My Favorite Show is Over

for the year - DWTS! Enjoyed the show last night - 2 hours of it - but I'm happy with the winner. Not like I voted (I used to - just not into the voting any more) but I'm glad others did - if it even makes a difference!

So now what to watch on TV? Hmmm I see advertisements for a new channel - The COOKING CHANNEL! Can't wait to see what that's all about.

In the meantime I can run my sewing machine with the TV on as background noise while I quilt away. (pictures to follow).

Happy Wednesday!

Best,
Jane M

The Inside of my Oven

I love new stuff! I hate when my new stuff gets dirty. I love my kitchen and back in 2003 when it was new I hated to see my oven get dirty! I still do. I try and keep after all the spills and am always keeping after the stove top. The inside of my oven - NOT SO MUCH! Who sees the inside of the oven but me the COOK! But I said enough is enough and yesterday morning I tackled the inside of the oven. I do have a self clean mode on my range, only I don't think it cleans that well. Burning off food - yep that's great, cleaning off grease and grime not so much. So I sprayed Oven cleaner for Self Cleaning ovens yesterday, waited and hour and started to mop up the grease and grime. How did I do? I should probably go at it again, only now I'm just not in the mood.

On another note, I'm still dreaming of the PHILLY FLUFF cake - wish I had a slice RIGHT NOW!

Time for lunch! A Ribolatta soup is on the stove top (my clean stove top!) I'm ready to dig in.

Best,
Jane M

Have you ever had a slice of this cake?

Friends came over last night for din-din. I had everything ready in the fridge since this was last minute event. The friends brought dessert from a wonderful bakery nearby. The name of the cake is called a PHILLY FLUFF cake - fancy name for Cream Cheese Pound Cake. Let me tell you this cake was FAN-DAMN-TASTICK!

Hope I am making your mouth water! I googled the Philly Fluff cake and printed out the recipe so I can try and bake it myself 1 day. I would love to sneak a slice RIGHT NOW only I had a big piece for my breakfast!

On a side note, I planted all my window boxes and planters today! I hope they will grow grow grow and look pretty all summer long.

Happy Saturday!

Jane M

I love a man in uniform!

Besides working this summer at a day camp, Rusell will be volunteering at our local Rescue Squad. Russ just picked up his uniform today and is waiting on his boots to come in the mail. Isn't he handsome?!

Best,
Jane M

The Cahn's go to Washington!

We headed down to DC this past weekend, this time to help Emily move into her first apartment! BIG BIG EXCITEMENT FOR ALL! Lot's of schlepping and heavy lifting (thank you Russell), lot of organizing and setting up stuff! It was ALL great fun! Emily is staying in Washington this summer for an Internship at Hearst Publications!

After we moved Emily in and got her all settled, we took a walk to the National Mall to see this years Commencement set up! As you probably heard, Michelle Obama spoke yesterday so it was big doings for the University. Emily of course covered this story and wrote an article for the paper. Here are some photos of our weekend away.

Just finished up designing the rest of the Fall 2010 ties! Can't wait to see you all at the shows - call for an appointment!

Best,
Jane M

So here's what's new with the FENCE next door

NOTHING! All action has stopped as of a week ago! For some reason they installed the boulders/retaining wall, graded their LAND - don't you just love that term - LAND - seeded and now nothing. Personally, if it were my job, why the heck would I want my lawn seeded before installing a huge fence around ALL MY LAND? The fence alone will be heavy let alone pouring footings for the fence posts - and how can brand new grass handle all that trampling? So you might say, "Why do you care"? I don't really - I'm just pissed that the neighbors are erecting a fence. I don't get over things easily or EVER!

We're off to DC to move our daughter into her first apartment! Photos to follow after the BIG BIG BIG schlep! And what a schlep it will be! I'm tired already and I've barely lifted a finger - it all starts tomorrow.

Best,
Jane M

Not so bad YET

Well the boulders are in next door - and I have to say - it's not so terrible looking. I was also told by the backhoe driver/landscaper that my neighbors are having him plant myrtle to go in between the cracks of the rocks for us! WOOT WOOT! I was thinking I might have to do that! I might stick in my nasturtium seeds anyway after all is said and done. So now that the big boulder work is done - I guess next up (tomorrow) comes the fence. I'm sure I'll get used to that as well. I think I will only have to buy 3 shrubs to go in front of the fence to make my side look more finished.

And so it goes...fences - do they REALLY make good neighbors? What are your thoughts? Did I make a mountain over a molehill ya think? Possibly - I can admit it!

Best,
Jane M

And then they built a fence

I'm not a fence person. Dunno - just don't like'm. But our neighbors sure do! Our neighbors used to live across the street, but in 2005 they moved next door (they erected a fence at their first house). These neighbors have done a very big kitchen reno and fitted their home with central air. What's next on their reno hit parade? A FENCE - a fugly fence - so gone are the Hemlock green trees that once separated our 2 yards, and now there is a trench and what look to be some fairly HUGE boulders. Then I'm told a fence is going on the other side (up the hill). YUK. We have known about the fence for about a month. We just figured we'd deal with the fugly fence and plant some nice greens on our side. But now our plans are FOILED. Look how close the HUGE MASSIVE BOULDERS are to our property? (THE BOULDERS ARE RIGHT ON THE LINE - NO WIGGLE ROOM WHAT-SO-EVER) Gary is not here and when he comes home tomorrow I don't think he's going to be very happy. I did receive a voicemail earlier today - I WORK TOO MR. NEIGHBOR - saying that we are to call him if we are inconvenienced by the fence erectors - I wonder if we can call and say we HATE THE BOULDERS AND ARE WORRIED THEY CHOSE A FUGLY FENCE TO BOOT? Hmmmmm might make enemies - ya think? I don't think fences make good neighbors either.

More photos tomorrow once all the boulders are in place and the fence comes! I'm not looking forward to that!

Best,
Jane M

EMILY AND RUSS HAD THEIR BIRTHDAYS

The end of April is a busy month for the Cahn's. I write this every year! Emily's 21st birthday was April 25th - Russ's day is April 30th.

I racked my brain trying to think of a memorable gift for our Emily - 21 years young is a momentous birthday - she can legally drink! Oiy - don't even get me started. Anyhoo, I've been wearing my NAME necklace for many many years now. My parents bought me this necklace for my 18th birthday and I thought WOW wouldn't it be grand to make Emily her own necklace. Don't ask - it's not easy finding a jeweler to do this task. Luckily I remembered a very good customer who came to our booth at MR last January who had CONNECTIONS. Love that work, connections! So faxes, and emails back and forth and voila - a pretty pretty necklace for Em. She was thrilled when she received her necklace. After picking up the necklace in Manhattan, we ran to Duane Read to buy gift wrap and a card. Then ducked into our nearest Kinkos to really look at the necklace and send it down to D.C. via Fedex. After the deed was done, we leisurely walked downtown and had din-din at Mario Batali's place called Babbo. Lemme reiterate, YOU NEED DEEP POCKETS TO LIVE, WORK, EAT AND PLAY IN THIS CITY! The food was good - but Mario emptied our pockets - for the price of our meal I could have had 4 bags of groceries from my favorite supermarket, Wegmans. But then I'd be cooking and cleaning and etc!

Russ's gift is coming...

Getting the next line READY - lots and lots and lots of work ahead!

Best,
Jane M