Our Scottish Heather Is Blooming Now

Our Scottish Heather Is Blooming Now

News Flash: Former Franconia Students

News Flash: Former Franconia Students

I learn from Diana Mistretta, a sixth grade teacher when I was there about some former Franconia students. Charles Watson who was in Diana's class is now a NBA ref and Kathy Whigham is a pediatrician at the Dewitt Army Hospital in Fort Belvoir. Wow. Time goes by quickly when you learn your former students are professional workers.

Oh No, Another Shooting At VA Tech

Oh No, Another Shooting At VA Tech

Another shooting at VA Tech! Part of the problem is that it is too easy to buy a gun in the state of Virginia. As in some other states it is easier to buy a gun than to vote. Seems to me it should be just the opposite. I also worry that some parents with students in high school will not want to send their kids to Va Tech now even though VA Tech is the college in Virginia to attend if you want to be any kind of engineer or veterinarian.

Brrrr----It Is Cold Outside This Morning!

Brrrr---It Is Cold Outside This Morning!

Fall Has Hit Virginia.

The Morning Glories Must Feel The Cold Because They Don't Want To Open Their Blossoms This Friday Morning.

The Underachieving Hurricane Irene

The Underachieving Hurricane Irene

Some newscaster on TV described Irene as the underachieving hurricane. For everyone in northern Virginia and Washington D.C. it was. Jack and I had no home or garden damage and just got one inch of rain. Thank goodness. I think the people hit hardest are those that experienced flooding from the back up of water in the rivers and streams. This would be especially true for folks living in New Jersey, New York and New England.

Hope everyone has a good start of this work week before Labor Day. I know lots of kids are trudging off to school. Two big counties in northern Virginia don't go back till after Labor Day: Fairfax County and Prince William County.

Barney Survived The Earthquake But......

Barney

Barney Survived The Earthquake But.......

Barney survived the earthquake but was in trouble with Jeanine when she finally make it home on Tuesday. Barney had gotten into the pantry and had eaten a bunch of plastic cups. Luckily Barney has a stomach like a goat. He can digest just about anything.

I Think I Need A Stiff Drink!!!!!! Part II

I Think I Need A Stiff Drink !!!!! Part II

I'm still in shock. How could an earthquake that had its epic center in central Virginia be felt all the way from Atlanta to Canada to Chicago and Wisconsin? This is incredible. Tuesday night there was an aftershock of 4.0! Daughter Jeanine made it safely home from work via interstate 95. Daughter Jennifer said her first earthquake freaked her totally out and she froze then ran outside. Meanwhile her son and our grandson Jack Aidan thought it was cool----that the house was having an amusement park ride. Oh my gosh. Out of the mouth of babes. Obviously Jack Aidan doesn't need a strong drink like his grandmother!

I Think I Need A Stiff Drink!!!!!!

I Think I Need A Stiff Drink!!!!!

We had a 5.8 earthquake around 2:00 P.M. Tuesday. Jack and I were sitting in the family room relaxing when a strange sound kept getting louder and louder. We both said what is that sound. I thought the dishwasher was going crazy. Jack thought a large plane was coming into the house. Then the whole house started shaking and things started falling off the walls. That's when we realized that we were having an earthquake here in VA.

I feel like Elvis----I'm all shook up!

My August Flowers

My August Flowers

Take A Look.

Tests, Tests, Tests At Heathcote Hospital and Prince William Hospital

Tests, Tests Tests At Heathcote Hospital and Prince William Hospital

Thursday, July 15 I had a sonogram at the Heathcote Hospital that is less than two miles from my

House. It was for checking on my leukemia status. Then on Tuesday, July 19 Jack and I made a trip to the Heathcote Hospital because I was having a terrible headache, pains on my heart and I was spitting up blood in my mucous. The doctor at Heathcote had me transferred by ambulance to the larger Prince William Hospital after blood work and a cat scan indicated that I had possibly had a heart attack and that it looked like I had bacterial pneumonia. I was admitted by a very nice doctor, Amitkumar Dave, who placed me the intensive care unit.

