. We also stopped to see her on Sunday morning before continuing on to Myrtle Beach. We stayed at the Deercreek Resort Condos

We did some shopping at Barefoot Landing, spend the day touring Charleston, went to the beach at Huntington State Park several times, went golfing at Tupelo Bay (I was the caddy), played mini-golf (hmmm... and who got the two hole-in-ones, girls????) and went to dinner at Drunken Jacks. We had such a wonderful time and we are already planning new adventures for next year's trip to Myrtle Beach like kayaking and horse-back riding.
Charleston:

Huntington Beach:

Tupelo Bay Golf:

Dianne's Trip to Tuscany - Day 1

2008-05-11T18:21:00.007-04:00

My jet-setting sister :-), Dianne left for a week of touring the Tuscany region of Italy. She flew from Charlotte, NC to Chicago to Frankfort to Florence. She is staying at Hotel Chiusarelli. I thought I would do a daily update of her itinerary. I can add her actual pics when she gets back.

Picture courtesy of Hotel Chiusarelli

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T16:47:00.009-04:00

Mother's Day.....
Different families have different traditions and those traditions evolve as the family dynamics change. Growing up, My 2 grandmothers, my mother, my two sisters and I would go to the mother-daughter banquet or breakfast at either the Palermo, New Haven or Mexico Methodist Church. And we all got carnation corsages. There used to be a significance as to what color your corsage was but I can't remember what it is now. At our church, they would recognize Mom's: youngest, oldest, etc. It was pretty common for Mom to get recognized as the Mom with the most children since there were seven of us.

My mother and mother in law have been very supportive of me, my husband, Jeff and my children. I thank them for all the help they gave us, especially they early years of raising our children.

My first Mother's Day was 22 years ago. The day before, I gave birth to my identical twin boys 6 weeks premature. My husband bought my card before he even knew they were going to let those boys finally see the light of day (I had been hospitalized for 5 days.) I think back fondly of the gifts my three sons made in school for me. You do your best raising your children and hope that they are happy and successful in what ever they do. I can proudly say that I believe that my sons have achieved that.

Happy Birthday, Aaron & Eric!

2008-05-10T15:00:00.001-04:00

Aaron and Eric, my identical twin boys turn 22 today. Oh, how time flies! Aaron graduated from Cayuga Community College with a Business Admin degree. He is currently a service tech for Mac-Gray in the Syracuse area. Eric graduated from NASCAR Tech. He works at Reymore Chevrolet and Lowes. And he races!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GUYS!!!

Spring in Oswego County - FOR REAL!!

2008-04-24T21:01:00.004-04:00

Back on the first day of spring, I posted this. It seemed more like January then March. Well, finally spring is here according to my beautiful cherry tree in the back yard.

Sisters' Week Coming Up

2008-04-24T20:31:00.006-04:00

Our annual Sisters' Week is coming up fast. Sue and I will leave very early Saturday morning and we will meet up with Dianne at Uncle George and Aunt Elizabeth's in Fayetteville, NC to spend the night. We will then continue on to South Myrtle Beach on Sunday for a week of fun, sun, beach, reading, relaxing and just plain silliness. This is such a wonderful time for the the three of us and we really looking forward to it.

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

2008-04-24T19:39:00.008-04:00

Our son, Eric has been interested in racing cars since he had a go-cart when he was much younger. He also spent lots of time at the Brewerton Speedway. In high school, he attended the Oswego County BOCES automotive program. He then graduated from the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, NC. He now works at Reymore Chevrolet in Central Square and will be racing a mini-sprint race car on weekends at the Paradise Speedway in Geneva. His first race is this Saturday. GOOD LUCK, ERIC!!!!

Twitter

2008-04-15T18:13:00.007-04:00

I was introduced to Twitter last fall by some friends at work. At first, like many newbies, I really wasn't getting it. But that didn't last long. It's a fun way to keep in touch, a great way to meet people online that have the same interests, a wonderful networking tool and you can get up to the minute news updates. It's a fast way to keep people updated.

Here are a few highlights...

Steven was at the Las Vegas marathon last winter tweeting updates and uploading pics from his Blackberry while Kevin and I were watching the live feed in our respective homes. We would tell him what we were seeing and then he would upload pics. It was a pretty cool experience!

I have met many people, mostly in technology and education fields. They are a tremendous resource for interesting concepts.

I re-connected with Laura, a co-worker who now works in another dept. While that may seem a bit silly since we work in the same place, we made a connection that we probably wouldn't have by just seeing each other in the hall once in awhile. We try to take the time to have lunch every so often. And when we can't, we keep in touch and support each other. Right now she is in Florida but keeping us updated.

