We all must

stop with the negativity! I'm stopping - as of RIGHT NOW! It's just not healthy for anyone! We're all here in the same boat - whining about it won't do anyone a lick of good. Enough said.

On another note - yep going to bake off some sticky buns tomorrow morning for breakfast. Tonight I added in some raisins. I hope the raisins soften up -- SOMEONE in the house left the lid not on too well and what was left in the bottom of the box was only 1/4 of a cup worth of hard raisins. Who knew I was out of raisins? Who's been eating the raisins????????????

What do you think of my new kitchen gadget? It's a really cool grater! I use it daily. I even zest the lemon! I bought this grater in my town - we have a very local kitchen store and he sells the greatest stuffs EVER! That is if you love the kitchen as I do.

Here is a picture of the inside of my fridge. Just went to Wegmans this morning! I am an excellent food shopper. We eat very very well and for not much money. But it's not so much the cost - I just enjoy cooking and sharing a meal with my family -and isn't that what matters most?

OK Gary's all set up in Chicago - go see him TOMORROW - or Monday - or Tuesday. Ask him about his plane ride out...or call me on Monday and ask me. I'll tell you the whole scary story!

Superbowl tomorrow - woot woot - I'm just saying!

Best,
Jane

Just back from the Bank with Gordie

and instead of getting a lollypop when they gave me my money at the drive thru window, they gave me GORDIE/DOGGIE TREATS!!!!!!!!!!! OH HAPPY DANCE FOR GORDIE! He didn't eat his treat in the car. I think he left it on the back seat. But the teller gave me 4 more dog bones. Maybe he'll eat 1 later!

Happy Friday - go to Chicago to see Gary! He's at the booth right now! Only the show doesn't start for 2 days. Call him - go see him - look at our gorgeous ties and BUY THEM ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please!

Icey in New Joisey

Wow we had a storm yesterday. Russell had a snow day. The snow quickly turned to slush and a miserable dank RAIN. The snow was heavy to shovel and not easy to get right to the ground. No problem about getting shoveled to ground because overnight we had frigid weather (surprise surprise) AND ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING THAT HAD 1 DROPLET OF WATER FROZE. It was I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E to walk Gordie this morning. Even 18 pound Gordie slipped! We do not use salt because of Gordie's paws and ruining our lush green grass. I only went out just before to snap a few photos of the ice, but it had already started to melt. Russell saw our garbage men take a lot of falls collecting every one's garbage. It's hazardous out there!

OK BUY OUR TIES! WE JUST FINISHED PHOTOGRAPHING ALL THE SETS AND THEY WILL BE UP ONLINE BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND! The ties are gorgeous! Make an ORDER! Please!

Best,
Jane

You probably don't know this

but we have now 10 hungry deer roaming our street! 10! 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10! That's a lot of mangy, hungry deer. Notice the above photo. It's a small plot of property in between our house and the neighbors. Those vines are IVY. HARDY IVY. Yep, the deer are so so hungry this year they even ate the leaves off the ivy vines. I'm wondering if the leaves will come back this coming spring? If not, well we'll have to think of something to plant in this space because I'm telling you, this is UGLY! Years ago our town decided to build townhouses up in the quarry where the wildlife once called home. Since the first day of excavation many years back was when we started noticing the herds of deer and other animals. It's sad they have no home, and yet I cannot plant anything anymore in my garden. Well that's not entirely true, but I had to give up my sunflowers which I just loved growing! I was the talk of the town they were so tall and neat looking.

It's been a very cold winter here in NJ so far - and I'm just back inside after taking Gordie for his midday stroll.

Call me, BUY OUR TIES! They are really good looking this season!

Best,

Jane

Irresponsible parent

I had to run into Staples just before. I picked up 2 items. Got up to the register and the woman in line ahead of me decided she needed a couple more items before it was her turn to pay. She had her 2 year old in tow as well. So she says to me can I please hold her place, but if the cashier is available I can go ahead and pay if she's not back. LIKE I EVEN CARE. But...here's the kicker. SHE LEFT HER 2 YEAR OLD STANDING THERE - WHAT AM I THE LINE HOLDER AND THE BABY SITTER? I'm mean - no? Anyway another cashier came since the line behind me grew and I paid and left. I can't even stand leaving my 17 year old home alone - and this jerk leaves her 2 year old alone in a store!

What a world!

