I Survived Elementary School

Typically I work in middle school or high school health rooms, but this week I took a three day job at one of my favorite elementary schools in Annapolis, Maryland. This photo is in a quiet moment at the end of the school day, and it was a good day to take care of the youngsters! Even a few pre-k er's, and my are the young, at barely 4 years old!

BSoleille!
Terri

A Beautiful Day for soccer!

I got up early, and hit the road on this sunny Sunday to get to my three soccer games that I was the center ref on all my games.  Had a great time running around for three hours with boys and girls from U10's, U11's and U12's!  Loved it!

Photo from another time, but that's exactly how I was dressed today!  Haha!

BSoleille!
terri

Thread Painting and Pheen Dinner

My photo today is from a guild sponsored class in thread painting by quilter extraordinaire, Pamela Budesheim. We did the chickadee and tree,and except for a quick lunch, they took all day! But it was fun and I learned and brushed up on this great technique.

Dinner with some Pheen couples completed the day at the Irish Channel in Crofton. Good memories, laughs and food were the order of the evening.

BSoleille,
Terri

The best bakery!

A trip back to Cleveland, Ohio is not complete without a stop at my favorite old time bakery shop, Michael's. I bought some yummy cookies and 4 poppyseed rolls that are my all time favorites. They offer the most delicious bakery and breads in the whole city (in my humble opinion).

BSoleille, finding the sweet of sweets!

Terri

Mixed emotions

While trying to make a good decision for my Mom's nursing home placement, I could not help thinking to live my life to the fullest as best I can each day. If we live to 75 we've got about 27,375 days on this earth. The many "elders" we saw touring the facilities over the past two days have to think that it was only "yesterday" they were 40, 50, 60 or 70! We can see that life goes by super fast!

My photo today was taken during a much needed respite hour when I met my childhood friend, Debbie, for a walk with her dog around the Hinckley reservoir. This was a place my Dad took us to kayak and canoe many years ago! The slight rain or mist did not stop us, and I'm thankful for that nice walk and chat!

BSoleille,
Terri

Cleveland Day 2

Looks like a fun time driving by the Cleveland Indians Stadium tonight, but not for me. More time was spent on looking at nursing homes and visits to the hospital to see my Mom.

Good thing the Washington Capitals won in game 7 in overtime in Boston!!!

BSoleille,
Terri

Cleveland

A much needed trip to Cleveland to help facilitate changes to my Mom's overall health care and living arrangements. Spent the entire day in the ER at a downtown hospital. I am thankful I was able to help advocate in the adult clinical world because as I found out today, it's a desperately needed skill in areas of adult health care in our country today.

BSoleille! Photo of the Cleveland skyline from the hospital parking lot. And since I was there close to 10 hours the parking was free!

Heading to Ohio

Due to some issues with my mom in her assisted living place, I left this afternoon to drive to Cleveland. I fully expected to drive in some intermittent raindrops through Maryland and parts of Pennsylvania, but what I wasn't expecting was to drive through a blizzard!!! Salt trucks out in full force for a 20 mile stretch. Thankful I arrived at my Cleveland destination safe and sound. No more white knuckle driving this spring, please!

BSoleille, trying to find the bright spot in the storm!

Terri

2 Bee at "Work"

Today I got together with my 2 Bee friend, Trish, to work on a table top decoration project for an upcoming gild meeting. It was a great day for sewing since it rained all day. Lots got done and I will show the completed projects after the May 9th meeting (we are competing for prizes so I do not want to reveal yet, haha!)

BSoleille,
Terri

Talk about a Home Office!

Hubby Bill often laments that he does not have a "home office".  That's because yours truly is a quilter, and the whole house is my "sewing room", ok, not quite, but I do have one bedroom dedicated to quilting, and I use the dining room table, (and I basically use the entire table to be truthful).  So hubby decided to really hone in on an office and set one up right smack dab in the middle of the living room. It is a small one I will admit, so he can find his stuff among the fabric strewn about, the many T-shirts blocks I have all over the sofas, and the need- to- be- altered prom dresses hanging off the dining room china cabinet.  I do care once in a while about it, but the whole kitten caboodle can be broken down in minutes if we need to, but I'd rather keep the "peace" and it works for us!


Photo of his "home office" and not a sewing item in sight!

