Inside Thornes Market

The picture is kinda dark, but I was trying to take a picture inside Thornes Market in downtown Northampton, that place is great! All kinds of funky shops and "people watching" is very entertaining.

California Dogs

Aren't they the cutest?! They were spotted in California on a recent business trip that Cher had to take.

Leopard legs!

Of course I think leopard is the way to go...................but I don't think Joey is into it that much. Here is sweet Erin styling my leopard PJ pants that I offered to her when her luggage didn't arrive (lost at the airport.......surprised?)..........Joey didn't exactly go for it though, and Erin had to pick out something else................I gave her some pink ones.

The life

Yes, Felix has the life, can't you tell? He "hangs" all over the furniture like this. What happened to a kitty curling up kitty style? He likes to live on the edge :)

Spring is coming?

I sure hope so, it was nice here today, with the promise of it being in the 60's and maybe up to 70 by the weekend! YaY! I don't want to see any MORE SNOW! Around the holidays it is nice...........but after that, it just needs to get out of here! This southern girl will just never get used to it I don't think, it is the plowing and the cleaning off (finding) the car, the salt, the sand that ruins underneath your car....Ugh! Last year I had to get a catalitic converter and a new muffler..........can anyone say $1000.00!! There went my winnings that I had won while down in Miami on a Casino Cruise.......someone was watching over me, knowing I was gonna need that money when I got back up north to COLD country!

Anyway, things have been fine, really busy at work as it always is. The Behavior Health Dept. (where I work) is moving to a new building. The workers are still working on it. Actually (now don't laugh) the building we are moving into was a barn. Yep, I said a BARN. They gutted it, and now we are going to have 5 offices, a kitchenette, a bathroom, file room and of course the office where I will be spending most of my 8 to 5 Monday thru Friday. I will have to get some pictures of it soon. They are also residing the barn with white siding, it won't be red anymore.

Also I have been talking to my son Allen just about every night. He is back living with his Dad now in Triangle VA and looking for a job. He seems to be doing better mentally since he has been on his meds for a while, but does have a ways to go. Have sent him 2 boxes of clothes that he needed, as when he was in the homeless shelter they were all given away.

Talked with Joey last week and things are coming along for the wedding........he is a planner that one. I get excited when I think of the date ( July 22nd) getting closer and closer! I can't wait!

Cher and I went over to her Mom's house yesterday and had a Birthday dinner get together for her brother Kenny (he is a firefighter) he turned 48. Guess who is going to be 50! in a few weeks! I just can't believe it! Me?............I don't feel it, but then again what is 50 suppose to feel like? I just think it is a neat age, half a century, think of that :)

Saturday Cher and I went to Rhode Island again to see my Mom and Grandmother......they are doing the same........fine for their ages and ailments, 77 and 96 years old. We ordered Chinese delivery (my Nanny loves Chinese) and we had a nice visit with them.

Well, that is about all for now, I will try and do better with my blogging, not really a whole lot going on........just work, and the dreary days of winter are finally coming to an end! I can't wait to get my bike out and hit some great bike trails they have around here.

Until next time............................:)

Can you say "Leopard Shoe"?

Just look at these cool shoes! They were in a store window at Thornes Market in Northampton, MA. I wonder if they are comfortable (sure look it )..............I just love 'em!
Now these are what I call the most desirable and ultimate in lepard!
Hmmm................I can actually see my future grand children in leopard! :)

What could they be?? Attack of the Buckets!

What is this strange phenomenom going on in New England? Buckets attaching them selves to trees? No...................... Trees sprouting buckets??? Nooo..................................................
It's MAPLE SYRUP time in New England!! Looks like with the cold nights and warmer days, buckets are sprouting themselves everywhere in the Sugar Maple trees around here. That is just something you don't see in the South! Had to stop the car and get some pictures of this, no one down south would ever believe me if I told them I saw buckets stuck to trees. So here's the proof! The sap starts to flow from the Sugar Maple trees and the buckets catch the stuff. There is a hollow spike driven into the tree that then acts like a spout to drain into the buckets. All this will be processed to make Maple Syrup. MMMmmm! Good! There is a very short time span apparently, 6 weeks that the sap runs, so ya gotta get the Sugar Maple sap quick!

Where the Maple Syrup is made and sold

The Hadley Sugar Shack where you can buy the BEST (straight from the Sugar Maple tree) syrup!!

Northampton

If you ever get the chance to get to Northampton Massachusetts you gotta go to Thorne's Market Place, inside is 30 shoppes, all kinds, funky, jewelry, a kitchen gadget store (which Cher just loves!) and little boutiques with just about everything in there. Cher and I had a nice lunch of roast beef sandwich, turkey sandwich and homemade soups!
After the Flower exhibit, we decided to walk into Northampton to see the sights and to see what was happening. This is one of the beautiful churches that are in the center of Northampton.

