Sunday, May 15, 2011

THE COOKIE TABLE

Those of us who live in the Pittsburgh area should know what a "COOKIE TABLE" is.
Do you know what a "COOKIE TABLE" is? Did you have a "Cookie Table" at your function? If you did, how long was it? What?,you say. Well,yeah - how long was your "Cookie Table"?
Some functions have 1 table, others have 2 tables. BUT - the longer the tables the more cookies you had. Let me tell you we had loooonnggg tables for my wedding and all of my sons!
What would a wedding be without a "COOKIE TABLE"? People looked forward to taking small paper plates filled with cookies for home when they left. (I hate using the word "FUNCTION: because they were mostly made for weddings.) You never had a store bought cookie on the table, that would be a cardinal sin.
As soon as the meal was done, everyone could not wait to make their way to the cookies. They would fill little plates sky high with cookies to take back to their table. People would rather have the cookies than have the Wedding Cake"! There would be both men and women gathering cookies for their plate. After all, it's not very often that you get to indulge in all the different kinds of cookies.
They still have "Cookie Tables" for today's weddings. It's a tradition, a Pittsburgh tradition thats been going on for years and years. A lot of people might have "cookie tables" for Wedding Anniversary's. Not so much for wedding or baby showers that I know of.
When people got married back in '6oty's, the ceramony (Mass)was held @ 10 am. At my wedding we then went to a resturant for breakfast. Of course, as custom, the wedding party went driving around town beeping the horns as long as they could. After doing that for awhile we went to the Photographer's Studio for formal picture taking. Our reception started at 7pm & went on till 11 or so. The Bride & Groom left after the Bridal Dance, around 10.
That's how it was back in the day. Weddings were a all day affair, We also had a live band, a polka band - so fun!
I remember when my parents were planning for my wedding. Cookies were made in advance by them, aunts, friends,and cousins.
Every kind imaginable. Italian Cookies, Polish Cookies, they were all mostly ethinic. I can't remember seeing one chocolate chip or peanut butter cookie.
I remember Nut Horns, Apricot Horns,and Pitzells along with all different kind of fancy cookies. They still cut our wedding cake. and the tradition at that time was to have a money dance where people danced a short, very short dance with the bride, then dropped a bill in the maid of honor's little purse. People would than be offered a piece of wedding cake wrapped in a heavy paper napkin. The woman could either take it home to put under her pillow to sleep on if she were single, or to eat it there. The guys would get a shot of whiskey or if they declined the shot then they got cake. No matter what, everyone got a piece of wedding cake when they left. The pieces were wrapped in a paper napkin and laid out on a dish by the exit door. The cookies tables were pushed by there also.

I had a Firehall wedding. The same people that made the cookies made all the food. So much food, it was unbelievable. They too were the servers at the firehall. All my mom's friends were the ones serving and cleaning up. The bartenders were friends of Ron's, except for Ray, a guy I went with for a couple of years who wanted to bartend.
My wedding was different then most because we had a uninvited guest - a tornado hit the town and our reception was cut very, very short but the main thing was that no one got injured.

Today's weddings are different and much easier for the parents as far as the food goes. They usually have it catered

Friday, May 13, 2011

Looking for Help

I really don't want "Free Blog Designs" where it is at- I want it on the side of my blog. BUT, I don't know how to do it - sigh-  I am not real savvy on how to add to the blog. I'm glad I know how to post!.Some of the blogs I follow are so well designed with pictures posted just so.-I envy them their knowledge.   If anyone can tell me how to do it I would appreciate it. I know how to copy and paste but I don't know where to paste it on my blog -this is a    PRIME EXAMPLE>>...>>...>...>........

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDER -"REALLY"