I met a Twit from Skaneateles that I probably would never have. Her sense of humor is welcome especially when I'm having a stressful day.

I met an assistant editor from the Post Standard and now I get news updates throughout the day through Twitter.

My sisters, Dianne and Sue, and my brother, Bob have signed up. Looking forward to more friends and family to join.

It is hard to explain Twitter but a website Oh Twitter seems to explain it best. Also, it works best if you use a Twitter client like Twhirl or Snitter that way your updates with pop up in the corner of your screen and you won't have to keep refreshing the Twitter site. I can also update and receive updates via my phone since I have unlimited texting. This is how I will keep friends and family updated while my sisters and I are on vacation in two weeks since Internet connection will be pretty scarce.

I'm sure that I didn't explain this as well as my more technology-oriented friends but just consider this Twitter in laymen's terms.

Happy Tweeting, Twits!!

Linda's Lessons

2008-04-05T19:52:00.004-04:00

Linda was a very special person in my life. Her life was tragically cut short when her estranged husband killed her in October of 2006. Her family is doing what they can so that another family will never have to go through what they did. They have developed a website, Linda's Lessons to help teachers educate students about domestic violence in hopes that they don't become a victim. Please take a moment to visit the site and see how you can help.

Floors - Part Deux

2008-04-03T19:08:00.005-04:00

So the past week most of our energy has gone to tiling our floors. Again, we had lots of help. Friends Bill, Holly, Gavin, Jack, my brother Bill, my son Aaron and his girlfriend, Jen helped Jeff and I. Without them we could not have done it. It was alot of work but I think it came out well. Now if I could just get everything back in order and get rid of all the dust! Stay tuned for the next project....replacing the carpet for the dining room!

Crazy, Hectic Schedule

2008-03-31T12:33:00.003-04:00

Can't believe how long it's been since I posted! So much going on. Spent one day just taking Don back to college. Then last week we had to move all the kitchen and living room furniture so we could put down our new tile floor. Putting the floor down took Friday night and all day Saturday. Sunday I did a little clean up on the tiles and tonight we start grouting! It's going to look amazing it's just that right now my house is a disaster with furniture all over! Will post pics once we are done!

Congratulations Jess and Jason!

2008-03-20T16:53:00.004-04:00

On Sunday, my nephew, Jason announced his engagement to his girlfriend, Jess. We have a long standing joke that he is my fourth son as he is the same age as my older 2 sons and he spent alot of time at our house. Jason met Jess at Onondaga Community College. She is now attending Oswego State. Jess is a very sweet girl who has managed to endure our family's craziness.

And Jason..... I expect to dance with you with your very "special" song!
Congratulations to two very special people!

Spring in Oswego County

2008-03-20T16:44:00.004-04:00

Today is the first day of spring. Shouldn't it be sunny with warm breezes chasing away the last of the winter's frigid weather? The crocus and daffodils should be poking up through the bare ground. Instead, we have snow, snow and mud! The wind is blowing frigid air that stings your face. I think the poor Easter bunny is going to freeze his tail off this year.

Oh, one last thing - here's a shout out to my 2 sisters, Dianne and Sue who are enjoying beautiful warm sunny weather in North Carolina!

March Family Game Night

2008-03-17T20:44:00.007-04:00

Sunday we had one of our frequent family game nights. My brother, Bill and sister-in-law Chris hosted it this time. We stuffed ourselves with tacos and fajitas first. Gotta say that when my family gets together, we never lack for food - and very good food at that! We ended up with 19 of us there - cozy but lots of fun! We played Pictionary and Catch Phrase. Unfortunately, I was having such a good time and laughing that I forgot to take any pictures. So this is all I have for visuals this time around......

Happy Birthday, Sue!

2008-03-11T19:28:00.002-04:00

Today is my sister, Sue's birthday. My mother loves to tell the story that Sue learned to talk before she walked. She would always ask my sister, Dianne, to carry her all over the farm. Which, of course Dianne did! Then when I came along, I never talked because Sue did that for me (as we know, I have made up for that silence - big time!!!) Sorry, girls, I had to tell that story as Mom just told it again this morning at breakfast - so you can blame her!!

Anyhow, Sue is a great sister - she is so much fun! She has a wonderful sense of humor, pretty crafty (in a good way)and a very talented amatuer photograher. She takes such great nature pictures. I'll try to post some later.

