Mrs. Fix-It (NOT!)

Okay, this is a confession. I have no skill when it comes to doing things like fix-it projects!  I just use my imagination to create a Band-Aid like solution to buy me time.   

Below I will highlight some of my more successful endeavors.

Let's start with the kitchen. I don't have upgraded counter tops so I resort to cheating and covering up my island with a nice Olive themed tablecloth!

Next it's on to the stove. I broke the handle and have not found a replacement that works. So instead I just use pliers to turn the knob to the estimated degree that I want.  My friend, Monica, gave me a thermometer that I can place inside the oven to insure the temperature has been reached!

Let's stay on the ground floor, shall we?  Welcome to my bathroom where my son has washed so many golf clubs that the Porcelain has eroded.  I've tried to use cover up to make it less obvious, but it doesn't really stay and so I put a trivet over it.  I know, so clever!

After a recent red wine spill, I now have a solution to the wine stain in the middle of the living room. It's called a Rug!

Moving upstairs you get to my proudest achievement- my master bath!
When the towel bars started coming out of the wall, I simple removed them and placed hooks in the back wall.  When the toilet paper holder started to fall, I removed it and covered one hole with paint. With the remaining hole I stuffed it with a seashell! Yes, a seashell! It holds a roll of toilet paper perfectly!

My solution to the missing towel bars was to cover up all holes with artwork.

So as you can see, I'm always fixing (NOT!)

I do hope something falls apart soon. I've been rather bored!

Mrs. Fix-It (NOT!)
Sylvia

DrawSomething is coloring my world!

I have my daughter to blame for my latest obsession that is taking me back to my childhood days of drawing stick figures.  I can't draw and it's apparent in this new phenomenon called, DrawSomething.

This is a free app for the iPhone.  It draws on your creativity as you try to paint a picture with your fingers  that your friends will be able to identify.  They get the chance to watch you draw the picture, and then using a selection of letters they try to write the correct answer.

The free app comes with the primary colors of black, blue, red and yellow.  If you want to get really high-end you can buy other colors such as brown.  I figure my stick figure will look just fine in black!

This really is addicting. I now check my phone just to see if anyone is playing with me.  My niece, my daughter and my son's girlfriend have now seen my shortcomings first hand.  I think this may be cheating but I sometimes add text to the drawing. I mean, how are you to draw the word, "Lady Gaga"?  I thought I was very clever drawing a stick figure with a "Meat Dress" and a blue veil covering her face. Of course, just to be sure my drawing was guessed correctly, I added the words, "Poker Face" and "Bad Romance."

I hope over time I will get better at drawing. Right now it's tricky just to decide if I want to use a thin line or a fat line. My fingers don't always do what my "right brain" wants it to do.

Oh well, its' fun!  And, who doesn't want to occasionally go on a magic carpet ride? That was the drawing I recently guessed for the word, "Aladdin."

So ready the drawing board, I'm on a mission to color my world one stick figure at a time!

Happy days,

Sylvia

It's not Grandma's Chicken soup, but......

Today I found health advice down the aisle of Trader Joe's. I was doing some shopping when an older woman noticed I had put some frozen Chicken Won Ton Soup into my cart.  She asked me if I knew how much sodium was in that soup, and I told her I hadn't looked.  I got that "shame on you" look and then a helpful suggestion that I put it back and she would guide me on how to make a much healthier soup.

So, being the health conscious person that I am (no, not really, I just didn't want to hurt her feelings) I proceeded to follow her around the store.


I have to say after just having a bowl of "Linda's Soup" that it was quite good.



I thanked her in the store, and told her she should give health advice out. Perhaps, write a blog. She told me she doesn't use computers or email.  She likes to communicate the old fashion way.  She has a point. People have lost the ability to go up to strangers and give them recipes!!!!!

Anyway, here is the breakdown of my new soup. It has a total of 755 calories and 4100mg of sodium. It makes approximately 8 servings so that works out to about 95 calories and 513mg of sodium in each bowl. Not too bad considering the Chicken Won Ton soup I was going to eat had over 1000mg of sodium.  The cost to make the soup was $9.26 which works out to around $1.16 per serving.

So, since Linda doesn't communicate in the new "tech way" I thought I would write a blog about her.

I wonder what I will find the next time I visit Trader Joe's.  I always thought they had a nice friendly and caring environment. That was just proven more so today.