   At one time I wanted to be a Journalist. I thought it would be so interesting and exciting to write on different news subjects. To be able to travel wherever the news was so I could write about it - -Oh -
I thought it would be such a great career.   BUT - - - - - -- -
    I am sooooo glad I never followed through with that education. Why, you ask?  One reason is that - -
I would find it hard to report the news on Arnold & Marie separating - WHO CARES?  I can just see me saying to my boss - "Boss-- I could not write about something so trivial, so unimportant in the scheme of life. Tell me, Do you feel bad? Do you care?"   He/She would have me walking if not thrown out the door with pink slip in hand.
    The News Media must be so desperate to report the news to make such a issue out of this. Spare me the details please, in fact, spare me from it all.
    They are reporting that they will publish Princess Diana's death picture? For God's sake why??  Let the poor woman rest in peace and don't bring unpleasant memories to her family. Let the people be happy over Will & Kate -
   There are so many people down South struggling because of the weather. What about Japan- never hear anything about their problem any more except maybe for a small blip here and there.
   It's getting to the point that I am not even going to listen to the news - - - so I will be uninformed -SO WHAT!  I am sure that if it were really of  importance I would hear about it or my family would let me know.
  OK, I feel better for getting that off my chest - - even if I am the only one to write/read this - it worked for my mental stress.
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   My husband wants to move! Oh, I am so upset. We built this house, there is so much of my heart and soul here, so much of my husband's blood, sweat & tears in every room and outside.
 Our children grew up here.  I planned on growing old together here (I know I am old!)- - - so far it is just talk & I somehow manage to steer off the subject.
   True, the yard is a bit much for him to take care of - it has 3 levels and the front is not flat plus there is the bank that is a pain to weed - and at every turn there are steps - steps outside to the front door. Steps from the basement up to the first floor, then steps up to the 2nd floor - Yes, lots and lots of steps - I use to be able to run up and down these steps in a flash, never thought a thing of it - took it for granted actually - - - now, it's one step at a time and holding on to the railing  - Ron wants to sell and buy a smaller home and yard then we have now. It's to overwhelming for me to think on -
so I try not to -- - -
   It's funny how life is, when our house was being built we were so very excited and thought it was so big - after all we were going to have 4 bedrooms, a eat in kitchen, a dining room, living room, full bath and half bath. Why, I thought I was moving into a palace. I had to pinch my self to make sure it was true (lol) - -
   We were living on Grant street while our home was being built and I just found out that I was pregnant with our fourth child. Grant street was a hub of activity, people always outside, coffee clatches, parties in the evenings, kids riding their bikes up and down the sidewalk - I loved it there and living on Pittsburgh street across from Glenn's Custard - was the same way  AND  I was a city girl-born & raised - use to walking everywhere so this was ideal. The living conditions left a lot to be desired though, our row apartment was very, very small - two bedrooms and I'm pregnant with my fourth! One bathroom, living room and kitchen - yes, we needed to get out of there - a garbage path for a yard -walls so thin -you could hear when the people next door sneezed or flushed the commode. BUT - - - - -
 What was I thinking!  Moving up to Bucknell Street--God's country with only 6 houses here and there on the cul-de-sac - the rest were blueberry bushes, trees, emptiness  and sky - I guess I thought everything would be the same - seeing people -coffee clatches, kids playing out on the street - dogs barking ------boy, it was a rude awakening when we moved up here - no people to be seen, none - nada - no traffic noise - - -so quiet - oh, so very quiet - even with 3 little ones running around the house and being pregnant it was so quiet - of adult company - - - I was so lonely that if it were not for talking on the phone I would of gone crazy - plus some of my neighbors from the ole street would come up and visit once in awhile and listen to me moan & groan while I told them how lonely I was and wanted to move - "Move, they said - are you out of your mind?"?  They said they would give anything to live here. Yeah, well they had a car, I had none at the time, I was stuck up on this mountain till my husband got home from work and he worked a lot of overtime.(eventually I did get a car-that  saved me, even though it was a stick and I had to learn really fast and  drifted backwards big time every time I was on a hill!) I guess you can see I was pretty miserable. Those were the years I made a lot of home made bread, cookies, cakes and made good dinners, did sewing and counted cross stitch projects but it was still -lonely- tough for a people person and that is what I am - I love people and being around them - I like my own company also but not 24/7 - -
   Slowly, through the years, houses were being built, I loved hearing the construction workers pounding their hammers, or using their saws, it made the street alive with their noise. During that time I made friends with Elaine who's kids were the same age as my 2 youngest and lived 2 doors away - nice - I liked having a friend so close that we visited each other and took turns taking our youngest to pre-school, she was a dear friend and passed away much to young - she saved me by befriending me and I miss her still.  The other neighbors kept mostly to themselves, still do to this day, except for the family at the end of our street - she is a dear friend  and became so during our 40 years on this street. We did a lot through the years and have many fun memories along with some sad - - -this family keeps our street alive by being outside a lot. One year we went
 Christmas caroling on our street - people didn't even open their doors and we sang good (lol) The other neighbors kept mostly to themselves, still do to this day - doors are always closed and hardly anyone is out front- - -even us, sad to say- we spend most of our time on our patio and in our back yard - -  woods are at the end of our property out back - no neighbors there and the ones on each side of us hardly are ever out - - - I do mean hardly
   I went to work  for a while out of my home, I did Marketing Research- I was pretty good at it too, I always met my deadline and able to get the opinion of business people on different office products, then I went to work as a waitress (being a hairdresser, my parents were not real happy with me) but at least I was able to work nights when Ron was home. That is by far the hardest job I have ever had -
   Eventually, through our sons we met the people who had kids on our street. We became friendly with them and though we hardly ever had coffee clatches, we would attend different sport functions  & school functions together, Ron being baseball coach and cub scout leader was a big help to us  as we met a lot of  people and many of them became friends -I joined the PTA & met friends there.  Our street started to have yearly block parties at each other's homes -one year at the block party there were 3 or 4 of us who sang - we were called THE BUCKETTE'S - that was hysterical and fun -all the kids would camp out together - we joined the pool and took our kids swimming together - Then around 1989 all of the neighbors who had kids went on vacation together to Myrtle Beach - that was the best time ever - their were about 18 of us if not more - - we sure have come a long way - it was a good time in our lives- it became home, I grew to love it and appreciate the quietness of the morning, the sound of the morning dove, the glimpse of a doe running through the upper yard- catching firefly's and- listening to the crickets at night.- - - - -- - I don't want to move - this is my home