BSoleille!  Finding the bright spot of a "home office"!

terri

International Breakfast

Once a quarter or so my neighbors and I get together for breakfast, and since today was a last minute deal/call, I decided to go (after driving my son to school and taking his vehicle into the shop because it was leaking oil...ugh!).  Our conversations are quick and lively, with Ewa (from Poland) and Mai (from Viet Nam) keeping me on my toes jumping from one subject to another (all with wonderful accents I might add), but that's how we roll!  Now if I could brush up on my Polish, and learn some Vietnamese, I would be all set!

BSoleille!

terri

Fresh strawberries

I believe my favorite fruit is the delicious strawberry. I know there is an abundance of them this year due to little rain with fair and dry weather in the growing climates, so I am thankful that I'll be eating more of them this spring and summer! Sweet as sugar!

BSoleille,
Terri

Dandelions forever

I noticed today our yard has many of these dandelions. No matter how much we mow the grass these buggers pop up with their long stems and there is nothing we can do about it short of pulling them out. So instead I just sighed and took a photo of these very interesting weeds or "lions tooth" and called it a day!

"Walk This Way".....

I just finished the 378 page rock 'n' roll memoir by Steven Tyler, "Does The Noise In My Head Bother You?"  Let me just say, it is one wild ride, just like the MGM ride down in Disney-Orlando!  From the first page, like the ride itself,  takes you on a 60 mph journey of American Rock and Roll from the late 60's until today.  Steven Tyler is VERY CANDID about everything in his life that includes sex, drugs and rock and roll, and in that order.  One thing that surprised me was just how candid he was on each of those topics-no holds bar (and he came from a very loving and stable home with a mother and father who loved him unconditionally!)  He is one crazy dude, but honestly, a very likeable guy through all his trials and tribulations.  Fasten the seat belt if you decide to read this wild and crazy book.

BSoleille! Finding the bright side of American Rock 'n' Roll!?

terri

Food made in advance

Isn't great to have some food packed away in the freezer in case you are not feeling up to par and can take it out for later?  When I can cook enough and freeze something for use at a later date, it's all good.  Today is one of those later days, and a family meal wtih no muss or fuss!

My photo though was taken a month or so ago at the Grand Opening of the new Target in Crofton.  I especially liked the color 'wheel' and took this photo!  What's your favorite color?

BSoleille!

terri

Skyline Drive

After a nice JMU soccer banquet, and much to the chagrin of my travel mates, "we" decided to take the looong way home via the Shenandoah Skyline Drive from Harrisburg, VA to Front Royal, VA.  It was a breathtaking drive, but we cut off about half way through because the speed limit is only 35 mph, and the guys did not want to prolong the trip home any longer.  I was able to get out to take some photos at a few vista points, with the highest elevation at 3500 ft.  Interestingly, there were no leaves or blooming trees at the 3500 ft. elevation, and the forest was still kind of brown.  Once down about 1000 ft., the land was much greener and in full bloom.  I bet you can reach out and touch the sky (Southside Johnny lyrics!) at 3500 ft.! Beautiful....

BSoleille!

terri

Jmu Spring Soccer

Thankful to get down to Harrisonburg,VA for some spring soccer.A JMU win vs George Washington. (2-0). Not only a nice drive down on a beautiful spring morning but the mountains are just brilliant. After the CAPS game we will head to dinner with some JMU parents! Good day....

BSoleille,
Terri

Roses are yellow....

I love red roses, but the ones blooming in my yard today are yellow!!!  I guess since Maryland had such a warm spring, then a little cooling (and will now be warm again),  everything I see is blooming prolifically!

Photo of yellow roses from my yard.

BSoleille!

terri

Caps in the NHL Playoff's!

After playing 82 games a season, NHL hockey gets no better than the playoff's; the ice is fast, the players skate fast, and the games are fast from the first blow of the whistle in the first period.  The Washington Capitals made the play-off' s by the skin of their teeth, but hanging tight in their first match up with the Boston Bruins tonight.  Go Caps!

My photo today is from Feb. 2012, boats on the West River, MD.  The water is so clear and calm, like ice! Beautiful....

BSoleille!

terri

Back for some Bowie Baysox Baseball!

Thankfully, I was able to sit in the front row at the Bowie Baysox early game at 11:00am!  It was good to grab some great "action" shots of Ryan doing his job as the hometeam's batboy today!  Crazy weather day and chilly, as I wore layers of clothing like going to a fall football game (yes, 2 pairs of pants, turtleneck, wool sweater, fleece jacket and down parka!) Wow...

BSoleille!  The bright side of "spring" baseball!

terri

Back to my "Sewing Room"

Well, I do have a sewing room, albeit a quite messy one, but I like to sew in the dining room because it's nice and sunny and I am in the heart of the home at the dining room table.  Today I got back on the proverbial horse to "create" some tshirt quilts (cutting) and hem a prom dress!  Love it!

