It is here...

328 pages of words...lots of words! If I keep to my schedule of proofreading 40 pages per day for the next 8 days, I'll be okay... and then I can spend two days on the index. (The index has such tiny little words!!) Mailing deadline is Monday, the 12th...

Day 151 ~ you know you're in PA when...

...you know what blaze orange is

...the kids have two days of school vacation at the end of November for deer huntin'

...you see pickup trucks with empty gun racks parked along the side of the road at 7 a.m.

...someone asks "Git anything?", the response is always "Nope - didn't see nuthin'" because if he did shoot a deer, you would have already heard about it!

Good luck, guys!

Day 152 ~ log pickup scheduled...

This morning, I arranged a pickup date with Betsy, my friend who is letting us borrow 20 birch logs that she used at her wedding in June. There are holes routered out on the tops of the logs to fit tea candles inside. These will be used on the reception tables along with the stones. Very natural, pretty...can't wait to see it all come together!

Which one do you think she'll like?

Jacquie's original design

Option # 2

What do you think, Jacquie?

Do you think we could add a triple layer (instead of the double one here) of satin at the top of your bodice? It would match your waist. Think about it....we'll talk! : )

Day 153 ~ another proofreading project ~ #@*!

Harumph! I thought maybe I would have the month of December to do whatever I want (in other words - no proofreading!) Silly me! I just said 'yes' to another project - and it's due by the 12th or so - 2 weeks from today. Yikes! But I really don't want to turn down anything...I know that at some point before May 1, I'll have to say "No - sorry, I really cannot jump through all of these hoops in front of me AND proofread Day Trips New Mexico!"
Anyway...this job may arrive tomorrow so I should work a little bit on the layered waistband (and also try to talk Jacquie into having the same effect at the top of the bodice...I think it would make it look more finished and I'd also be able to hide the top of the zipper!).

Day 154 ~ this is much better!

I found my shoes for the wedding.

I know, I know. I got the shoes first...but please keep in mind that my shoes must be comfortable and semi-flat. Those kind of shoes are very hard to find! I can always find fabric to match shoes. I won't always be able to find shoes to match a particular fabric...anyway, here are my shoes. Very sensible, but stylish (at least Rachael - the 16 year-old fashion expert gave her "OK"!).

No racing stripes, please!

Yes, I agree...those stripes of satin down the back of Jacquie's dress do look like racing stripes! These will be changed to look more like those in the picture on the right. A narrower edging curving more toward the side of the dress. Okay!? No racing stripes!

Day 155 ~ best shoes on the planet!

Steve & I discovered these shoes a year or two ago at Sears and I highly recommend them! They are Lands End All Weather Mocs that they sell for less than $30 and they are great! Very comfy (without a big heel, which is especially good for the walking-impaired like me!) and water resistant - I have them in chocolate brown, gray, and black. At the end of the season last spring, Sears had them on sale for $20 but they only had my size in red...someone thought they looked a little like clown shoes... ; )

A VERY productive day!

Six hours of pinning, trimming, ironing, stitching, easing, smoothing, and critical evaluation...and here is the result. I really can't believe it. It looks okay! The lining, boning and zipper are all in place. I attached some folded satin at the waist to give you an idea of the finished design but Jacquie will decide exactly what she wants when she tries the dress on next month. Also, there may be some kind of bow added at the waist in the back and the satin edging may continue along the bottom of the hem, too. Right now, I must go and pick up the straight pins from the floor upstairs and vacuum before the shoppers get home! And then, I just might take a nap! What a day!

THE FRONT (The back view has deleted for obvious reasons... : )

Shopping and sewing

Rachael & her dad4

Plan for the day ~ Steve & Rachael are hitting the malls and shopping centers. I am staying home and getting back to working on Jacquie's gown. My knee is still very stiff & hurts (a lot!) when it twists the wrong way so I am not going to attempt the big shopping excursion!
So...the iron is heating up so I can press the seams, and then I'll stitch together and attach the lining, insert the boning, and put in the zipper. That's the plan...

Day 156 ~ making adjustments...

Update on the assembly of the green bean casserole in Egypt: Stacey reports that she is using "corn flakes and regular onions because french fried onions don't exist in this country. Ah well, at least we will always have the apple pie! We're trying our hardest to create all the best parts of a traditional american Thanksgiving meal, but we keep hitting roadblocks like weird Egyptian pudding (that looks orange even though they claim it's vanilla) and ovens that are off balanced and make lopsided cakes. But still we press on, and i think we will have an incredible meal."

Let's Eat!

