I met up with Mom for lunch yesterday and we took care of some administrative stuff, as well.
~~~~~
SPRING CLEANING!! Cleaned out and organized most of a closet this morning---will recycle some blazers, summer blazers, summer blouses, etc.
Time for a little something for breakfast....
Labels: adventure, cleaning, dine, organizing, recycle, seasons
posted by Grace @ 5/15/2010 08:45:00 AM
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...near the end of my morning walk today Maureen and I saw a Pittsburgh glass truck heading west on Fifth Avenue as it crossed Bellefield. It held large sheets of plate glass on the side of the truck.
What happens the morning after...
Labels: adventure, American history, glass, international culture, walking
posted by Grace @ 9/25/2009 06:16:00 PM
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This little guide sponsored by Grape Nuts is all about how to meet your daughter's first boyfriend. Quite entertaining!
Labels: adventure, Bach, family, meeting, parent
posted by Grace @ 8/30/2009 08:46:00 AM
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Yesterday Allan and I took Colleen to the Ontario Science Center after lunch that included sinigang and pad thai and chicken curry. We had fun on the way to KidsPark: seeing the green forest, looking and touching the minerals and rocks, riding the escalators, and coloring outside (and receiving free milk). It was a feat
to turn away from KidsPark...
to the artist's billiard ball contraption. We visited D level, then the mezzanine/Eagle's eye view and the Human Body on E level.
In the end, we returned to KidsPark and the artist's kinetic sculpture,
and visited the Space section before leaving about four hours after arriving.
Colleen had a grand time, and wants to return.
We had Greek food at Allan's home for dinner.
~ ~ ~
Today, the Lolos and Lolas drove Colleen and I to downtown Toronto, where we 
drove through Chinatown,
parked, and walked through the mall with Sears.
We then attended the anticipated Mass for Sunday at St. Michael's Cathedral. We sat right by the candles for St. Jude. 
We visited two Chinese bakeries for snacks before continuing on to dinner.
Dinner was with Allan, Sonia, Samantha, and Matthew; Christie and Petrie and Colleen, and the two Lolos, two Lolas, and me. We truly enjoyed the Korean barbeque-it-yourself at our tables. Colleen entertained us with songs and fingerplays; she in turn was entertained by Sam's I-pod.
Labels: adventure, Canada, cold, dine, dining, family, games, garden, geology, health, ice cream, international culture, Mass, museum, niece and nephew, photos, science, walking
posted by Grace @ 8/23/2009 12:05:00 AM
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I went with Marissa, Beatrice, and Solomon to meet up with their mom's group (3 additional moms and their children) at the Carnegie Science Center this morning. We had fun at the Robots exhibit ("I think I can be strong [and see it]," Beata stated, before we even entered the museum), the miniature train exhibit (during which Solomon walked to the far side of the tracks with me, just holding my one hand), Beata and I enjoyed the Mars rock and penny well, and then we all enjoyed the toddler play area 
(which has a multi-level water table with falls, river features, and a small fountain-spout; a ball-collection area; 
a block area where Beata played with an older girl and her mom;
and a system of tunnels made out of storm drain pipes), where Solomon in no uncertain terms let another boy know that he did not want his hair pulled---he held his hand out to the boy's chest as the boy approached him again.
We decided at the end to go to Wendy's for lunch.
Labels: adventure, Carnegie, dining, friends, museum
posted by Grace @ 8/04/2009 03:37:00 PM
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As of Sunday, I can
1. Do my "Jane Fonda" side-lying exercise continuously for 10 repetitions, with no breaks.
2. Get up out of a chair without assistance (almost consistently)
3. Wobble about with no assistive aids (cane, crutch, etc.)
Labels: adventure, BAD, exercise, surgery, surprise
posted by Grace @ 7/14/2009 09:53:00 AM
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Last night/this morning about half past one Karina stopped by on her way back from the airport to pick up her house keys. The hand-off went without a snag, we decided to see each other later today, and all is well.
Labels: adventure, friends, international culture, transportation, travel
posted by Grace @ 7/13/2009 11:17:00 AM
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I am excited about my afternoon today. My goal today is to make my "debut" (as my friend Alroy stated last year/last hip) at Mass. I will bring my own pillow to sit upon (not as highly decorated as my sit-upon from Brownies), and sit close to the front to minimize movement during Communion. I will either do steps or make my way all the way around to the other side of the building to the elevator.
After, I will take Mom and Dad out to treat them to lunch---as tradition goes---if they will allow me.
