Please, please, please, loyal readers - go check out my guest post on "The Organized Garage" over at professional organizer and fellow York Countian Debbie Jordan-Kravitz's blog.
You can learn how to keep your garage "car-park-able" for winter. In fact, I was so motivated by my guest post, that I parked MY car in the garage last night, gave it a thorough vacuuming, and then left it there! What a novelty.
Anyway, go check it out!
Sorry for the sparse posting this week - if you're a reader of our print edition, you've probably noticed it looks a little different, and I'm spending a little more time than usual working on it to make sure it looks as nice as can be.
But I wanted to take a minute and invite you all to some fun stuff going on this weekend, including some places my family expects to be out and about.
First up is Codorus Summer Blast at Codorus State Park outside Hanover. It started today and continues tomorrow and Sunday. We're planning to head out and spend the day at the park tomorrow (weather permitting), not only to check out the event but also to find the two letterboxes hidden at that park. Multi-tasking, yay!
(Interesting side note: You know where I found out about this event? On a placemat in McDonald's. Yep!)
Second event, courtesy of my friend Nina and delivered via text message this week, is a note about a quarter auction at the Springetts Fire Hall next to Home
Depot on Saturday, to benefit York's Habitat for Humanity. Doors open at 6 p.m., cost is $3 at the door.
Habitat, which is also holding a 5K run/walk tomorrow starting at 8:30 a.m. on Allen Lane in Dover, is a great organization, and quarter auctions are a ton of fun, so I'd really encourage you to head out if you're free!
This post is a photo tribute to Hubby, who wowed us all by grilling some marshmallows last weekend during an impromptu Sunday cookout.
Who knew? You CAN blacken a "mallow" on a gas grill - if you take off the rack and stick the poor thing directly in the flame. You can't see it too well here, but in the photo below, he's caught one on fire.
Thanks to Hubby and my best girlfriend Nina for introducing me to this great treat.
What do you guys think about grilled marshmallows? Good on their own? Only with S'mores? I'm interested in any ideas!
Well, I promised Monday that I had a great Yorkism to share, and I haven't forgotten.
This one was shared by deskmate Cathy during a recent editorial meeting. She was talking about WellSpan's role as York County's biggest employer, and she came out with this gem:
"Yeah, you can't swing a dead rat in York County without hitting a WellSpan employee!"
Wow! That was new to me totally, then someone mentioned that they thought the phrase was supposed to be "dead cat," which is NOT any better.
Am I the only one who'd never heard of swinging dead things?
As it turns out, many of my friends are involved in some local theater productions in the coming week or two.
My friend Adam Jones is one of the leads in "Lend Me A Tenor" at the Hanover Little Theater, 360 Blooming Grove Road. Shows are 8 p.m. May 7, 8, 9 and 14, 15, 16. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the Readers' Cafe, 125 Broadway in Hanover, or by calling 630-2524
Adam is a professionally trained actor who's done tons of shows in New York City - and we're lucky enough to have him back in the area, so definitely go see him.
Another friend, Dan Stief, co-runs an arts group called OrangeMite Studios, which, among its other endeavors, stages theater performances at "The Barn" in Dover Township.
They've got a production of "As You Like It" coming May 15 and 16, with a Renaissance Fair-like set of events included.
Details from their poster below:
Both Adam and Dan went to Dover High with me, and they're both exceptionally talented - much more so than I am!
If you plan to attend either of these productions, let me know, because I'd like to go and would like someone to go WITH!
Earlier this week, Hubby sent me a post from Book Flaps, a blog by Jim Lewin, the owner of the York Emporium on West Market Street downtown.
Take a minute to read the post - it's here - and then come back and read the rest of this one.
Well, Hubby read that and his first thought was, he'd love to live in a dream world where we didn't need income and he could work at the Emporium and be paid in books. (You might notice his thoughts as the "anonymous" comment on the post above.)
I read that and thought, oh, wow, how romantic! Didn't really give it much of a thought later, though.
Fast-forward to today, when I'm reading my friends' Facebook statuses.
From my friend Mandy, it says, Mandy "is going to be on the emporium website with her fiance." It only took a second for it to click. My response?
"Wait, that was YOU? I read about that!" I said, and I sent her the link.
Only in York County.
PS - Congratulations, Mandy and Brandon!
Most of the first day of 2009 is gone. I had a great New Year's Eve with Hubby and my best friend and his fiance; we went to Mount Joy for dinner at Bube's Brewery's Catacombs and then stayed at the MeadowView K farm guest house for the night; got back home this morning and have just been having a relaxing day since.
Pictures of our trip to come once I get back to work and get them off the camera. For now, here's a view of the farm from its Web site:
We talked at dinner about what our best memories were from 2008. Today, we talked with our daughter about what her best 2008 memories were, and we talked about what good things we hope happen in 2009.
I didn't really make a "resolution" this year. I'd like to be happier, lose weight and keep the house neater, but I'm not sure those count. They're not very specific, and honestly, I say that every year. But who knows? Maybe this will be it!
Anyone out there make any resolutions? Want to share? (Or, what were your best 2008 memories?)
You might remember that, before Christmas, I was asking people to send cards to Hannah Garman of Lititz.
