Hershey Kiss

Coffee, Java, Joe

I love coffee. I like to smell it brewing when I wake up in the morning. I like to regroup mid morning with a cup, and I like to treat myself to cappuccino in the late afternoon if I am having a tough day. I cycle through caffeine addiction where I am drinking way to much caffeine and try to cut back by giving it up cold turkey. After a couple of days of massive headaches and many naps, my body is free from the caffeine. I then start in again, always promising that I will limit myself to just one cup a day. My favorite coffee is Starbucks. I order it online and never find it bitter. My usual home brew coffee is Maxwell House Colombian Roast or French Roast --it is the best you can buy "anywhere" at very reasonable prices. For coffee on the run, I prefer Starbucks. However, there is not a Starbucks cafe in my town nor on my route to work or errands. I settle for Beaners. Beaners is good but occasionally a little bitter. The convenience makes up for the bitterness. I have friends who drink Gevalia, but I am not impressed. I like different coffees at different times of the day. In the early morning, I want caffeine, strong, hot, and lots of it....with a little milk and sugar. By 9am, skinny lattes are great. In the afternoon, I like cappuccino--double mocha, skim milk, add a long shot and whip--mmm good.

Scrapbooking 101

I like to cut. I am happiest when I am cutting fabric for quilts, paper for cards or embellishments for scrapbooking. Scrapbooking is a recent hobby and one I do enjoy. There are so many things to buy to re-invent creativity, but the pages I like the best are the ones I've created from "scratch." I've been scrapbooking for nearly a year. I have not only amassed a mountain of the required supplies but a ton of books and pages. I joined friends for a scrapbooking weekend in October. As I lugged all my tools and pages back upstairs to their home, I decided to explore the opportunities available for electronic scrapbooking. I could imagine a scrapbooking weekend where everything I needed would fit nicely into my laptop bag with maybe a few additional CD's to work from. WOW!

Pattengill Middle School

For the 30+ years I have worked at Sparrow Hospital, I have watched the Pattengill Middle School students waiting for the doors to open. I've been frustrated by the traffic, appalled by how some children are dressed for school, irritated by poor manners, but always thankful that I am a nurse and not a teacher! Pattengill Middle School, at 1017 Jerome Street in Lansing, Michigan will begin classes in thier new facility when school starts in the Fall of 2007. Pattengill currently has an enrollment of 669 students --a whole lot of puberty under one roof! The construction of the new Pattengill facility at the corner of Marshall Street and Grand River Avenue is part of a $68 million school bond passed by voters in 2003. Pattengill has been a key facility in the education of Lansing children since it was constructed in 1920. Pattengill will be demolished in Spring 2006. According to the wishes of the benefactor, the area will be returned to green space. Lansing School Superintendent, Dr. Sharon Banks, reported during a recent visit, that this green space (with benches and picnic tables) will be available for use by Sparrow patients, staff and visitors.

Bass Pro Shop - Outdoor World (Harrisburg, PA)

What an experience. We visited the Bass Pro Shop - Outdoor World at the Harrisburg (PA) Mall. I expected a boring trip to a sporting goods store. Was I surprised. Significant money was spent in decorating and maintaining the store. This trip was more fun for my grandson than an amusement park! He rode around in a shopping cart shaped like a NASCAR racer. Throughout the store were many "stuffed" animals: deer, elk, bear, raccoons, squirrels, and pheasants. Located in the center of the store was a room-size aquarium with huge game fish such a large- and small-mouth bass, lake trout, perch, bluegill, brown trout, white sucker, walleye and channel catfish, many longer three feet! In another section of the store, 4-wheel ATV's were on display. As long as children were supervised by their parents (or grandparent), they were welcome to sit on the display models for a real thrill. We spent well over an hour in the store, bought things we didn't need and overall had a really great time shopping! This is a mega-toy store for men!

The Home of Hershey - Hershey, Pennsylvania

I'm quit sure when Milton Hershey was experimenting with chocolate, trying to get just the right combination for the now-famous Hershey bars, he never envisioned the advertising mecca that would result. I had a great time with my grandson at the Hersey compound. We road the trolley train around town and stopped to let aboard none other than Santa Claus himself. Old Santa gave each child a special tree ornament and the whole train full of people sang Christmas carols. We saw the street lights, shaped like Hershey kisses (wrapped and unwrapped!), the Hershey boys home & school, and of course, a multitude of "gift shops." The weather was superb for a late November day. The combination of grandson, fresh air, sunshine and chocolate was awesome.