Day 157 ~ together in spirit...

Happy Thanksgiving Day to all - especially my three babies - Jacquie in NH, Davy in CT, and Stacey in Cairo. Yes, Stacey has returned to Cairo from her three-week travel tour. Her email to me this morning is as follows (she's back typing on those sticky computer keys at the internet cafe near her apartment so I'll copy this without editing!):

I'm back in cairo! ready to write a bajillion essays and prepaare for the biggest thanksgiving dinner in the history of MESP! We delaayed the festivities til tomorrow becausee we just got back last nihgt. I'm in charge of green bean casserole, deviled eggs, and death by chocolaate. We girls were trying to hold control of the dinner in our clutches, but now the guys have control of cooking one of the turkeys. thankfully there's a second turkey in casse they totally desstory that one. and hopefully they dont try to deep fry it on their little stove and burn their flat down! Happpy thanksgiving! i wish i could be there!
love

ssstacey

I wish you could be here, too, Stace! (My question is: Do they really sell those french-fried onion rings in Egypt? Who woulda thought?!?)

Day 158 ~ the day before Thanksgiving

Yes, I am getting everything ready for tomorrow. What's on the menu? Well, turkey, of course, with stuffing, gravy & mashed potatoes, buttered corn, green bean casserole, crescent rolls, and cranberry sauce. For dessert: cherry pie & Boston Cream Pie. Tonight, I'll be making the desserts and the cranberry sauce & throwing together the green bean casserole. Did you know that Campbell's Soup developed the green bean recipe in 1955? So...happy 50th anniversary to the casserole that will be on many of our tables on Thanksgiving!

Day 159 ~ stairs

Let me tell you about me & stairs (and steps, too). I have never done well with them. Most recently (at least I consider it recent, although it happened in '98...), I had a small problem with a bus step in Chicago that ended in an extended hospital stay to repair a 'crushed' (according to the dr. in the ER) ankle. Last night, I had another run-in with a step here at home. My left foot stayed on the top step, my right foot slipped, I ended up on my butt with my left knee twisted at an odd angle. Ouch. I iced it, but I knew that would not fix it. I woke up this morning at 3:00 and tried to hobble to the bathroom. Another ouch. Steve (wonderful Steve) got me some Tylenol and I watched the news to get my mind off the throb in my knee. I finally fell back to sleep around 5. And here it is - 7:20 AM. It still hurts but I am going to work with my trusty cane - the one I still have from my ankle fiasco. It's a good thing that turkey is a 'put it in the oven and forget it' kind of meal... UPDATE: there's nothing like an ace bandage and lots of Tylenol...it's a miracle!

Day 160 ~ update on Stacey

This was in my email box this morning: "There's been a change in plans and we're not going to Jordan. So I'll be in Israel til Wednesday and then we're going back to Cairo. We're going to the Dead Sea today! Love Stacey" Take lots of pictures, Stace! Happy Thanksgiving!

Day 161 ~ a fun movie

National Treasure premiered on Starz last night. What a goofy, fun, enjoyable movie. I know the critics hated it but...so what? There wasn't a boring moment during the entire movie and I loved the wisecracks from Riley, the geeky but cute sidekick of the Nicholas' Cage character. The plot was fantastic (as in "this could never be real but...what if it were???") and the on-location shots of Philadelphia and Washington DC were great - this one in Washington reminds me of the scene in Forrest Gump...Anyway, I enjoyed the film and I didn't feel like 2 hours of my life were wasted...

Day 162 ~ ...for the birds

A day for proofreading a book about birds and a trip to the mall to find sweater vests. Yes, sweater vests for Steve - the hippie with the ponytail. And no, he doesn't smoke a pipe...just cigars on the golf course...

Day 163 ~ Gown on hold for the weekend...

Contrary to what some people think, I am not a professional wedding planner! I do have a job...two, in fact! Yesterday, it got a little crazy at the church since I ran out of ink cartridges for my Riso machine...I could not print the 230+ Sunday bulletins (it's 20 pages long this week!) OR the church council agendas OR the programs for the council meeting OR the wedding bulletins for Saturday. My supplies finally arrived at 4:00 PM yesterday so that Riso will be hummin' today! Also, I have a freelance project from Globe waiting for me here at home so I reluctantly closed up the sewing machine last night and covered Dee Dee (and the gown) with a sheet. : ( Sadly, I don't expect to get back to her until at least Tuesday, when my proofreading will be finished.

Day 164 ~ Have you gotten your flu shot yet?