~~~
We DID go to Mass, where I walked up the eastern transept steps (with mom's help), and sat through the service... We also went to lunch at the Mexican restaurant in northeast Oakland: The location we went to right before Mom and Dad brought Ornella and I to the airport for our trip to Ireland in July 2007.
Labels: adventure, celebration, Church, dining, excited, exercise, family, hair, health, Mass, St. Paul Cathedral, surgery
posted by Grace @ 7/05/2009 07:39:00 AM
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...and when we were young children, my mom purchased a small pink and white plastic steamboat theatre play-stage for putting on plays (I think at auction). One of the plays/stories was Heidi, about a very young shepherd girl who goes to live in the anomie of the big city...later, another girl she befriends, Clara (whose name I recalled as Laura, or Lara), who was wheelchair-bound and who lives in the big city (Frankfurt) and who is pasty-faced from city-living, spends time with Heidi in her alpine environment and through healing with the sun, flowers, and shepherding, learns to walk.
This weekend was much like the healing in the novel of Heidi for me. Clara is I, I go to the mountains of the Laurel Highlands this weekend, and due to the fresh air, sun, and time playing with Tito Larry and Tita Tina's dog, Hermes, feel much better than before the weekend began. This morning alone I spent a good quarter of an hour walking about the main floor of their condominium with my crutches. At the beginning of the weekend, I used one crutch to get around the small guest room at my parents' home...by the end of the weekend, I felt strong enough to raise myself up onto one crutch and make my way about the main floor of the condominium. Most of yesterday's afternoon Hermes and I sat sat-by-side in the large, leather chair in the living room, alternately reading, listening to music, and, dozing off. Oh, and we ate a lot of VERY GOOD food!
~~~
...which brings to mind the "Haiji" cartoons/anime from the 1970's. My youngest sister as well as the daughter of my parents' friends, Didi, thoroughly enjoyed watching this series of stories when they were very young. My siblings and I---as well as Didi's siblings---were thoroughly taken by the similarity in sounds of laughter and distraught in Heidi = "Haiji" .
Labels: adventure, cinema, dine, dog, exercise, games, international culture, languages, meeting, mountains, music, sleep, walking
posted by Grace @ 6/28/2009 03:14:00 PM
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Off to an adventure this weekend--a picnic, etc. I've packed my clothes, toiletries (which are more due to my condition), my medicines and fresh bandages with tape, my appliances for dressing and moving about, my music and mini boom box, and my books and notes. Just need to change linens on my two pillows and wrap my commode chair, and I'm off!
(I travel light.)
(All for the love/need of a daily blood thinner injection...)
Labels: adventure, dine, family, health, music, pain, surgery, travel
posted by Grace @ 6/26/2009 07:23:00 AM
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Farrah Fawcett passed away. Mom and I had seen the television special of her battle with cancer last month.
God bless her soul--she was a real fighter.
~~~
Today the home nurse, Jill, decided to leave all but the incision site covered, as the drain site has no longer any drainage from it. Yesterday, Margie the physical therapist noted v. v. little drainage from the superior end of the incision site, and no drainage anywhere else.
I'm ready for the adventure tomorrow!
~~~
at ~6.45pm
Mom and I found out that Michael Jackson passed away, too. He was an extremely talented force in the Industry, and his other problems could not eclipse that fact.
Labels: adventure, farewell, pain, surgery
posted by Grace @ 6/25/2009 04:11:00 PM
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This morning at about ten o'clock was my first day out since making my way (to my parents') home after surgery. It is a beautiful 80-degree day with a slight breeze. Margie, my physical therapist, and I took a field trip to my home to run a phone errand and to pick up a pill cutter for Dad. Ida presented me with a package from Nancy C.---somethings for Beatrice and for me from her local public library. Upon returning, I did my exercises on my back, and Margie showed me minimal seepage from the upper portion of my incision site (as visible on my removed dressing). She changed the dressing, and left.
I worked on prescribed items as my project this lunchtime, and I then heated lunch for Dad and the guy helping him install shelves in Mom and Dad's storage unit.
This past half hour, I received my anti-coagulant injection (from Mom), and Mom is on her way to the pharmacy to pick up some pills. Sustaining a post-operative patient is time-consuming and exciting(-?).
Labels: adventure, Beatrice, Choir, dine, exercise, family, friends, gift, library, niece and nephew, surgery, surprise
posted by Grace @ 6/24/2009 03:46:00 PM
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Last night, after watching Kit Kittredge: American Girl movie, Mom and I gave my legs some breathing room (TED hose off for ~ twenty minutes).
