Monthly Archives: June 2010

Jun30

swim lessons and pizza

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swim lessons and pizza

Today I went with Cindy to watch Keira’s and Tabitha’s swim lessons. It was at this great house in Urbana.

keira, cindy, tabitha at the pool

keira kicks

tabitha backstroke

tabitha cold

 After swim lessons, we went to Ledo’s so I could eat even more of my favorite pizza!!! Then we went to Jimmy Cones for snowballs.

sisters kiss

jimmy kone

So I’ve decided to stay in Maryland a few days longer. I’m still not feeling 100% and too tired to drive for 14 hours. So I’ll hang out a few more days and hopefully feel better and see more people. I start my 3rd different medication tomorrow to hopefully finally get rid of this sinus infection.

Jun29

home from Dover Downs

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home from Dover Downs

After an even less restful night of ‘sleep,’ I awoke to my Dad’s texts of pictures of Cilla and Elvis.

cilla at home with dad

elvis at home with dad

We went to breakfast then decided to gamble for 2 hours before going home. I decided to play Hot Shot again. All 5 slots were open, so I played all 5 and lost. Kathy and Candy lost too, so we convinced Mom to leave early. But not before visting the monster mile racetrack.

monster mile

We were home by 1 and after letting the dogs out, I went directly to Ledos for the best pizza ever! I had been craving it since I’ve been home. There is no Ledo’s in Memphis :(

Ledo's pizza

We had such a great time at Dover Downs! Thanks to Mom I had a free room, free food and a few free spins. It was great, almost as good as Vegas. It was also good to come home to my dogs. What a greeting I got!

Jun28

Dover Downs – day 2

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Dover Downs – day 2

After a not so restful night of sleep, the 6 of us met for breakfast at 8am.

By 10am I had lost almost all the money I had allotted for today, so I went up to the room to take a break and hopefully change my luck. And it worked. I played my favorites – Hot Shot, Jackpot 7, Fireball, Power Strike – and by 3:30 won back half the money I had lost. I decided to take another break in the room, then went back to casino about an hour and a half before dinner. In that time, I had lost all of my money – all my money!

I consoled myself with 2 glasses of pinot grigio and a scrumptious 3 course meal at Frankie’s.

After dinner, I hit the ATM and took out a little money. I put it in my favorite slot Hot Shot and doubled my money! So now I’m going home with half the money I came with rather than none of it – assuming we don’t go to the casino in the morning before we leave.

Please watch my video of our time at Dover Downs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtnTWiNVXtI

Jun27

Dover Downs – day 1

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Dover Downs – day 1

Mom, Kathy, Candy and I left Maryland at 9am heading to Delaware for 2 days of playing the slots at Dover Downs Casino. We made our way over the Bay Bridge and arrived at Dover just before 11:30am. We checked into our rooms, all located on the 7th floor, gambled a little then met Mary and Carol for brunch at Michelle’s. By this time I was down $80.

I took a little rest in the room after lunch because I’m still sick and now have cramps. After losing a bit at random slots, I won at Hot Hot Penny Dublin and Hot Shot – my favorite slot. So now I was only down $44.

The 6 of us met at the Fire and Ice bar at 6pm for drinks.

After 2 Pinot grigios (while on azithromycin z-pack), I had the bright idea of gambling some more. I quickly lost, but then thankfully won at Triple Bonus Frenzy, so I ended the day only down $24.

I went back to the room, ordered a pizza and watched the Daytime Emmys. Jack (Michael Park) and Carly (Maura West) won for best actor and actress!!!! They have been my favorites since joining As the World Turns 13 years ago. I’m going to miss you ATWT!!!

Jun26

sick at home in maryland

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sick at home in maryland

It’s Saturday night and I haven’t left the house since Wednesday morning when I went to the doctor. I’ve had strep and/or a sinus infections. I have missed hanging out with old friends and getting to know a new one. I missed hanging out with Cindy’s family today – and Ledo’s pizza and a Frederick Keys game. I am feeling about 50% better now. Still can’t smell or taste and have no energy, but better than I have been. Hopefully I’ll feel even better tomorrow when we head up to Dover Downs and hit the slots!

my family

Jun23

Orioles game 6.22.10

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Orioles game 6.22.10

Last night Dad and I went to the Orioles game. I haven’t been in years. I used to go to about 30 games a season, but ever since Cal and Brady retired, baseball just hasn’t been the same for me. But Dad and I went and had fun, even though the Orioles lost to Florida 10 – 4. It was a hot, muggy night, but since it wasn’t crowded we got to move down and sit off first base.

memorial stadium to camden yards

oriole park

homerun!

The Bird

oriole souvenirs

 Please watch my video of the Oriole Bird during the 7th inning stretch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fxZ8qzvtiw

Jun21

Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament Baltimore 6.21.10

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Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament Baltimore 6.21.10

Mom, Dad and I went to the Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore to see Candy and Wayne’s son Mark Dunaway of Canton Dockside compete in the Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament. 32 Baltimore area chefs compete in this single elimination tournament over 16 weeks. 10% of the proceeds go to Moveable Feast. Please visit www.masondixonmasterchef.com for more information.

Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament

The Belvedere was built in 1903 and is known as the ‘Crown Jewel’ of Baltimore. It was absolutely beautiful. And everyone from FDR to Henry Fonda to the Kennedys to Barbara Stanwick has stayed there. We had a drink at the famous and historic Owl Bar before going up to the competition.

The Belvedere lobby

FDR

the stars

the Kennedy brothers

Barbara Stanwick

the owl bar

We went up to the ballroom on the 12th floor where the competition was located. It was a beautiful old ornate ballroom. The room was divided into 2 sides, friends and family of Mark on one side and the other chef’s fans on the other. We had our meal, then the chefs had an hour to prepare theirs – in front of us while answering our questions. There were 3 professional judges and 20 guest judges from the audience. My mom and dad both were picked to be a guest judge. Mark made scallops for an appetizer, lamb for the main course and fruit sushi for dessert.

view from the belvedere 12th floor

belvedere ballroom

our table

gil, nancy, dad, mom

master chef mark

that's mark on the right

mark's food

mom as a guest judge

dad as a guest judge

the competing chefs

Mark won! He will move on to the next level on his way to become the Mason Dixon Master Chef!

Please watch my video of Mark’s victory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Oai8IJzx0

Jun20

Centennial High Class of ’90 20th Reunion

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Centennial High Class of ’90 20th Reunion

Last night, June 19, 2010, was my 20 year high school reunion – Centennial High School Class of 1990. It was a great night! We had a pre reunion party in my room at Turf Valley where the reunion was held. It was most of the old gang from high school – Meredith, Laurie, Kris, John, Jonathan, Evan, Paul, Tim. I’m really glad we had that time together because it was really hard to talk with everyone for any length of time at the reunion.

pre reunion party

Centennial High Class of '90 20th Reunion

We headed down to the reunion just before 8, checked in and got our name badges with our senior pictures. It was surreal. Seeing everyone that I haven’t seen in 10 or 20 years. Our class has held up really well. Everyone looked great and pretty much the same.  We hung out in the bar area for a while then went into the main ballroom. There was a great senior slide show, which brought back a lot of memories. I got to catch up with a lot of old friends and even made a couple new ones.

me, aaron, lauren, debbie

Thanks to Janice Jensen Hartlieb for planning such a wonderful reunion!!! I’m really glad my summer plans changed, and I was able to attend.

Please watch my video of CHS Class of ’90 20th Reunion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaBSpsmeIhU

Jun17

a day with the kids

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a day with the kids

Today was a great day!

Took the dogs on an abreviated walk because I woke up with a slight headache – the same one from Tuesday! We just walked to the elementary school and around it a couple times. As we were walking back, we went past this house where dogs were barking and then all of a sudden they came out from the yard charging us. These dogs were smaller than Elvis and Cilla, but still I didn’t want a 4 dog brawl on my hands. So I started screaming as loudly as I could ‘HELP! GET YOUR DOGS! HELP!’ The woman yelled for her dogs, but never came to get them. They eventually retreated and a fight was averted. I hope she saw that I had 2 dogs and was trying to avoid a fight and didn’t think I was scared of her dogs. We came home, and I tried to clean out the car a bit, but Elvis and Cilla jumped in because they are ready to get back on the road.

when are we leaving?

let's go!

 

I met Cindy, Tabitha and Keira at Cheesecake Factory for lunch. So great seeing them again. Keira is so funny and Tabitha is so grown up and of course Cindy is the best friend anyone could ever have. And of course the food was good too. I had the lunch special small pizza and small ceasar salad, but it wasn’t very small but it was very good. Plus I had the red velveet cheesecake and 2 glasses of iced tea, which is probably I’m not at all tired right now.

Tabitha and Keira

Cindy, Keira, Tabitha

Tabitha and Keira eating

After lunch, we went to see Marmaduke. I think I laughed more than the kids. It was very funny, had a storyline and held my attention. It was definitely a dog lovers movie. Many different breeds of dogs were featured. I now want a great dane. No, not really, but Marmaduke was really cute! After the movie, the girls wanted to play in the arcade.

keira driving

tabitha biking

Jun15

relaxing at home in maryland

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relaxing at home in maryland

I’ve had 2 relaxing days home in Maryland. Yesterday was mom and dad’s anniversary, so we went to Ship’s Cafe in Catonsville for dinner. Good thing because today there was a water main leak and it was closed. Elvis and Cilla are enjoying the attention and all the snacks at mom and dad’s, but  they miss being off leash and running in their yard. And elvis doesn’t like not being able to get on the couch. 

the only furniture elvis is allowed on at mom and dad's

cilla is comfortable anywhere

This morning I took Elvis and Cilla on a nice walk through Font Hill Park around the pond. It was great except I got a really terrible migraine that lasted until a couple of hours ago.

Font Hill Park

Elvis and Cilla walking in Font Hill Park

Font Hill Pond

geese on the pond

elvis n cilla tired after the walk

I’m starting to make plans with friends while I’m home. Still waiting for a few responses, but so far it looks like a movie, happy hour, reunion pre party and reunion, 2 orioles games, another happy hour, and a lunch.