BSoleille! 

terri

A Good Conversation....

I love connecting with an "old" friend, and I did just that tonight with my friend Bernadine from our neighborhood where we grew up in Old Brooklyn in Cleveland, Ohio!  We talked about two hours catching up with our lives.  Her Mom died recently, and I wanted to express my sympathy to her.  The two hours slipped by as we cycled through about 20 years of people from the "old" neighborhood including neighbors, siblings and parents and our own kids and husbands.  It was really quite powerful, and the blessing learned today was the power of prayer, and how she and her family prayed for my son as he battled childhood cancer all those years ago.  I am so thankful for those prayers today because I know they helped tremendously!  We plan to get together over the summer!

Photo of me and my son at the recent quilt show!

BSoleille, finding the bright side of childhood friendships!

terri

Technology at it's finest tonight....

Got to love the "face to face" iPhone function utilized tonight as I sat with fellow guild member Susie working on the last month's quilt show.  For the past three years, I have put together a slide presentation of the entire show, from set-up to take down, and everything in between.  Susie lays out the show, so we were able to discuss and talk the quilts and who did them so I have the correct combinations of people to their quilts.  We did not miss a beat, and the best part was showing her an unfamiliar quilt on my computer with my phone, and then have her shuffle through her photos to match the quilt with the quilter!  Awesome!  

Susie on the iPhone!

BSoleille!  Finding the bright side of "Facetime"!
terri

100th post today!

I can't believe this is my 100th post since the new year, but here it is.  My daughter, Olivia, came home for the Easter weekend, and she also came requesting that we shop (hunt) for some business clothes she needs for a presentation later this semester.  We spent a good part of two days looking for "just the right" suit.  The suit was easier than the blouse/shirt to go with it that's for sure!  But thankful we were able to fulfill her request, sans shoes (those are mine and she's going to use them for upcoming events)!
p.s. she cleans up well!

BSoleille, finding the bright side of clothes shopping.....

terri

Good Friday fish dinner

Growing up we ate lots of fish on Good Friday, but my family will only eat salmon.  So we made our "famous" baked salmon (sans the rice) for a great meal!  Could not resist taking a photo of this meal before it hits the oven to bake!  Happy Easter Weekend!

BSoleille!  Finding the sunny side of fish......

terri

1st pitch of the season- Bowie Baysox

Thankful that my son Ryan starts his second season as batboy/shagger for the 2012 campaign. The Baysox are a AA team for the Baltimore Orioles playing against the Harrisburg Senators (farm team for Washington Nationals)

Flowers for front porch

But alas, I did not take a photo of the red geraniums I bought that will sit on the stoop of our "front porch" because I was drawn to these huge gerber daisy's at Lowe's this afternoon!  I know my soil/birds/dogs will not let these beauties survive all summer, so the next best thing was to take a photo of one of them.  I hope someone can grow them and they survive, as their heads are quite large and may droop should they get any bigger!

BSoleille!  Finding fun flowers.....

terri

A good book finished

The Girls From Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow is a book about a 40+ years of friendship between 11 woman.  If you believe in the power of women friendships (as I do), I suggest to put this one on your reading list!  Interestingly, the book was written by a man, and he really nailed the nuances of friendships, especially through the years and across the miles, yet let the reader reflect and reminisce on their own friendships as well.  I found myself laughing and crying (yes, crying) through the book.  This particular microcosm of 11 friendships is what life is for many of us, and that's the blessing found throughout the book while getting to know the "girls" from Ames, Iowa!

Flowers sent from a great friend across the miles that I truly cherish!
BSoleille!  Finding the sunny side of friends!
terri

A little of this, a little of that....

My friend Wendy and I got together today to do a little quilting (cutting), a little lunch and a little shopping (for quilting fabric).  It was a great day for all three, bright blue skies on the drive,  Pad Thai ordered for lunch and a little novelty fabric purchase for my flip flop quilts.  And to round out the day....a little Caps game on TV and the championship game for college hoops!  UK or KU???

BSoleille!

terri

A Shout of Thanks

The quilt show 2012 is over, but I wanted to take a moment to thank my sister Kimberly for rearranging her flight to come to this year's show (mix up with dates originally).  We had a great time, and she was able to meet a lot of my quilting friends and see all their wonderful works of art!

Photo of us at the show from last weekend!

BSoleille!  Finding the power of sisters.....

terri