Beginning Tuesday afternoon I had nonstop medicals tests and nonstop visits from many medical personnel. Everyone who entered my room had to don a mask to keep from spreading germs to me and my weakened immune system. I finally was released from the hospital late Friday afternoon. While in the PW Hospital I had five cat scans that checked my head, chest and heart.

And I received three different antibiotics by infusion. I also received lots of steroids, drugs and platelet transfusions. Also during this time frame I had visits from the following people: the admitting doctor, two oncologists, a heart doctor, an infectious diseases doctor, an endocrine doctor, a dietitian, a physical therapist, a social worker and the local Catholic priest. Needless to say I was so busy that I didn't have time to rest until late Thursday night. Oh, and did I add that I got weighed, had three chest x-rays and an echocardiagram on my heart that indicated that I had fluid on my heart?

Now here is when things got really interesting. When a cat scan of my throat could not verify that I had some type of lesion on the left side of my throat an MRI test was ordered for my throat. Have you ever had an MRI test?

This test is where they put your entire body in a metal tube with a magnet to do magnetic imaging of the body. The noise from the machine is very loud so you wear earplugs and your face is covered with a cloth before they put a metal helmet on your head. The MRI tech person then leaves the room and the test begins with the tech calling out don't move and expect very loud noise for the next 45 minutes that is only broken up by quick breaks. So you lie there thinking of what can you relate to all this very loud noise. It sounded like guns and cannons going off so I tried relating it to the beginning 150'th anniversary celebration of the start of the Civil War which was being reenacted near Manassas. Now here is where I had a meltdown. Thursday evening when this MRI test was given the temperature in Manassas was 102 with a heat index of around 110 degrees outside but the air conditioning in the hospital lab was not working correctly so I'm lying in a metal tube and the magnets are getting hot and increasing

the temperature in that metal tube. The tech person had to stop the test twice to replace the cloth on my face because I was sweating so much that the cloth was getting wet and you can't do an MRI test with anything wet in the helmet which was inside the metal tube. Obviously I was not a very happy camper!

Then when I got back to my room close to 9:00 P.M. I was hoping to chill out by watching my favorite summer show, Big Brother. But I was told that I was going to have to move to my third

hospital room for the week. Now this is where things really got a little scary. When I got to my new room I discovered that there was a Prince William County Police officer wearing a gun who was there to guard a psychiatric? patient from the Prince William County Male Detection Center.

This fellow was not a happy patient and was throwing a fit or two. Holy Cow! At this point I thought to myself that if that police officer has to draw his gun and use it on this man and a bullet went thru the adjoining wall I might get hit with a bullet. I already had a plan if this happened. I was going to hop under the hospital bed even though I was hooked up to an IV for meds. Needless to say it was a night that I will never forget for many reasons. Oh, also during my four day hospital another test in the basement found me staring at two more police officers who were guarding another patient from the male detention center. I have never been so upclose and personal with police officers wearing guns,bullets and handcuffs before this past week.

I really received exceptionally good care at both hospitals although I got very tired of getting stuck for tons and tons of blood for my many tests to determine what was happening to my weakened immune system. I had my third and final chest x-ray right before I left the hospital. Let me tell you that it was so great to get home and chill out.

Atlas Walk

Atlas Walk

Today Atlas Walk is an outdoor shopping center with many restaurants. It was built about 10 years ago and was named Atlas Walk in memory of the old Atlas Steel Mill that made steel beams for tall buildings. Some of the steel beams that were installed in the '70s in the two World Trade Center buildings in New York City came from the old Atlas Steel Mill.

The Big Granite Ball

The Big Granite Ball

Every time Jack Aidan goes to IHOP for his favorite breakfast of French toast and bacon he likes to take time to visit the big granite ball on Atlas Walk. Tomorrow I'll explain the historical significance of Atlas Walk in Gainesville, Virginia. Have a good day everyone. We just might get a much need shower this afternoon. Yeahhhh!