Recipe: Cheeseburger Soup

2008-03-09T10:27:00.008-04:00

Since I love to cook and bake, I thought I would share some recipes periodically on my blog. Here is a soup that I like to make when it's cold. My guys aren't big soup eaters but they all love this one. However, it is definitely not low-cal!!! But once in awhile it's good to have. I usually double the recipe and then freeze some individual servings for lunch.
1/2 lb. hamburger
3/4 c. onion, chopped
3/4 c. carrots, shredded
3/4 c. celery, diced
salt & pepper to taste
3 c. chicken stock
4 c. potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
2 c. (8oz) Velveeta, cubed
1 & 1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. sour cream
In a large stockpot or dutch oven, brown hamburger and add onion, carrots and celery. Cook until meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Salt & pepper to taste. Add stock and potatoes, cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small pan, melt butter and whisk in flour to make a roux. Add to soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese and milk. Remove from heat when cheese is melted and stir in sour cream. Makes a little over 2 qts.

Nicole Marie Spink

2008-03-07T18:47:00.003-05:00

In 2005, my friend, Laura, had to deal with what is any parent's worst nightmare - the death of her beautiful 19 year old daughter in a terrible car accident. I simply cannot imagine what she went through. But in her grief, Laura did something that could save another mother from going though what she did. She established the Nicole Marie Spink Driver Safety Scholarship program for a student to attend a driver education safety course through Oswego County BOCES. Please visit the Nicole Marie Spink website for more information and please consider supporting this worthy cause.

Winter!!!!

2008-03-05T19:00:00.005-05:00

As I posted on Monday, the weather was beautiful and teased us with a taste of spring. Well, this morning the reality was that winter is still here! We are just far north enough that we got the freezing rain, then snow. Many of the schools were on a one or two hour delay. This time, I took advantage of the delay to sleep in a little and enjoy a cup of coffee before heading in to work. I managed to get a couple of pictures during my short (4 miles) commute to work.

Spring?

2008-03-03T20:18:00.004-05:00

Is Spring just around the corner? It's evening and still unseasonably warm. The morning started with a little freezing rain but it quickly warmed up. I went for a walk at lunchtime and it even smelled like spring. But alas, Mother Nature is just playing with us. Tomorrow we sink back to reality with a Winter Weather Warning with snow, sleet, freezing rain and ice. March can be such a fickle month teasing us with warm days that make us inpatient for summer and yet we have been known to have blizzards in mid-March. And of course, who could ever forget our infamous April ice storm. Ahhh.... the pleasures of living in Upstate New York. I will take this over any hurricane, tornado, earthquake or wildfire.

Politics and Education

2008-03-01T19:04:00.006-05:00

No, I'm not focusing on the presidential race - at least not yet. Today, the Oswego County School Boards hosted a legislative breakfast at the Mexico High School. I had hoped to have pics but a) I forgot my camera and b) I was at the podium. We had at least 50 board members take time out on a Saturday morning to listen, ask questions and network. Senator Aubertine and Assembly Townsend and a representative Assemblyman Barclay's attended. This was Mr. Aubertine's first official visit to Oswego County as our senator. I had not met Mr. Aubertine previously and given the negative aspect of the recent campaign I honestly wasn't sure what to expect. I found him to be very gracious, open and friendly. He seemed genuinely pleased to be invited. Mr. Townsend also indicated that he preferred our smaller less formal format as opposed to the larger breakfasts. We started the meeting with a PowerPoint presentation of the Statewide School Finance Consortium proposal which stresses equity of state aid based on need with a simpler formula. We then asked 3 questions and then took questions from the floor. Despite 2 small technical malfunctions - one with the projector which we finally got working and one involving the microphones (which we did not resolve), I think that it went quite well. It is so important for communication between school districts and legislators. We heard some interesting ideas today and I truly look forward to continued dialogue with our elected officials.

Our next event is the end of this month when we will host a panel discussion for anyone who may be considering running for a school board.

Happy Birthday, Linda

2008-02-24T08:29:00.003-05:00

Today is Linda Kugler Neely's birthday. She would have been 47. Funny how I never forget when her birthday is. And I will always remember the birthday parties she had when we were growing up. We met when she moved to the neighboring farm when we were 7 years old. We were pretty much inseparable for about the next 7 years. Such fond memories.
So Happy Birthday, Linda! May peace be with you.

Life Long Learners

2008-02-22T08:53:00.002-05:00

I originally posted this blog on the Technology Integration site...