Ornamental Beauty

A beautiful late autumn day, sunshine and the remnants of this ornamental cherry tree---a striking combination!

On Our Way

We piled in the truck on Thanksgiving morning to head from Mason, Michigan to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. We passed this smoke stack near the Michigan-Ohio border that reminded me of a tornado funnel cloud. The temperature was rather mild, about 40 degrees with no precipitation. It was a great way to start the trek and we did enjoy little traffic and clear roads until we hit very dense fog in eastern Ohio.

Green Thumb

2006 is the third year my friend has tended this beautiful geranium. She has it on the porch (facing north) all summer. In the fall, it takes up it's new position in the corner of the kitchen, facing south, in the full sun (well, that is, what sun Michigan gets in the fall and winter).

Wikipedia notes that Geranium can be:
1. The genus Geranium of flowering plants, usually called the cranesbills or (somewhat redundantly) "hardy geraniums".
2. Members of the related genus Pelargonium, which are commonly called geraniums by gardeners and in the horticultural trade.
This confusing situation arises because Pelargoniums were formerly classified in genus Geranium. The two genera are closely related, and both belong to the family Geraniaceae.
"Florists' geraniums are hybrid varieties of the S African genus Pelargonium."

Trust

Wikipedia defines trust in a number of ways. It may refer to property law, finance, computer science or music. Trust is the name of a 1990 movie and fictional TV organizations. Trust is the basis of interpersonal relationships. There have been a lot of changes at my place employment recently that have led me to question whether I "trust" what is going on. When a long-time, hardworking Associate was recently given notice that her job would change because her skills no longer matched what was needed, I did not trust that the system was treating her well for the 30-plus years of service to the organization. I was angry and thought if it could be her, it could be me! After much thought and talk and review, I thoroughly understand the "why" it was done. Certainly the organization has dramatically changed in the last 10 years and it is not surprising that a different skill set is needed for many jobs. The irony of my reflections, though, is my realization that I need to be replaced, too. I still have a lot to offer in some capacity, but endless energy, a depth of experience in the area at multiple other organizations, and a need for a much more aggressive personality are needed to make my section of the organization successful in both the present and the future. I "trust" that those in leadership positions will come to the same conclusion.

Phat Cat

Sometimes with all of the kids running loose, Harriett the cat just wants a quiet, relaxing place to hide out. She climbed into the infant swing to watch the kids napping.

West Wing Expansion

As Granger Construction continues work on Sparrow Hospital's west wing expansion project, it is interesting to watch the structure take shape. This is an early morning view from the 6th floor of the parking deck looking eastward. Six new surgery suites will be located in the basement (lower level!) of this building, contiguous to the 14 main OR suites.

We HAVE to stop at Arnie's!

I recently spent a weekend "scrapbooking" with friends. Everyone who attended previous scrapbooking weekends would say, "You've got to stop at Arnie's on the way!" The scrapbooking weekend took place at the Holiday Inn in Grayling, Michigan. Over 100 women of all ages and sizes participated in hauling all of their scrapbooking supplies and equipment to the Holiday Inn to spend the weekend creating pages, sharing fun with friends, making new friends, and drinking. The weekend pilgrimage included a stop at Arnie's in Houghton Lake. Arnie's is huge. One can find a great selection of scrapbooking supplies including specialty papers. There are opportunities for other crafters to "buy, buy, buy," too.

Weed or Wildflower

I grew it in a pot on the deck all summer. The leaves were pretty and healthy-looking. The slightly purple flowers were pretty, blossoming later in early September. Is it a wildflower or a weed?

The First Snowstorm of the Year

It's always exciting to wake up to the first snowstorm of the year. My daughter snapped this shot just as daylight was approaching. The snowflakes were huge and looked soft and clean.

A View from the Top

I've had to park on the top of the parking ramp all week. The early morning view is the reward for the annoyance of parking there! This is the Michigan capital building from a "looking west" view.