Jack Aidan, you can't lift that ball. Even your Daddy can't lift that ball.

My World Tuesday = June Flowers In My Backyard

My World Tuesday = June Flowers In My Backyard

Click On The My World Tuesday Banner On The Right

To Visit More My World Tuesday Blogs

Thanks For Stopping By My Blog

Horse Race Cookies From Red Truck Bakery

Horse Race Cookies From Red Truck Bakery

Every year on the same Saturday as the Kentucky Derby the Virginia horse crowd gets all dressed up in nice shirts and ties and dresses and hats and head to the Virginia Great Meadows Races which is in Plains, VA, not for from Warrenton. Dickie who writes Dragonquilter blog that I feature on my blog roll goes every year with her husband Scott and some other friends.

Well, in Warrenton we heard this spring that a new organic bakery had opened and was serving homemade sandwiches so in March Jack and I motored on down to Warrenton in Fauquier County. (This is the town where Jack Kent Cooke, the former redskins owner, divorced a couple of wives years ago.) Above are the horsehead cookies.

Here are the red truck cookies.

And here's the antique red truck!

Here's the inside of the bakery which has been transformed from a 1950's era gas station.

Just being inside brought back memories of the 1950's.

Here's the one table in the bakery made of old boards from a barn.

This is a communal table so you sit with strangers.

The day we went we talked with a couple from Falls Church.

This was the tag on the back of the red truck.

Here's a photo of the front of the bakery.

You can see that the two doors on the right are old time garage doors.

NARFE State Convention April 25 - 28

NARFE State Convention

April 25 - 28

Richmond, Virginia

Holiday Inn Koger Conference Center

Jack and I participated in the NARFE Convention last week.

We had a great time and learned a lot.

NARFE Banner:

NARFE - Challenged As Never Before

Welcome To Chesterfield!

By Associate of Art Warren, Chairman,

Chesterfield County Bord of Supervisors

Second Welcome: VA Federal Congressman, Rob Wittman

"What's Happening In Congress With Our Budget Crisis"

Speaker: Sarah Holstine, Legislative Office, NARFE Headquarters

"What's Happening On The Hill And How It Affects YOU!"

Virginia's First Couple For NARFE

President: Bill Shackelford

Alzheimer's Committee Chair: Donna Shackelford

Co-Chairs NARFE Service Commettee:

John Bails and Connie Bails

Standing Up To Assume VFC Committee Offices

VFC Officers And Committee Chairs

VFC Officers And Committee Chairs

Our Pink Kousa Dogwood In Bloom

Our Pink Kousa Dogwood Now In Bloom

Jenn and Terry gave us this pink kousa dogwood tree for our 30'th wedding anniversary in 2004.

Thank you Jenn and Terry!

I shot this photo down low looking up at the branches.

Here is a straight on photo of the tree with our daffodils that have already bloomed.

Now this is why I like kousa dogwoods.

They bloom after the leaves have emerged and grown

and the blossoms are on top of the leaves.

Here's a closeup photo.

Now isn't that pretty!

Price Of Gas In Alexandria

Price Of Gas In Alexandria, VA

April 8, 2011

Old Town Alexandria: Union Street

Below is a crabapple tree in bloom on the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Cherry Trees In Bloom In Haymarket

Cherry Trees In Bloom In Haymarket

These white cherry trees are in our community of Piedmont.

We have about three different types of cherry trees.

This type blooms the earliest.

Piedmont Vista Drive is lined with these cherry trees.

Take a look.

Shine On March Moon

Shine On

Shine On

Big Old March Moon

3/19/11

Wasn't that a great big old perigee moon!

They say it will be 20 years before we see a bigger perigee moon.

Look Down To See Spring

Look Down To See Spring

The plants in our flower beds are coming up!

Take a look.