Well, as of Sunday, the family's card count was up to 96,400!! Isn't that amazing? You can see an updated total at the family's CaringBridge page, and you can click to subscribe to their updates, and you'll get an e-mail when they've posted news on Hannah and on the card drive.
On a personal note, one of my good friends is a "Wish Granter" for Make-A-Wish. As a volunteer, her job is to meet with the kids who will be getting "wishes" granted, talk to them and their families about the process, and then, the great part, telling the child and their family when the wish is granted.
Amazingly, she was chosen to be one of Hannah's wish-granters, and she got to meet her on Christmas Eve. She said it was an amazing experience - and that Hannah is an amazing little girl - and I think it really reinforced to me what the Christmas spirit is all about.
Not everyone can make super-special wishes come true. But look how so many people were able to send a card to Hannah at Christmas. What if we all did that for a friend, a family member, a coworker, someone who needed a little pick-me-up? You can be there, listen, send a note of encouragement and care all year long, and not just as part of a "big" campaign like Hannah's cards.
For my part, I have an aunt who is bedridden at a nursing home in eastern Pennsylvania. I got out to see her and my uncle on Friday, and it was great. She's not able to do a lot of things, but she enjoys looking at family photos. So, I promised to send her some photos every couple of weeks or so of Sarah and the things we're doing. It won't take me a lot of time, and hopefully it'll brighten her day.
I'm still doing it! Best friend Dan and I are going to Planet Fitness every Tuesday and Thursday, and alternating work on legs and arms using the Body for Life system. Those workouts get followed up by Myoplex protein shakes, and we try to fit in cardio on the off-days. (That's not 100 percent successful on either of our parts.)
We are also doing at least 20, sometimes up to 35 minutes of cardio after the legs or arms. And we're working abs each time we go.
I've kind of backed away from my run-a-5K plan in favor losing some FAT first and toning muscle, but it's not off the table. I still want to do it, but I think in the long run, this weight and cardio combination will help me get healther and stay that way.
More on my exercise saga:
Sept. 12: Run away! Run away!
Sept. 3: Still exercising
Aug. 20: Gettin' healthy
Last Sunday, one of my best friends got ice time up at the Giant Center in Hershey with some of his hockey buddies. Being the third wheel that I am, I tagged along with him and his girlfriend so I could see him play.
And, of course, I forgot my "real" camera, though thankfully I had my cameraphone.
Here's the view from atop the main level of seats:
Here's the goofy goalie on the bench:
Here, we got him to pose for a pic.
Now, I don't know much about hockey players, but don't they usually look aggressive and tough, not... smiley? :)
I just wrote an e-mail to one of my best friends, whose son will turn 4 in a couple weeks. (Should that be couple OF weeks?)
Here's what I asked her:
"What does this child want for gifts?"
Wow, how Yorklike was that?
This is just a shout-out to my friend and former employee Marie Elena, who is starting a new job today - in TV news, no less!
We miss you already! Keep us posted on how you like the world of broadcast.
(And don't shoot me for putting your picture on my blog!)
Remember how I said I had so much stuff happening on the 27th?
Now I got invited to one of those Premier Designs jewelry parties by my neighbor and friend Chris. And I have a huge weakness for jewelry!
Guess I'll fit that in!
Those of you who know me know that I'm not exactly your social butterfly. I have few hobbies outside of work and my family, and I can count my really good friends on two hands (that goes down to one hand if you exclude really good friends who are coworkers/relatives).
So it's kind of a surprise that I've got three different things going on during a coming Saturday, the 27th, all of which I really want to fit in.
First, my friend (and former employee!) Megan invited me to her Pampered Chef party starting at 1 p.m.
Then, my best friend (and Creative Memories consultant) invited me to a scrapbooking workshop, which will run 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (I plan to do this after the Pampered Chef party.)
Finally, we placed our first grocery order through Angel Food (more on this in a future post), and that needs to be picked up between 9 a.m. and noon (so I'll be going there first, then taking my low-cost, high-quality groceries home and putting them away before the other two events.)
Chances I will forget and go the wrong place, or in the wrong order? About 75 percent!
Just a quick update to let you all know - you know, all five of you :) - that I am still running/walking and playing tennis every Tuesday and Thursday evening!
My big claim to fame is that I measured the area where my friend Dan and I are running/walking, and one "lap" is almost exactly one mile. Last week, we made it around 8 times in a bit under two and a half hours - that's not real fast, but that's OK with me. I made it 8 miles!!! Holy cow.
I am not quite at the point yet where I can jog/run/sprint a whole lap. I can get about three-quarters of one but then I need to walk. But, I'm slowly improving, and that's what I'm focusing on. Wish me luck!
I've been saying for a while that I need to get healthier. I had lost about 40 pounds back in 2005, and while I certainly haven't gained it all back, I'm probably close to 20 pounds heavier now than I'd like to be.
I've also gotten a sudden motivation to get skinnier over the next year - my very best friend from high school proposed to his fiancee, and I've got to be a "groomsman" in his wedding. Now, if I could wear a tux like the other groomsmen, I'd be set, but I'm worried that his (very awesome) fiancee is going to put me in a dress that shows off my belly fat in nasty ways.
So, it's time to get fit. What's the plan, you ask?
I haven't had a good "Only in York County" for a while now, and thankfully, providence has provided in the form of one of my friend and fellow editor Cathy's ridiculous dogs, Scully.
