The Royal Wedding and Those Hats!

I didn't get an invitation to my distant cousin's wedding. 

Our common ancestor is a 15th century squire, Henry Spencer, who lived in Northamptonshire, an English county north of London.

His younger son William founded the line that eventually produced wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill and Diana Spencer later to be Diana Princess of Wales.
Descendants of Henry Spencer's older son, John, included Anne Marbury, who moved from Lincolnshire to Massachusetts during the 1600s.
She was later banished for religious reasons and killed by native Americans. Ann Marbury Hutchinson is my 11 great grandmother.

But, had I received an invitation I would have been in deep trouble.  I don't wear hats.  I don't like hats.  I hate to shop for hats.  My disdain for hats is now further entrenched after watching the wedding.
I'm bestowing awards for some of the hats, and uttering comments about others.

The Wicked Stepsisters Award

They may be lovely ladies, but who on God's Green Earth convinced them to leave their palace in those hats?

Did they ever consider those seated behind them? 

If I wear a gravity defying Hat then no one will notice my tummy bulge

The hat might have worked if he didn't call attention to her upcoming event.

Incognito Award



Is she hiding a wart under that hat?

I love the color, the shoes, the dress, the clutch.  Then there is that hat.  Do you ever wonder what all of those uber rich ladies carry in those tiny handbags?

Does she have a beige house too?

I didn't select this picture for the vision on beige, but because it shows Princess Ann.  I missed her entrance and didn't see her in any shots throughout the day.  I even asked a few people if they remembered seeing her and they all said, 'no'.

So, now I know she wasn't snubbed.

My friend, Mark, commented that Britain should have a day like this every year, "Rich People Wearing Silly Hats Day".  My friend, Claire, retorted that WE already have one and it's called The Kentucky Derby.

Wii Bowlers STRIKE Again

We have a dedicated group of Wii bowlers who show up every day.  Several of them have gone beyond the proficient stage and into the realm of unbelievable.

Dennis Meyers, Jim Beach, Lu Williams

The other morning I got called to come downstairs to take this photo.  Dennis, who has over thirty 300 games, Jim with twelve 300 games, and Lu, with three 300 games, shot an incredible combined total of 34 out of a possible 36 strikes in one game.
Dennis and Jim each bowled 300; Lu bowled a 279.  The following day, Dennis and Jim did it again.

I usually try to get down in the evening to bowl a game or two or get into a Wii golf game.  My high, in bowling, is a 289.  My golf attempts are sporatic to say the least.  I did have a hole in one earlier in the week.  That seems to encourage me to keep trying.  I will say that there are a lot of helpful hints throughout the game.  Most of them seem to come AFTER I have made a bad shot or judged the distance poorly.

We have Tiger Woods' Golf on the Wii as well.  That games bumfuzzles me.  I played with Dennis the other morning.  He has mastered the game.  Me?  Not so much.  I end up saying words I didn't know I knew.

The Wii games are fun.  They attract a great group of people who show up almost everyday to try to improve their skills.  It is a low impact exercise for some of the seniors.  It is great to enhance hand/eye coordination.  We have several wheelchair bound players who do exceptionally well on games they normally couldn't play.

What I have learned is that the men take it far more serious than the ladies.  We women will do our best, but also socialize. The men?  O M G!  You'd swear that they were playing for the crown jewels.
Especially in Wii golf.  We ladies know a secret to beating the men.  They haven't caught on yet and we aren't about to tell them.  There is a hole that has one shot that will save a few strokes.  It has to be a precise shot or the ball will go out of bounds. 
We know that the men will go for that shot almost all of the time.  If one tries it, then the rest will follow.  It's a man thing.
It is hit the ball, go out of bounds, swear!  Hit the ball again, go out of bounds again, swear, etc.  Finally, it is hit the ball, go out of bounds, swear and then come up with a myriad of excuses why it isn't working.  Too far to the right; too far to the left; the controller is acting up; batteries need changing; someone talked while I was hitting the ball; someone walked in the door...the list goes on and on.
In the meantime, we ladies will play it safe and take the long way around to the hole.  We aren't beating the men, their competitive spirit does it for us.  :)

Easter Sunday and other things

Easter was a quiet day. 
I went out to dinner for Easter. No cooking; no fuss; no muss. I chose to go an untradional route, no ham, no turkey, no roast beef. A refreshing seafood plate just hit the spot.


Planning for opening day of the Summer Diner seemed to take center stage.  It is still a work in progress.  Our first event is breakfast on May 2.  The menu is set and the shopping list is made.
The first lunch is May 5.  It dawned on me that it will be Cinco De Mayo.  We should have something on the menu to celebrate that day.
So out came Pedro!

Pedro will be serving beef tacos with all the fixings. 
For those who prefer something different, we will have a choice of either a tuna club or a hot dog from the grill.
We sat down to make out the final grocery list for the diner last night. My good friend, Lu, will do the majority of the shopping.   She has her list and the money and should come back this afternoon with goodies for the freezer, refrigerator and the pantry (of which we have very limited space). 
I have my list which will be filled on Friday.  Between the three of us who have lists we should be in good shape. 
While I'm trying to keep the shopping concentrated on the current week, we did decide to purchase some items in bulk.  Those will hold us for the entire summer.  Ergo, the first week's shopping list is long.  As with everything, start up is expensive.  This is no different.