Spring will be coming to New England

Today Cher and I decided to get out of the house a little bit and do something different..
We went over to Smith College to see the flower and bulb exhibit........everything was beautiful! as you can see by all the pretty flowers and plants. This is a sure sign that Spring is on it's way. These are all in hothouses to force the bulbs and flowers to bloom. Aren't they pretty??

Cher trying to get some work done

As you can see my friend Cher is trying to get some work done on the computer, but little Ms. Cleo wants her Mommy's attention, so she is sitting on top of the mouse where Cher can't get to it! Isn't she something :) 

Cher and

 

Felix the Cat

Here is my baby boy.......see that glow in his right eye? He has a small kitty cataract!! I hope it doesn't get worse or later in his kitty life he will have to get kitty cataract surgery! My poor Boy! 

ZZZZZ...zzzzz

What could she be dreaming about??? 

Cleo sleeping....shhhh...

My little girl sleeping away in the bathroom window, with not a care in the world. 

Right after the Engagement

This is the first official picture taken of the most adorable couple in the world after their engagement. They are so cute!!

It's OFFICIAL!!

The most adorable couple in the world are now engaged!! My son Joey gave his love Erin the most BEAUTFUL! engagement ring on January 1, 2006. What a way to start out the New Year!

He really planned this for months on how exactly to "ask the question". Of course he spoke with her Father first and got Dad's ok. Joey was so cute, he told me that he was nervous talking with Erin's Father.

They both had a whirl wind holiday, first Joey coming to see me on Dec. 23rd, then Erin flew up from Virginia on Dec. 27th. On the 28th we all went to R.I. to visit my mother (Joey's grandmother) and my grandmother (Joey's great-grandmother). We all had a great time.
Next day, Joey and Erin went to Boston for the day, and then the next day they left for 2 days in NYC, seeing the Broadway musical "Wicked" and a day of touring NYC.

They left NYC January 1, 2006 and they were both so tired and excited after their fun filled Christmas vacation............little did Erin know, the excitement was not over yet! They landed in Greensboro, NC and drove to Roanoke, VA. where Erin lives. I think she thought "whew I am finally home and can relax" Ha! what she didn't know...........:)

The PROPOSAL! the Family and Friends! all there to surprise her and share in the celebration of the engagement. Joey had it all planned with Erin's best friend Betsy, who Erin lives with. Joey had some of Erin's college friends fly in from other states, and some drove from other states.........all to share this with her. I am so HAPPY! for them! Joey and Erin called me later that evening and I got to congratulate them. Now I am just waiting to get a good picture of the "rock" on Erin's hand, and to find out the plans for the wedding. Looks like I will be going back to Virginia soon!!!!

NYC bound

Well the kids- Erin and Joey are off to NYC for the next couple of days.....:( I miss them already!! But I know they will have a great time.

Yesterday morning before leaving for Boston, they went to Northampton (where Erin's Mom's family is from) and had a nice visit with Erin's Uncle Russell (in the picture).

They had a blast in Boston yesterday, got home around midnight and then up at 8AM and off again to NYC.

It was so much fun having them here and the time just went by to fast!!
I cooked them a hot breakfast of sausage, ham, eggs and toast, with orange juice to get them going for the drive to NYC.

I am expecting to hear from them sometime today once they get to NYC.......so til then..
I will post more later.

Random pictures of the Lobster Feast!!

As you can see Erin is not to thrilled with Mr. Lobster!

But by the look in Joey's eyes, he is just about ready to feast!!

It's been Great!!

Erin has arrived and we are all having a blast! Yesterday (Wednesday) we all went to Rhode Island (Joey, Erin, Cher and I) to visit with my Mother and Grandmother Nanny. They were very happy to see us and we exchanged Christmas gifts with them.

After leaving RI, we then took the "kids" (Erin and Joey) out for a lobster dinner, Erin never having had lobster before. She was so funny, she was a little afraid of the lobster because it still had its eyes. We helped her through cracking the thing, and showing her all the good parts to eat. She was a riot!! The faces she made, and like I, she had to clean off the Lobster "poo" before eating it. She wasn't so sure about the whole process as you can see in the picture, but she learned and did like the taste of it (I think). After that we went to a wonderful bakery in Northampton to get some delightful desserts.......which I think Erin liked alot more! No eyes!

Finally around 11:30PM Erin recieved her lost luggage......that she has been waiting for since she arrived here on Tuesday. Backing up, before that we made a mad dash to North Hatfield to the FedEx pick up place to pick up a new cell phone that Joey had ordered and we have all been waiting on that to for the last few days. Got there just in time before the place closed.

So yesterday was a fun filled eventful day. The "kids" are off to Boston today, Joey wants to take Erin to the Boston Aquarium, show her some of the sights, topped off with a seafood dinner (bet cha she won't be ordering Lobster!) at one of the resturants near the Harbor.

Tomorrow they take off for New York City...........but that's another blog.
Til then...................!