Peace,

Jane

The 2009 NY Haberdashery Show

The NY Haberdashery show is over - REALLY! We had a nice show. We also had THE NICEST BOOTH! We have the best stylist in NYC. But back to the closing of the show. Yep, the owner of the NY Haberdashery sold the show to MR. And...they are moving us to the Javits Center. Boo Hoo - THE JAVITS CENTER? The gilath building almost in the Hudson River - or hmmm the place by the LINCOLN TUNNEL! AAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Are you stores going to come to both the Piers and the Javits? We do not know any of the details - PRICE - so who knows how it will go. It's all up in the air.

So back to the ties. Our colors, our make, our deliveries, our CUSTOMER SERVICE are second to none. So if you missed us in NYC, come to Chicago! We'll be in booth 3016 on the 8th floor of the merchandise mart. Come on by. BUY OUR TIES! THEY ARE SO DARN GREAT! This I know because of most of your wonderful complements.

OK back to work for me.

Best,
Jane

Close your eyes if you don't want to be scared!

LOOK at the inside of my fridge! I wasn't kidding when I said I HAD NO FOOD! REALLY! After spending 4 days at my sister's ... well talk about FOOD INVENTORY. MAMA MIA! She's got more bottles and jars of all different food. Me, well I can guess you can call me PLAIN JANE - really - I don't mind. Notice, last night we had to eat out at the local diner in town and I came home with another meal. These leftovers will most probably be chucked as I really don't care much for the day after food. But we'll see - maybe I'll have it for lunch tomorrow.

Busy swatching and organizing and stressing over the 1st Trade Show of the season. ANYONE OUT THERE IN THIS GREAT LAND OF OURS COMING TO NYC????? HOW ABOUT CHICAGO? HOW ABOUT CHARLOTTE? Please come by and see us! We have great ties -really we do if I do say so myself!

Best,

Jane M

Not like anyone cares but...

I've not posted in a while. I've nothing much to report I guess. Emily and I were in VA helping my sister who was in and out of the hospital. I guess you can call me Florence Nightingale if you want! I think we did a fairly good job helping my sister and making her feel better. My father relieved us yesterday so that Emily could go back to college and me back to my family at home. Of course I have many things to do to prepare for the Trade Show at the NY Warwick a.k.a. The HABERDASHERY. Ties, swatch cards, organizing. You know the drill. YIKES, I just thought of this...I have to BAKE as well! Oh lordy. With being away, I've not even stepped into the supermarket. I've NOTHING in my fridge. In fact, it's barren. It's horrible - Old Mother Hubbard, My CUPBOARDS ARE BARE!

On another note, Emily got OFFICIAL CBS Press Passes for the Inauguration! She has no idea where she might be placed...being a lowly intern she has no great hopes - but she'll be somewhere on the Mall watching this historic event. Hope she takes some pictures and documents her day!

OK I must head off to the gym now ... LIKE I NEED ANOTHER THING TO DO TODAY! But exercise is very very important.

Best,

Jane M

2009 Here we Come

Welp tomorrow is the official start of the first work week of 2009. I wonder what it will bring? I'm looking for some sign, some sort of UPWARD, UPBEAT feeling to get me started on the right foot.

So I went and had my long hair my cut off. My hair was not meant to be long. I don't know what it is with the texture of my hair. But to spice things up, I asked my stylist for 2 lighter pieces to frame my face. She thought going darker would be better. DON'T ASK WHAT HAPPENED?! I'm even embarrassed to post pictures of my new color - so you will just have to see me at the trade shows. Only I ask you this, just keep your opinions to yourself. I already feel terrible as it is! Whatever - it's only hair and for some reason me and hair color fades so quickly you probably won't even notice the BRIGHT ORANGE framing my face! Orange - is she kidding me? WHAT WAS SHE THINKING? AAAAAAAAAAAAH!

OK call me tomorrow - place an order - ask about our new line of ties. Just call - lets get 2009 going already!

Best,

Jane

Happy 2009!

We rang in 2009 with family and a few friends last night. A nice group, not crazy - just good food and fun. We stayed up late and today - well I'm pooped. Lounged around most of the day and of course went to exercise. I am trying to keep up my exercise routine in this new year. I do go - but not often enough. So we'll see how it goes.

Other than that, things are very quiet in NJ. It's just cold and quite wintry outside. We got this very small coating of snow, which AGAIN turned into ice, but it's nothing like the ice / snow storm of 2 weeks ago.

Here are a few New Year's photos.

Best,
Jane