After, Mom and Dad moved some furniture from the guest bedroom: an antique rocking chair, some toy boxes of Beatrice and Solomon, and the cedar? chest and also its contents. Quite the event late last night.
Labels: adventure, Beatrice, children, health, pain
posted by Grace @ 6/24/2009 06:14:00 AM
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After making dinner tonight of hot dogs, rolls, gourmet cheeses, ketchup, Vidalia onions, and kettle potato chips and kalamansi-ade, I watched Kit Kittredge: American Girl.
I had heard that it was a good movie last year. Great to see it this year. Mom and I love the fresh acting abilities of Abigail Breslin, whom we saw in Little Miss Sunshine last year.
Labels: adventure, children, cinema
posted by Grace @ 6/23/2009 09:44:00 PM
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Just left the hospital after four days in: 10-noon for surgery and to get to the recovery room (and recover), and Tuesday-Thursday for recovery and healing in the hospital.
It's a good thing I only have two hips, otherwise, I'd spend every summer like this.
Labels: adventure, health, pain, surgery
posted by Grace @ 6/18/2009 04:55:00 PM
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This week was Miranda's birthday. Last Friday, while Jenny was here, I mailed out two packages for her from me and from her Lolo and Lola. We sang for her yesterday over the airwaves!
Ran errands on Wednesday--to the bank, for eyecare and skincare at Rite Aid, and to the library to return a CD of Rachel Barton Pine. Stopped by Wawa's, too.
I'm slowly taking care of my June bills before surgery.
Mom and I went "fun" shopping in Bloomfield yesterday.
Watched the last period of the Penguins last night--it was good to have them win another game in the Stanley Cup (4-2).
~~~
Today, it turns out I don't need to produce my films and pathology reports for my appointment this lunchtime. And here I was, like a chicken with no head going around looking for them...turns out if the appointment is "within the system," there's no need to request the results.
I have to stop by for my final pre-operative testing sometime soon--probably today--at Shadyside Hospital.
Labels: adventure, Birthday, health, library, niece and nephew, shopping, singing, sports
posted by Grace @ 6/05/2009 09:02:00 AM
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Jenny S just left, after a visit of three and a half (almost four) days. I told her that, of all her family members that I have met, she has a NICE family (and that niceness is severely underrated). I'm really glad that she came to visit. I told S that I have Hotel Grace (which LS upgraded to B&B Grace). JS said I rate at SIX stars, and that I have "Grace's Adventures and Tea Party." We had great fun together.
Labels: adventure, Pittsburgh, transportation
posted by Grace @ 5/31/2009 03:49:00 PM
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As the Pittsburgh Wellesley Club Vice President, I feel obliged to share this news article from the Wellesley online magazine.....
ALUMNAE TAPPED FOR KEY OBAMA ADMINISTRATION POSTS
Three Wellesley alumnae have been named to leadership posts in the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama. Sen. Hillary R. Clinton, class of 1969, has been nominated for secretary of state. She will be the second Wellesley alumna to hold that role; Madeleine Korbel Albright, the first female U.S. secretary of state, is a 1959 graduate of Wellesley.
Chicago business leader Desiree Rogers, class of 1981, has been named White House social secretary. She is the first African American to serve in the position, which is responsible for organizing and overseeing all White House functions and ceremonies.
Katie Johnson, class of 2003, is the new personal secretary to President Obama. As part of the position, Johnson will manage the president's daily schedule.
More information about these alumnae and links to news stories about their new roles is online here.
We're proud of our graduates and of their recent accomplishments.
Labels: adventure, American history, excited, politics, Wellesley
posted by Grace @ 1/24/2009 10:13:00 AM
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This morning I recorded my grades, prepped for lab this week, sent my students a mass email, and went to choir practice for noon Mass.
This afternoon, after noon Mass, my parents and I drove to Monroeville for Chinese buffet. Dad had left the lights on, and I called AAA for a jump start. We then braved Rodi Road and Penn Avenue to get home, as the parkway inbound was bumper to bumper from about Churchill onwards...
I read my email, sent a newsletter update to FAAP for the Holiday Open House, and took a nap. I visited Tina and Joe W. to help them with their computer problems, and told them about campus computing.
Labels: adventure, biology, Blind, blogs, Choir, Church, computer, dining, email, family, friends, international culture, Mass, Pilipino culture, PNR, St. Paul Cathedral, transportation, work
posted by Grace @ 9/21/2008 07:30:00 PM
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Days in the life of me.