Shouldn't we all strive to be life-long learners regardless of what our title or formal educational background is? Clearly, what and how are students are taught should be an ever evolving process. The world is constantly changing around us so then, shouldn't the educational system? Yes, it is important for our students to learn from the past but it should not be "in the past." I must say that I am somewhat disappointed when I hear that teachers are resistant to learn new ways to educate. Yes, it may be out of their comfort zone but after all, isn't that what they ask of their students? They should be challenging their students and they should be challenging themselves. I applaud teachers who do go out of their way to challenge their students, especially using all of the amazing technology that is out there. To paraphrase a board member, we will find a way to pay for the new technology as long as it is used - often and appropriately. To spend so much money on technology to discover that some staff rarely use it much less check their e-mail a couple of times a year is disheartening.

I have seen the same issue with support staff. There are so many amazing tools that we have access to that we don't use to their full potential. And I will admit that I have been guilty of not taking advantage of training nearly as much as I should. I always seemed to be too busy to take a half or full day of training. However, I am trying to change. I recently went out of my comfort zone to learn much more of 2 applications that I rarely used. I was amazed at how well they worked together and how, in the end, saved me so much more time. Then, I needed help on another document and I got introduced to SharePoint. Again, something that I didn't think applied to me and I didn't have time to learn. Well, was I wrong. I am excited to think of all the things I can do once I obtain a little more training. I can only hope that my enthusiasm may spur others to come out of their comfort zone and learn new ways of doing our everyday business.

Presidents' Day Activities (or "Wooden't You?")

2008-02-19T16:37:00.010-05:00

Yesterday was quite a busy day off. My son, Sparky (aka Aaron) picked up some great wood flooring for our family room at an auction in January. So in honor of President's day we installed our wood flooring. What, you ask does wood flooring have to do with Presidents' Day? Well, it had have a cherry finish!
(I know, that's really bad!)

It took 5 of us (my brother Bill, Sparky, Bill Babcock, Jeff and I) about 7 hours to rip up the carpeting and lay the new flooring. We had quite a system going! I think most of us were pretty tired by the end but I really like how it came out.

Happy Birthday, Dad

2008-02-07T16:51:00.000-05:00

So yesterday was my Dad's birthday. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to see him between our schedules. Dad is a die-hard SU fan. They have had basketball season tickets since the mid-70's. It's kind of amazing to think of all the great basketball players that he has seen play at both Manley and the Dome.

But back to Dad. He is 78 years young. I say young because I don't think he will ever retire :-). He goes to work everyday.

When we were growing up, there were 9 of us around the table for every meal. Yes, I had 6 brothers and sisters. This would be a good time for me to mention that I am the baby of the family (my sisters would be so disappointed in me if I didn't state that fact.) Mealtimes were always interesting to say the least - it seemed that it would never fail, someone would always spill their glass of milk at every meal.

Many times after breakfast, Dad would challenge us to games. Such as categories, naming all the state capitals, and board games like trouble, checkers, chess and card games. I loved learning new games and it is something that I tried to pass on to my children. Our family still gets together every once in awhile to have a game night. We have such a great time and it takes me back to the simpler times.

So Dad, Happy Birthday and thanks for the great memories!! I love you.

Happy Groundhog's Day

2008-02-02T20:52:00.000-05:00

So early this morning started the annual ritual of Punxsutawny Phil and his shadow. And once again he saw his shadow so we are in for another six weeks of winter. Of course he saw his shadow. They bring him out so early in the morning with dozens of bright camera lights around. Now, I was never great in science but it seems to me that he can't help but see his shadow! However, on Long Island it was a split decision, Malverne Mel predicted an early spring but Holtsville Hal said 6 more weeks. And over on Staten Island, Chuck said spring was right around the corner. As we all know, here in CNY, we are sure to have a lot more winter to endure. Just remember a year ago!

Groundhog's Day also happens to be the birthday of 2 special gentlemen. First is my father-in-law, Walt. This is his 75th birthday and he is doing very well . I may be biased, but he certainly doesn't act or look his age! We had a nice family gathering at our house.

This was also the birthday of Dr. David Stern, my first boss at BOCES who was such a positive influence on the whole Special Education department. My mom was his secretary and I started at BOCES as a part-time clerk assisting her with the student records. Dr. Stern had an excellent work ethic and he never forgot that the children always came first. Sadly, Dr. Stern lost his battle with cancer many years ago. His legacy lives on, not only in the building named after him but in the whole Special Education department's philosophy that it is always about the children, especially those that need the most help and understanding.

My First Post

2008-02-01T14:30:00.000-05:00

I have been exposed to quite a bit of technology in the past year and have been inspired to try so many new things - both at work and personally. So this is my newest adventure inspired by a couple of colleagues. I am SO out of their league but I have had so much fun learning and challenging myself. Now that I have set up my own blog I certainly hope that I can come up with some funny, witty or at least moderately interesting posts.