You haven't? Then you should call your doctor today! I am (finally) getting mine this afternoon. We all should do everything we can to stay healthy this winter!! Wash you hands often and stay home from work when you are sick!!
~ just a friendly reminder from Nurse Joan...

Day 165 ~ All-you-can-eat wings!

Tonight, Rachael & Steve & I went out for hot wings at Big Andy's. We ordered quite a variety - BBQ, honey BBQ, teriyaki, Caribbean Jerk, mild, sour cream & onion (surprisingly quite tasty!), and mesquite. When we got home, Steve started watching South Park so I started sewing...I got the sides finished...and even got the top together (but no lining or pressing)! It's actually starting to look like a gown! My next step will be doing a lot of heavy seam pressing before I attach the lining. Then the zipper will come next. Yes, Jacquie, you will have a dress to wear in a few months!

Day 166 ~ the front of the skirt...

Here it is...the beginning of the real thing! I figured out how to do French seams (I remember doing them in Home Ec. in 1970!) in the organza layer. And the satin came together beautifully...very nice fabric to work with. Then I pressed the seams (another thing I remember from Home Ec.) and pinned it to Dee Dee. I think this is enough for the day. I am exhausted!

...here's your dress, Jacquie!

The back pieces ... in pieces.

... and the front.

I had just enough organza but plenty of satin (I might be able to make a shawl out of what is left...). It took me over two hours to cut the three parts (lining, satin and organza) for each piece of the skirt (1 front, 2 side fronts, 1 back and 2 side backs), plus the lining and satin for the five pieces of the top. Everything is folded and waiting beside the sewing machine. I need to stop & get a pack of new machine needles tomorrow, and then I can start the sewing. Yikes...the sewing!

Day 167 ~ I have no excuses!

I now have everything I need to start sewing Jacquie's gown. I picked up the satin this afternoon at Joann Fabric. All I have to do now is take it upstairs, unfold it, pin the pattern to it, and start cutting! Also, the lining and the organza for the skirt will be cut from the same pattern. That's all I have to do...then why am I hesitating? You know why! I am afraid I will cut it wrong, sew it together backwards, upside-down, or inside out; the sewing machine will belch a spot of oil onto the front of the skirt or the organza will snag on something! Have I been having nightmares about this? I have no idea - I don't remember most of what I dream! But there is no turning back! I must go on... Now. I will. I promise!

Day 168 ~ still in pj's

After a week of busy and fun birthday celebrations, we are taking it easy today. Rachael's two friends stayed overnight; they left at noon. Caleb & Rachael are leaving to visit relatives with their mom this afternoon. I am still in my pajamas, working on addressing engagement announcements, waiting for Steve to get back from golfing. He promised to bring home a turkey...yes, it's one of those golf tournaments they call a "turkey shoot."
I am looking forward to the coming week...anticipating getting back to wedding prep. The satin for Jacquie's gown should arrive tomorrow and I hope to start cutting and sewing soon. Days are disappearing...the holidays will be here quickly...and so will the kids! The gown will be done by then so I can start on Stacey's dress...yep, that's the plan!

Happy Sweet 16th, Rachael!

Day 169 ~ A special message from Dee Dee

Pre-party

Day 170 ~ email from Stacey

It was short but you can hear the excitement in her voice: She said, "I'm in Jerusalem! This is sooo cool. Our hotel is literally a two minute walk from the wailing wall in the middle of the old city! I prayed at the wailing wall today! And yesterday I took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee!"
(Can't wait to see you next month, honey.)

...squirrels in my house

Okay - they're not really in my house but they are in the basement. The furnace guys told me that I have a friend who was heard scurrying through the basement walls and crunching walnuts, Now, I'm all for animal rights but this is my house...squirrels live outside, in the woods, in trees, where there are plenty of nuts and twigs and things to make nests. Some action must be taken! Just wait 'til Steve gets home!

Day 171 ~ Birds on my brain & men in my basement

I am home today - what a treat! I had forgotten how nice it was to stay home and be a freelancer in pajamas all day! I will be spending the day finishing up a proofreading job on birds but I am almost finished so that means I will have most of the day to myself, putzing around the house... listening to the strange bangs coming from my basement. Another reason I am home (and I can't stay in my pajamas...) - we are getting a new furnace installed today. I think I will make some more coffee, throw in another load of laundry and wait for my guys to arrive...

Day 172 ~ Happy 87th Birthday, Mom!