On May 7, we'll have our Kentucky Derby party.  The ladies are very secretive about their hat creations.  I can't wait to see what they come up with.

The Snack Shop will be closed for Memorial Day.  I'm sure the staff will enjoy their long weekend.
Looking through cookbooks for ideas for the diner has been interesting.
I happen to turn a page and found a recipe for a game pie.  According to the cookbook the recipe dates back to the early 1800s and was found in the attic of an old home.
The list of ingredients included 2 rabbits (dressed) and a duck (dressed). 
Then the shocker.  It also included one can of chicken stock and, the kicker, one package frozen pastry puff.
I did the literary version of a double take.  An authentic 1800s recipe?  I think not.

The Snack Shop Has Run Out of Freezer Space

Calling Out for Help! - Beginning April 20 - Ending April 30.

The Snack Shop
Our not for profit Snack Shop is open six days a week, 12 hours a day.  We offer a variety of snacks, including Kutter's cheese and juices, at very low prices.  Senior citizens live on a fixed budget.  Our goal is to help them stretch their budget so they can afford the occasional treat.
We pack over 100 items in our very small space. The refrigerator is full to capacity with pop, juice, water, and cheese.  The small freezer section has ice cream, Lean Pockets, and breakfast sandwiches. 
Our shopper and stocker is constantly running to the store for more ice cream, especially now that the spring is here.  He is storing extra frozen items in his own freezer for lack of freezer space in the shop.
We are in need of a freezer that will fit into the small space we have. 

I found an apartment size freezer that would fit.  It is just the right size, easy to access by our senior volunteers, and will hold quite a bit of ice cream and other frozen items. 
We're getting our freezer!  Sometimes it is good to have a wish list :)

Interesting Tidbits

The top 10 countries that have landed on this site:

United States 4,329


Slovenia 69

Germany 43

Canada 36

Vietnam 33

Russia 26

France 22

Denmark 20

Hungary 20

Netherlands 18
 

From Newsletters to Gardens to NY26 and other things.

The Sunday Blog on Monday

Can you tell it was a busy weekend?

Today was busy too. The days seem to run into each other.

• The newsletter is finished and off to be printed.
• An 'interest sheet' is completed. Looking for interest from the residents for Friday night trips to Dwyer Stadium for the Muckdog games and fireworks.
• Wilcox Mini-Bus has comfortable transportation and is wheel chair accessible. There has been requests for this in the past. Looking forward to see how many still want to go.
• Completed my volunteer roll call. We have 49 volunteers who cover a myriad of services. They will be honored at a picnic on July 17.
• Made several phone calls for the Genesee Co. Democratic Committee and played phone tag with Clor's market for most of the day.
• Briefly my friend, Brenda, and accepted a donation of books and videos for our library. This is such an appreciated gift. Our librarian was thrilled.
• Gave 'shop and stock' two new contacts for products for the shop. Waiting to hear if he talked to them.
• Wrote two proposals for the council's consideration. One for future trips and one for the small freezer we need in the shop.
• Spoke to the new chair of the garden committee. I have to find time to sit down and talk to her sometime this week.
• Added a new volunteer to the Summer Diner. He will be our outdoor grill man for Thursday lunches. (big sigh of relief).
• Found out that one can make a cupcake with a Cadbury egg inside. Sounds delicious. I wish I had time to make some.
• Made the posters for J.D.'s Ice Cream Special Month.
• Talk to favorite daughter over the weekend. She is still suffering with whooping cough going on her sixth week. The doctor is telling her, and one of my nurse friends agreed, that it can take six months or more to get rid of it. In the meantime, she has two newborn grandsons that she can't see.
• I noticed that my stalker visited this site over the weekend. That is okay, all are welcome :)
• Working on a bi-partisan information night with the candidates for the NY26th seat.
• The weather is unpredictable. Snow, rain, wind, and more snow. I know it will break soon, but just not soon enough.

Community Container Garden

The die is cast.  We have a location for our community garden.  Actually, I like this spot better than the one originally planned.  It is directly in front of the lobby windows.  It will give the lobby watchers something to stare at other than the parking lot.  Don't ask.  It's a long story.
The space is about 8'x6'.  It will be perfect for containers. 
This was the year we were to have raised beds.  It will certainly make working in the garden easier for one of our gardeners who is in a wheel chair. 

a portion of last year's garden

When there is a will there is a way.   But, I'm putting the cart before the horse.  We have our organization meeting on Friday.  We'll assess what we will need to make this space the perfect garden.
I will put out a call for donations of containers; seeds; plants; top soil; gardening tools, etc.  Someone's trash could very well be our treasures.
This morning, the garden was sitting in the back of my mind and at the bottom of my to do list.  This afternoon, after walking around and deciding on a site, my fingers itch to get into the soil. 
I will concentrate on herbs.  It will be nice to go outdoors and grab what I need to add to the dishes we will make for the residents.  Of course tomatoes; peppers and onions will end up in the community kitchen.  For color, I have to plant at least one or two sunflower plants.
Pictures and stories of the garden will be forthcoming.
In the meantime, my to do list is growing.  Time to get busy.