Here's to health and not being afraid to speak with strangers!

Sylvia

It's in the stars, or at least somewhere here on earth!

I just read an article in AOL that made me chuckle. It was all about how the stars (Astrology) can dictate what food choices we like, and therefore what restaurants we should visit. 


This could be even better than a Chinese fortune cookie!  I had no idea I was supposed to have a certain food personality! According to this article my Scorpio self  should like,  "restaurants that... Won't ask too many questions. Privacy is the byword for Scorpios; their greatest fear is being recognized, or, horror of horrors, eavesdropped upon. Not that they want to go someplace frumpy or cheap. A Scorpio loves to dress up. But the restaurant should be dark -- or even better, have private rooms. In terms of food, Scorpio is known for being the sign of steakhouses: lots of red meat and red wine without too much fuss."
Now I am all for raising a glass of red wine to this diagnosis! Plus, I do love a good piece of red meat! 


So where am I going to eat to fulfill my desires?  


I won't tell. I need my privacy. But, it will probably be in some dark secret corner of the world where all attention is turned on me (in my slinky, sexy, hardly-there dress!)


O.K. I made that part up. 


Anyway, I hope you align with whatever the stars hold for you!


Bon Appetit!

Sylvia

A dream trip in a paradise setting

"Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the morning..." these are words from an old song. But, I have a new twist on them. I say, "nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina, Puerto Rico, with my honey!" 


Carolina is the birthplace of Roberto Clemente, my husband's childhood hero. We had previously taken a trip to Pittsburgh to see the Pirates play, and photograph (may I say many times over) the Roberto Clemente bridge that leads to the ballpark.  My husband also took a trip to the Hall of Fame and soaked up all that was Roberto. But, to be in his hometown, and to see my husband overcome with emotion, is almost beyond describable.

Our trip to Puerto Rico began with a photo of our resort, The "Gran Melia" in a Cookie Lee magazine. The best of the jewelry company will be going on an incentive trip there in May 2012. 

The pool shot alone sold me on the place. That, and knowing how much Mitch loves Roberto Clemente, sealed the deal. We planned the trip in February and it was a long (but worth it) wait until Nov 1st.


We landed at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (which is actually a part of Carolina, not San Juan) and thus began our wonderful week. Every August Carolina honors their hero with a Roberto Clemente Week. We made our own "Roberto Clemente Week."


First, it was off to see the Stadium and then Sports City. Mitch was under the wrong impression that a cenotaph was located there. Imagine his dismay when we got there and found the gates locked. Sports City is being renovated (more on that later). We then went to the home of Roberto Clemente. We thought it was under new ownership, but later found out that his widow, Vera, still lives there.

Statue at the Stadium

Statue at Sports City

House where Roberto Clemente lived

Backyard with a glove, "21", ball and bat

After our first day of Clemente, we went back to the resort, did what tourists must do (we drank Coco Chocos  which are Pina Coladas  with chocolate) and ate Puerto Rican appetizers. We spent the night doing something remarkable - night kayaking on a bio luminescent lagoon. 

On our second full day, Mitch went golfing at Trump International and we got to experience the clear warm 84 degree weather followed by the warm 84 degree rain. We bundled up for a few holes and kept on playing.  After golf we drove about an hour to the Bacardi distillery where we had a great tour and two free samples. I never knew the bat was the mascot for Bacardi.

Strange nest made by insects

Bacardi Rules!

 For dinner, we ate at our restaurant at the resort. I had my first of three dinners with Mamposteao  (red beans and rice mixed together) and I need to find a fix here soon. I'm addicted to it.

Whole Red Snapper and Mamposteao

Several days into our trip we finally found this cenotaph. It wasn't at the Sports City or the Stadium. Luckily, Mitch brought a book from home that showed a photo of it and we conversed with a worker at the Stadium who was able to get us in the general direction. After a stop at a local pharmacy, and a very helpful pharmacist,  we were finally there!


Cenotaph:http://www..com/.cenotaph.html

The body of the legendary baseball player and philanthropist Roberto Clemente was lost at sea on December 31, 1972 as he attempted to deliver food and medical supplies to the victims of the devastating earthquake in Nicaragua.

A cenotaph commemorates and exalts the life and virtues of a hero whose body has been lost in action and cannot be recovered. The three monumental reliefs which constitute the Clemente Cenotaph relate the main events in his life from birth to death.