November 9th is my mom's 87th birthday. She's still able to live at home, thanks to the assistance of many people, family, friends, and neighbors. Although she's in a wheelchair, her sight is minimal, and so is her hearing, she is still able to manage her day-to-day life pretty independently. She loves to listen to the radio and TV, but spends many hours talking to her friends on the telephone. When she was born in 1918, a loaf of bread was 10 cents (although most people probably made their own), milk was 55 cents a gallon and eggs were 37 cents a dozen (although most farmers had their own cows and chickens!), and a postage stamp cost 3 cents. I'll be spending the day with her...and her memories. And making shrimp for her dinner. Happy birthday, Mom.

Clara Houseknecht Wheal ~ ca. 1925

Day 173 ~ The best chocolate cake ever...

When Steve & I got together, he introduced me to the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted...and I thought that I had a few good recipes! So, what magic ingredient did he have up his sleeve? Just the Hershey's Cocoa can! Yep, the recipe is right on the can! The cake is moist and very chocolatey and it's the only cake his kids request for their birthday. And when I spoke to their mom this week, she told that Steve wouldn't have known about that Hershey's Cocoa Cake recipe if it wasn't for her. A great tradition was started and so it continues...with Rachael's party coming up, the only thing I have to worry about (now that we found plenty of Luau decorations at a local party store) is baking "the" chocolate cake. Here's the recipe (but like I said, it IS on the can!):

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING
2 sticks (1 cup) butter or margarine
1 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
6 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. Makes about 4 cups frosting.

Day 174 ~ another party to plan...

The wedding isn't the only party in town! Rachael's Sweet 16th birthday is this Sunday and we are celebrating with a fun, tropical-themed bash on Saturday night with 8 of her friends. We're having pizza & cake & opening up the hot tub...and I have to track down some Hawaiian leis and little umbrellas to stick in their glasses of Mountain Dew. We'll get Steve to wear one of his Hawaiian shirts! Happy birthday, Rachael!

Day 175 ~ a pattern for me!

When I was at Joann Fabric (yes, again!) today to pick up the organza for Stacey's dress, I found a pattern that I got for myself! (Notice that it is *easy!?) I wanted something that is super comfortable, something I can wear flat shoes with, and I wanted a jacket, too (it will inevitably be cold (or at least cool). I am thinking a pretty brocade for the jacket and the dress in a very light shade of dusty rose. But, then, it totally depends on what I can find ...

Day 176 ~ The organza has arrived!

In case any of you have missed earlier posts about the search for the white organza... here's the short version: A few weeks ago when Jacquie and Dan drove down for a visit, we went to Joann Fabric to search for the fabric for the dresses. Jacquie walked in and immediately chose an organza with a lily of the valley (or something similar...) design that was perfect for both the top layer of her skirt and also for Stacey's & Anna's dresses. Unfortunately, our local store had only an off-white version. We discovered that the fabric was no longer made in white, but that other stores may have it on their shelves. Thus began the nation-wide search for the white organza. Today was the day that it arrived (from somewhere around the country...we're not sure exactly where...) - we now have white organza! The white satin for the dress itself is on order and should arrive within the next week or so. Everything is going as scheduled...so far!

Day 177 ~ Just a trim...

Norma and Anna was here for an overnight stay on their way back to Illinois. We had another relaxing (but chatty!) visit last night...and got up to speed on the latest decisions on flowers, chair covers, etc. They headed out before 8 AM this morning for a motel somewhere between Ohio and Indiana and then they will finally reach home in Springfield Illinois tomorrow. They have had a wonderful vacation and it was terrific that they were able to stop here (twice!). I wish we could get together again before May...
This afternoon, I have an appointment to get my hair cut. Depending on my mood when I get there, I may end up with a whole new hairstyle! I need a major trim...so we'll see how I look at 2:00 this afternoon!

Day 178 ~ They are called carabiners...

I got my free sample today from www.cool-party-favors.com. These will probably be the favors for everyone - a personalized carabiner key chain. What is a carabiner, you ask? Well, it's a thing-a-ma-jigger that rock climbers use to lash themselves to the face of the cliff! Quite an appropriate gift from two people who would rather dangle from the side of a mountain than anything else...

Day 179 ~ Afternoon with Mom

Stacey and her Grandma ~ Aug. 2005
I spent this afternoon with my mom, taking her to her monthly doctor's appointment, reconciling her bank account, talking about the wedding (and her regret that she won't be able to make the trip to New Hampshire), Stacey & her excursion abroad, Davy & his indecision about college next year...She'll be 87 years old next Wednesday and she is still living at the home she grew up in...and she will stay there as long as she can. They make old farm girls tough, don't they?