Sunday, May 8, 2011

SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDER MOTHER'S DAY

It's been since 1994 since I celebrated Mother's Day with my Mom. For the life of me I can't remember what we did. It's driving me crazy -

We always took my Mom and Ron's Mother out for breakfast or dinner or else we had a picnic here at the house.
I'm hoping we had a picnic here because that was her last Mother's Day with us. Picnics here were fun, the boys were still single and she loved spending time with them. Dom, my brother was so fun and the boys loved hanging out with him
 She spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in the hospital in 1995 and passed away March 22, 1995.

Just a few of the things I remember about - - - - ---

                                          My Mom:

               Her beautiful smile with a dimple in her cheek-
               Her contagious laugh,
               Her wonderful, warm hugs, not just a hug, but a real hug
               How she made you feel so special and welcome
               How she listened to you when you talked, really listened
               How she never offered her opinion unless she was asked          
               But most of all -how she never complained - never/ever - and she had a lot of pain.
               The love she showered on her grandchildren
               The love she had for Ron, my husband who could do no wrong (lol)
               Her wonderful meals, I could name so many special things she made        
                 but it would take forever
               Her delicious deserts she could whip up-
               Her homemade bread and rolls
               She amazed me with all the good friends she had-always visiting, always calling
               The closeness she had with her Mother and syblings
               Her unconditional love -

The time we had my aunts and uncles to the house for dinner and at that time we had a piano for me to take lessons, it was a player piano. My mom told everyone to come into the living room and she sat down on the stool and started to play - everyone was in awe because they had no idea she knew how to play - - - she didn't  - - - - she had set up the player piano to play and she tried to keep up with all the keys so it looked like she was playing - of course they soon caught on that she was not playing.    It is one of my funniest memories of my mom ----I miss my Mom, my friend


             No matter how old you may be you still will miss your Mom - if you have her -     enjoy her and show her in little ways how you love her






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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

MUSING ON CLARK'S SUMMIT WITH SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDER

The birdhouse Jeff put up for me last year for Mother's Day is occupied!!  I've been keeping a close watch on it and yesterday I saw one of the occupents. He/she was quite busy hopping inside and out,  probably making the place comfortable for their new family. It's so exciting to watch  all the flurry and flying around along with the chirping,  My do they chirp - I love it - who needs the radio on when you have nature sounds?  The little chipmonks scurrying around, actually chasing each other! a squirrel right outside the patio doors just sitting calm as can be on my patio! A lot of pregnant rabbits thats for sure, at least they sure look pregnant - I hate to tear my eyes away from all the goings on, but so often have to or else nothing would get done. Sometimes I am standing at the sink & I find that I have been rubbing the same area over and over again with the dishrag while watching everything.

