(November 28 2010) Sounds good? IT WAS! Two gals, Erin Mackey and Julia Murney sang marvelous songs from all my favorite musicals, which couldn’t have been better. The orchestra introduced the evening with the Overture to Gypsy and parts of Carmen. I have never been disappointed by the Florida Orchestra. Too bad they aren’t better supported financially – my friends that are in the orchestra have to live very close to the edge.
(October 8-11) My cousin’s son’s (does that make him my 2nd cousin?) got married to a stunning gal In October in San Diego, giving me a great excuse to 1) see some of my family and 2) to see San Diego and surrounding areas. Both were terrific. Wedding activities included a rehearsal dinner in a funky Italian restaurant (Miguelito’s) across the street from a famous hotel (who’s name escapes me) where we had great food and too many margueritas, the wedding in a church in Escondido (bride isn’t Jewish) and a reception in Rancho Bernardo at the home of one of the bridesmaids – one of the most beautiful homes I’ve ever been in on a site on top of a mountain – the most unbelievable venue ever ever! We all stayed in the same hotel, so went bowling together, breakfast, and lots of time to see babies from the groom’s sister. When not doing wedding stuff, I went to the San Diego Zoo (cross that one off my bucket list), which was marvelous, went over to the beach (I shoulda written this sooner) where we saw the seals, caves, shopping – all great fun. On my own the day of the wedding I went to Little Italy for a big festival and also found a Polish Festival with some performances by 3 excellent groups. Didn’t get to a folk dance evening, but hey – ya can’t do it all – and I came pretty close! Great 4 days. Good flights, beautiful wedding, good tourist activities, good family. No buttons – oh well – they aren’t always the reason for living.
(March 18, 2011) Because I write “shows” – I was interested in seeing someone else’s. Congreagation Schaarai Zedek (my ex-temple) put on a cute Musical Purim show the cantor found somewhere called the Megillah according to the Beatles. Obviously all Beatle songs were used, and cleverly so. The actual performance by congregants and choir could have used a few more rehearsals, but since it was friends, one could tolerate it. Our shows are just as good if not better!
I read the book over a year ago and LOVED IT! So Bobbie and I went to see the movie, which was also terrific, but I was sorry they left out all the bad stuff about the retirement home t hat he was in, which I thought was a very important part of the book. Anyway, all worthwhile!
Originally posted on 11/26/2010 @ 9:12:17 am by creatingbuttons.com
At one of the meetings I attend for Internet people, I met a gal that has a counseling serviced called Cheer Counseling (cheercounseling.com). It’s in Brandon. I made buttons for the kids she counsels, and now she was having an open house for a second buildikng she has opened. She had changed her logo and wanted to use the new one. When I saw it, I tweaked it a little to make a better button, put the names of all her employees on them (each got their own – like a name tag) and also made blanks for anyone she wanted to give them to that attended the open house. I had given them to her early, but she thought of some she forgot, so I went to the open house early to make sure they were given to the right person. Linda was not there, the tables were not set, the food was not out, paper goods not there – oops! Well, like the interfering person I am, I took over and got everything going. The open house was from 4-6, Linda got there at 4:15, with some food she had to pick up. Well, all’s well that ends well, the newspaper was there, a photographer and lots of visitors, and the food looked good and tasted good! My buttons were a huge success – of course! Too bad I can’t get them to show up on my website, since that’s what my website is for….
originally posted on 11/28/2010
The last weekend in October – and yet one more thing to do! Andi and Ursula drove over to Melbourne on Friday night and danced with the Melbourne club. I went the following day instead with Bill, to our annual Fall Fling – a day of international folk dancing hosted by the Melbourne group. For sign-up I had made some Thanksgiving buttons for name tags that were appreciated by all. Especially since we had some new people there – not an often occurence. We started dancing at ll:00. In the “old days” we danceddfrom 11 to 11, but we know we don’t really do it any more. We stopped for lunch, brought by everyone, and many delicious recipes are brought. Folk dancers seem to be good cooks. Back to the dancing, our editor, Caroline prepared the danced card, since she wsas celebrating 50 years of dancing. Believe it or not there were others who had danced even longer! So we did a lot of oldies which were great fun, as well as dances we’ve learned at our annual camps. Dinner was all the left-overs from lunch – equally good! Then I transferred my stuff to Andi’s car – Bill went home, and I spent the night with good friend Jean. She has 2 great dogs, some cats and a horse – I have such a good time there! I loved her shepherds and I get to feed the horse carrots. We chatted through the evening and in the morning went to Bernice’s and had a marvelous breakfast – she is one great hostess! Great conversation, but we finally left to get home for Sunday activities. Of course I love selling my dance buttons on these dance occasions and new ones are always added, so my followers always know to look yet again!
