Home Improvement Dalpiaz Style

Wow!  Sorry I've been away so long.  As most of you know, we travelled to Long Island for a wedding Friday July 15.  Amy was able to join us!  The four of us haven't been together in such a long time, this was really sweet (but short).  Aren't we something when we are all cleaned up? 

And, as most of you know, Kathleen and Nick followed us back upstate on Monday to stay with us for the week.  Nick helped Jim get the Mustang purring, we went on a little Finger Lake Wine Tour, had a visit with the Moore contingent, and made up our own Covered Bridge tour.  Busy week and I've stretched my ability to be social to its absolute limit. 

To prepare for Kathleen and Nick's visit, I decided we needed a little home improvement.  There was some ripped wallpaper that needed to be covered or repaired.  I chose to cover the blemish (typical problem solving technique for me).  It was a two day project.  The first day was Easter Sunday and the second day was Thurs July 14 (Bastille Day and Tessa's birthday).  Note above that July 14 was the last possible completion opportunity before the fun began on Friday July 15. 

See?  No visible blemish (well, unless you look too closely at the paint job).  Looks great and I learned that re-hanging those pictures all at one time isn't as artistic as it seemed when it evolved over the years. 

So it goes with us.  We only start such projects under some kind of deadline and then learn a whole lot about what we don't know.  Kind of like parenting--hang in here with me.  I was listening to a radio show discussing parenting from the viewpoint of economists.  It was more interesting than I am able to make it sound here.  Of course, child rearing can't really be quantified like a bank account but one interesting question arose that I've been pondering:  Why did you want to be a parent (if you did)?  All those miles on the road between here and Long Island and I still don't have a good response for that.  Why?  I knew I wanted children, but I don't know why I wanted children.  Then we tried it:  under a 9 month deadline only to learn a whole lot about what we don't know.  Still learning.

Hot in Harpursville

Who Knew?  Jim was doing some cleaning the other day (no, that's not the "who knew" part) and came across this picture of himself with Betty White!

He marched with the McDonald's All American band in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade--I'm thinking this is around 1971 or 72.  The other kid is the other New York state participant.  Jim can't remember the one with the tiara.   IMDB says Paul Lavalle was one of America's best known bandmasters and conductors.  (Who knew?)

At the time, Betty White would have been better known as Sue Ann Nivens from the Mary Tyler Moore show.  Look at that posture:  shoulders back, bosom forward.  We could all take a lesson. 

Anne Marie Flynn Ryan 1933-2002

I am missing Mom a great deal today.  I think she would have enjoyed hearing about the Charlotte trip.  One of the best times I ever had with Mom was one of those trips to Toronto.  I had a haircut experience yesterday that would have made her smile, I'm sure.  I guess you already know it isn't usually the big things that bring Mom to mind, but the little everyday things like haircuts. 

Anyhow, here are some pictures I thought you might like even though I think you have seen them before.

The famous blue dress in black and white.  I think this was before their own Toronto trip.   Imagine how much they were looking forward to that!

A day that was a LONG time coming

Not the most flattering picture of Mom but they all look so happy.

So they say "Rest in Peace" which is a very comforting thought for those of us left behind, but how could she possibly rest in peace rejoining her parents, her grandparents and Mary Jane?  She can meet grandparents she never knew (Grampie and Mary Brown).  How peaceful can it really be?