The Peony bush is showing it's new follage and pretty soon the buds will be in full bloom - the Weeping Cherry tree is in bloom and the Clamatis is way high already, I expect to look out and see the flowers in bloom any day - this rain is great for all of the perrineals. I am so looking forward for  all the different flowers to pop open - tho I am worried about my rose bush -I can see what I think is new gowth but with the way it's been raining, I can't get up close enough to see - it's a waiting game with that. The Lilac bushes are still not in bloom. The Westeria bush is beautiful along with the Holly bush and there are some others but I forget the names - I forget a lot lately (lol). My Columbine is flourishing and spreading - that's one name I won't forget because it reminds me of the tradgdy at the school.


Spring is my very favorite time of year. So many births on the farm, everywhere you look it's a new beginning, the birds busily gathering their nesting material, looking out and seeing the porch furniture being washed, lawn mowers being worked on-childen playing on the street or in their yards, hearing their laughter, going to softball, baseball or soccer games - stopping at Glenn's for delicious custard - so much activity -how can you not love Spring? - unless of course you have allergy's. I am blessed to have none - - - -

I am heartbroken over my front yard tree though. Last year we realized how tall it truly was - so tall that it was higher then our 2 story house. Ron said he would have to trim it himself since it would cost around four hundred dollars to have it done. So one Saturday the boys came over and they all started in on it and at one point our neighbor came over and did the very top because no one was able to . I was sick to my stomach when I saw the end result and told Ron that it was dead and would not bloom- he said "don't you worry none, it will bloom come spring". It's spring and it is not even close to having branches let alone blooming. That was the first tree we planted when we built our home in 1971 and it was such a beautiful tree and gave so much shade. I am so hoping that by some miricle it will bloom a little. I love that tree and tell it every morning I am sorry that we chopped it so badly.


So I have this cousin by marriage, I don't know her very well at all, but she is married to my blood cousin and that is good enough for me except for the fact that . . . . . . .. .

She has a one track mind, I get the feeling that she sleeps, eats and thinks only of politics, no kidding - - - -
I read her posts and actually feel bad for her if that is all she has to live for, you hardly ever hear about her husband or her children just her very pointed political thoughts.

 She thinks nothing of blowing some one off very rudely if they don't agree with her. Like she posted -it's her page and she can say what she wants and if you don't agree well that is to bad - - - - it makes me wonder why this encompasses her life - it seems like her whole life. She says she loves her country but is that all she loves - - -
 I wonder if she has any other interests- - does she do anything with her family or extended family? and if she does, I wonder if she talks politics the whole time. I feels sorry for them if she does.

 I am truly thinking of purging her because she only knows to write of one thing and it is becoming a  bore - I could ignore reading it I suppose, but it's hard when it is right in front of your face - oh well I guess there are worse things in life - -and if this is her only passion so be it - - -who knows I could be boring someone to tears right now (lol)
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Why can people say to you what is on their mind about you, but when you disagree with what they say or you say what is on your mind, they get upset?    Blows my mind - - especially when you say what everyone else thinks, but no one has the guts to say it to their face? Are you the better person for not saying anything to that person but talk about them behind their back or are you the better person because you tell them to their face? I don't mean just casual acquaintances.
  People will tell others how they feel about a person but they won't tell the person, I wonder why that is?  Maybe because they don't want to cause waves -but I would rather say the truth then be nice to their face and talk about them behind their face. That is being a fake and that is one thing I am not. I would never hurt some one's feelings be it about their dress, hair or home but I see nothing wrong with asking them about something everyone else thinks but keeps quiet about - - - -

I don't say anything first but if I am confronted then, yes I will explain how I think or feel.  I admit that people have told me that I am blunt to a fault, but at least the person knows how I feel. I don't smile to a person or talk as if I am their friend and then turn around and stab them in the back. I would hope I would be treated the same way. That by no means means I don't get myself into a pickle because I have and just because it is what it is.  But this to will pass



HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OF THE MOTHERS OUT THERE, MAY YOUR DAY BE FILLED WITH THE JOY OF YOUR CHILDREN'S LAUGHTER



Dee's shared items

SO MANY THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR

This time of year makes me think of all of those things I have to be thankful for - - - -
my husband
my children
my grandchildren
my health
my freedom
always thankful for friends made