On The Way To Cape May

We're heading down to Cape May for a few days tomorrow morning for a little spring getaway. I am hoping for some good photo ops; the Inquirer had an article about the migrating birds and I thought it might be an interesting place to visit. Besides, last summer we went to a designer house with Chris and Shannon and I was really intrigued by the architecture and just general cuteness of the whole town. I have been there a few times -- just day trips -- and mostly just walking around the dreadful Washington St. Mall. In fact, the last time we did that I vowed never to go back. But now I think there is more to see. I hope, at least. Chase lent me his laptop so maybe I can post a few pictures during the week. And there's always The Lobster House.

Here are a couple of photos I took last September.

This is the designer house we went to. A very old house, beautifully redone.

I love the shell back on this bench.

This was somebody's porch steps along the street.

Just Call Me The African Queen

I've run out of options here. Every spring I work in the garden. Every spring I get stung around the face by something that just swells me up and itches like crazy and takes forever to go away. For the past few years I've called the doctor and he's prescribed cortizone, and after a few days the swelling goes down and I'm ready for the next round. Last year it happened 3 times before the middle of June. The first time we had to cancel going to Chris's because my eyes were swollen shut. The second time was when we were having house guests, so they just had to put up with me looking the way I did. Each time, I got the cortizone and was better after 3 or 4 days. The second time, the doctor wouldn't prescribe without seeing me. I begged, but--no--he had to see me. I walked in his office and he said, "Wow, something really got you." I said, "you made me drive all the way down here to tell me that?" The third time I called him, he sounded really annoyed. "I can't keep prescribing cortizone for this," he said. "You can't keep taking it in such a short time period. This is the last time. You can't take it again for 6 months." So I hoarded the dose and only took half of it. I know you're not supposed to do that. I am bad. Well, Tuesday marked the beginning of my sting cycle and now I am swollen up like a balloon. I took the leftover pills I had and they don't seem to be having any effect. Of course, that's because I am taking the dose all wrong. It's his fault. I am going to have to get a beekeeper's hat. Maybe I will feel like Katherine Hepburn. Or maybe not.

Ready, Set, Spring!

I have to confess that by late summer, early fall, I'm really sick of taking photos of flowers. As beautiful as they are, I think "not another flower, find something interesting." This is to myself, of course, your flowers are lovely. But after this cold, rainy beginning of spring, I'm ready again. Just the sight of a forsythia in bloom makes me stop in my tracks. I swoon at daffodils. Thanks, flowers, I'm so glad you're back.

Wipe That Smile Off Your Face

Please email this man and express your disapproval at his "no" vote for the measure aimed at stemming the tide of illegal handguns in Pennsylvania. He and a number of his esteemed colleagues in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives shot down (pun intended) this important bill which would have helped control the illegal flow of handguns in our state. That these people have the NRA contributing to their campaigns is a given. That they can sell out the people they're supposed to be representing is not. They need to hear from us, and they need to feel us in November when they run for office. Here's what I told him:

"I am very disappointed in your "no" vote for the bill to stem the illegal transfer of handguns. It is difficult to understand what you might have been thinking (or not thinking) when you voted against this bill. As a registered Republican in Chester County, you can be sure that I will discuss your vote with any and all acquaintances, neighbors, friends, relatives, and anyone else I can corner to listen. And at the next election for your office, I will be voting for anyone but you. Sorry you made such a bad decision for the people of Pennsylvania."

Here are all the "no" voters (as reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer.)

House Speaker Dennis O'Brien (R., Phila.), Stephen Barrar (R., Delaware), Paul Clymer (R., Bucks), Gene DiGirolamo (R., Bucks), Robert Godshall (R., Montgomery), Art Hershey (R., Chester), Bob Mensch (R., Montgomery), Scott Petri (R., Bucks), and Thomas J. Quigley (R., Montgomery).

Let them know what losers they are. And don't forget them at election time. Time for them to go.

Gone But Not Forgotten

We took a ride last week and found ourselves searching for a restaurant we used to love, The Coventry Forge Inn. After much twisting and turning, we finally found the road and the old building tucked back in a corner of Coventryville. It was a sorry sight. Old, abandoned, gutted, given over to the elements from the look of things. It was a gracious, warm, inviting place in its day. The food was delicious; I still remember one meal I had there as the best dinner of my life. Well, maybe I've forgotten a few good ones, but this was spectacular. Bill said, "want to open a bed and breakfast?" I said, "sure." And then I got scared he might really mean it. Maybe we'd better sit down and think about it.

Addicted To Lost? Here's Help.

You Heard It Here First

I know everybody's reading tastes are different, but unless you live in a cave or a tent and want to stay there forever, I am telling you, you will love this book. I think it's going to be a bestseller like Marley and Me because it is so darn entertaining and packed with interesting and valuable insights. It even tells us why we like to watch those home improvement and decorating shows on HGTV so much. Dan McGinn is a journalist who writes for Newsweek and he has a charming, funny writing style that just pulls you in and doesn't let go. I carried this book around with me until I finished it because I was so taken with it. Go here to read an excerpt. I think you will get hooked as much as I did. On a similar note, I saw that one of my favorite design blogs has read it too. See what Julia has to say about it here. Look under Book Reviews in the right hand column and scroll down to see all the posts about it. I am deliberately not giving you the direct link so you will poke around her blog a bit. It's a wonderful read.