The sculptural work is 30 ft. long by 7 1/2 ft. high, has over 44 full-size figures and is located in the center of the sport facilities of the home town of Clemente in Carolina, Puerto Rico.

José Buscaglia sculptor

Left side

Middle

Right Side

After this emotional find, we went for a leisurely hike to a waterfall in El Yunque rain forest. Upon our return we settled in by the pool for a little libation. Nothing like having your drink in a coconut!

El Yunque Rain Forest

La Mina Falls

X marks the spot. From a photo to reality!

It wasn't sunset, it was a full bright sun, but this is how the picture turned out

On Saturday we headed off to Old San Juan. This is a beautiful place still rich in Spanish and Colonial architecture. It also has an European essence.

San Juan Gate, the last standing gate

walkway to El Morro Fort

Cemetery in Old San Juan

I loved the narrow streets with blue cobblestone

The birds, the birds.......!

On Sunday, Mitch played a second round of Golf at Rio Mar which was about 15 minutes away. The entire golf course was covered with Iguanas.

Mitch got a par on the Signature 16th hole!

On Monday we made plans to check out the beach in Luquillo which was only about 20 minutes from our resort. They call it the Puerto Rican Riviera.  We had to wait out a little rain in our car, but then it was sunny and we headed outside. The water of the Atlantic certainly is way warmer than the Pacific Ocean my feet know.

Near the beach is a row of about 60 kiosks. Imagine my surprise when I found one named for me!

Mi Kiosk!

After the beach we headed back to our hotel and waited out the longest three hours. You see, my persistent and persuasive husband had managed to get in touch with Luis Clemente, the second son of Roberto Clemente, and arrange for him to come have dinner with us.  Not only did he do that, he spent four hours with us. Mitch can now die a happy man!

Luis shared with us that Sports City is being renovated. He is trying to bring in some commercial aspects like a golf course and hotel, and improve the sports facility. He needs help and is starting to reach out to the states to raise funds.

Our "Clemente Week" is over, but not the story. Somehow, I don't think we've heard the last of the Clemente name. I can see Mitch going back to Puerto Rico and keeping in touch with Luis.

Luis, myself, and a very happy Mitch

Mitch reading what Luis wrote 

Mano a  Mano

 As for me, I will forever love Mitch,  Bacardi drinks, Don Q Mojito Rum, Fried Cheesecake, and Mamposteao!




Cheers,
Sylvia 

Siri-ously!

We've come a long way from my childhood days of playing telephone with tin cans, and walkie talkie conversations.

Today we can do so much with our smart phones. And now with the iPhone 4S, we can have our own personal assistants. Siri voice recognition is like a virtual secretary. The only thing missing is the short skirts and high heels. Of course, there probably will be an app for that soon. We will be able to create our own virtual secretary complete with a wardrobe and sexy voice!

But today's version can take dictation, check your calendar, schedule appointments, read text messages, check stock quotes, and even find a nearby restaurant.

You can talk to Siri with your own voice. You don't have to use simple commands.  This is a highly educated, right out of Silicon Valley, secretary!

I wonder what will be next.  Will the phone be able to react to the tone of our voice? Will it be able to suggest a massage when it hears tension in our voice? Will it suggest a trip to the casino when it hears confidence and a winning attitude? Will it tell us to go to bed when it hears pure exhaustion?

The possibilities seem endless.

I'm going to go practice my Siri voices.

Sylvia

It's a hard life being a dog!

Today I did something I haven't done in all my fifty years!  I walked a dog! 

hmm wonder what I can sniff over here!

 Actually, I think the dog walked me.  I only took it around my block. But, we stopped at least nine times, and six of those were for marking purposes!

Or here

or even over here!

Dogs certainly are territorial!  This one is especially cute!  It sounds like a Seal.  When my neighbors arrive home, we get the "Seal" welcome.  I wasn't sure the dog would do this for me, but I was also greeted with a loud "Arr,  Arr......"

The dog's name is Tucker. 

Let me roll around and play for a bit!

 I'm not even sure if it's a boy or girl. I forgot to look. I have no idea what kind of dog it is.  But, none of that matters.  Within minutes you become a dog lover!

I'm ready for my closeup!

The dog days of summer!

Sylvia