Tags: Buttons, Folk Dance, Friends, …
Originally posted on 4/14/2009 @ 7:39:47 am by creatingbuttons.com
My mom earned a math scholarship to college, but it was during the depression, so instead she went to secretarial school, and spent the rest of her life typing. But the genius in the brain continued through the exciting game of bridge. Over the years Mom played Duplicate Bridge every week, usually 3 or 4 times a week. Way back when, both her parents played regular party bridge and that's where Mom and my Aunt learned. I also learned at that table when I was much too young to have any idea what I was doing. I remember my grandma saying, "Doesn't she deal the cards nicely" - searching for something nice to say about me!
Mom and I never lived in the same city after I was married, so I saw her only two times a year – once when she visited me, once when I visited her. But on those two occasions, I was always taken to a Duplicate game, and it was tough! These people hone their skills every day, I’m trying to remember all the fancy conventions twice a year! But Mom never hollered at me, and loved to play with me, as did I her. When she got older, she moved here to Tampa and we got to play once or twice a week, and I improved some – just some….but it was always a challenge. I haven’t played since she died, but someday will get back to it.
For you duplicate bridge players, I just happen to have a “line” of buttons! I did sell them at a couple of tournaments and they were well received. If you’d like to consider this – just let me know.
Tags: Bridge, …
Bobbie, my good friend who is a true cracker, born and raised in these parts, suggested we go see the Manatees that are “hosted” by TECO just south of Tampa. TECO has built a marvelous viewing center for visitors, and the best visitors are the manatees, who love to come there, as TECO spews hot water from it’s plant, and manatees must have warm water. When the water temperature of Tampa Bay falls below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the manatees start to gather. Bobbie and I went to visit on one day and I was so excited I took my kids with me the very next day. Bobbie and I must have seen at least 200 manatees, but the next day wasn’t quite as good. The center has marvelous volunteers, ramps from which to view the manatees, a great gift shop, a snack shop, an arbored walkway along the beach with signage for all the marvelous plants, a butterfly garden, birds, an educational room with games, pictures, etc., a hurricane simulator, machines that make rubber manatees – oh my gosh!. The Manatee Viewing Center is home to a 40-panel, 7,000-watt photovoltaic (PV) solar panel array. Installed atop the Center’s education building, visitors can see this impressive system from the main parking lot and learn more about how solar power is generated. What a shame so many died in the cold a couple of weeks ago. Apparently they didn’t all get to the T ECO viewing center. The Manatee Viewing Center is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., November 1 through April 15. (The center is closed Thanksgiving, at 3 p.m. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Easter.) From home, you can operate the center’s east and west Web cameras. Make your reservations here for your class or group to visit the Manatee Viewing Center. For more information, call (813) 228-4289.
Directions to the Manatee Viewing Center.
The Manatee Viewing Center is proud to feature free parking and admission for its guests. Any donations you choose to make to the center are greatly appreciated and go directly toward the purchase and maintenance of educational exhibits and publications that can help teach more visitors about the manatee and the many animals and plants that share its habitat.
Tags: Activities in Tampa, Animals, Friends, …
Originally published on 9/30/2010 @ 10:09:11 am by creatingbuttons.com
 Well, after 3 articles, I”m an expert! Who knew? Writing these articles is supposed to draw people to my website, I should write all the time, but not sure what I really know or don’t know. I’m supposed to put this little logo on my website, but I don’t know how or where. Have I learned anything these months that I’ve been trying. Not much.
Tags: Blogs, E-zine, …
Originally posted on 12/23/2010 @ 6:07:45 pm by creatingbuttons.com
Jewish Book Club (Moadon Ha Safer) this month was about the book entitled “In the Neighborhood” by Peter Lovenheim. It’s a true story about a murder in his neighborhood (in Rochester) by a physician, who killed his physician wife. She knew that something was wrong, and after staying out with the children until she just had to come home, she tried reaching a girl friend, who turned out to be out of town. The premise is, had she known any of her neighbors, could she have gone to one of them for help and been saved. After this, the author decides to get to know his neighbors,and does it by asking to sleep over. He does so with a few of them, becomes good friends with a couple of them, tells their stories as well, and also interviews many other neighbors, the postman and the newspaper guy. Two interesting things happened with this book. We had a very interesting discussion about our own lives, knowing and not knowing our neighbors, and also the author was in town. This book had been picked by a committee to be the Community Read this year, and thus the author was invited to town. We all went to hear him, and he was a wonderful speaker. He also signed books (of course) and there was also a good discussion afterwards. A good evening, and a good book. Not difficult, not long, easy reading if you’re interested. I’ll lend you my copy if you want.
Tags: Books, Jewish, …
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