Meet Me At the Corner....
of Main & Maple

Grandma J has post blogfest syndrome, and she has to find out if there is a treatment for it and if it's covered by her insurance. Yeah, she can do that tomorrow....maybe. Maybe tomorrow she'll get out of her pajamas too....

But for now.....here is a sampling of what's at the corner of Main & Maple.

This is Sibley's General Store. And, if you happened to be driving past the intersection of Main & Maple last Friday afternoon, you may have wondered what 16+ crazies where doing jaywalking and wandering about the roadway.

After a wonderful lunch at Chef Todd's the Blogfest herd peeps paid a visit to Sibley's General Store. Everything in this place is crafted by locals. Sibley's is also the official Mathews County Visitor & Information Center.


The ladies working in Sibley's were delighted and friendly as they helped the bloggers spend, spend, spend select trinkets and souvenirs to take back home. Grandma J did a bit of shopping for a taste of Mathews to take back to Texas with her.




This is a numbered and signed (twice) laser print of a painting by a local artist, Anne Smith. I can't wait to have it framed.



Grandma J's Christmas tree is full of ornaments from far away places....and oh, do the memories come rushing back every year when the tree is decorated. This glass ornament doesn't have the artist's name on it.




The mugs made by Jane Witmer are all uniquely different, with her name etched on the bottom.

Mathews County VA has zapped Grandma J of her blogging desires...and she thinks a nap might get her to snap out of it. ::::sigh::::

One Person's Flavor......
........... is another person's favor

Everyone knows that Grandma J likes to pretty much ignore anything to do with killer tomatos stay on the light side of the moon.

She ignores any suggestions from the likes of Oprah and WaWa Walters, and Paris Hilton. And the days of her seeking advice from prominant advice givers like Susan Orman, Dear Abbey, Household Hints From Heloise have pretty much gone the way of the tube top.

Then one day she happen to come upon a fellow blogger's blog, Pat J (at least in my mind) knows it all who in fact had another blog....but it was a video blog. That's right, a video advice and singing information blog....on video....here is a taste .... Episode One .

It was no surprise to Grandma J that Pat J. had his finger on the pulse of what everyone wanted to know but were afraid to ask.....he knew exactly what he was talking about, and by talking, you know, rambling.....and with that being said, Grandma J was immediately hooked. Pat does more than talk and sing...he gets physical too. He dances the hully gully plays tennis...good tennis in shorts!!

Now go watch the rest of his 12 episodes at Patjseenitall.....see what i've seen.

* Grandma J is having major issues with Phillip Johnny Bob. Ever since he found out they were moving to the Spa he's been moody. Now that Grandma J visits the Dr. Bob (the ortho) every day, Phil has been seeking more attention that usual.....we are trying to resolve these issues. More on this later....

Most Wonderful FAVORITE Award

This award was given to my by Grandma Nina. It humbles me anytime another blogger includes me in their circle of favorites.


These are the rules in accepting this award:

Deliver this award to eight bloggers who then must choose and deliver the award to eight more and include the following text into the award.


"These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers."


Now, everyone except Grandma Nina knows that Grandma J is notorious for being a rule breaker. I know, it's not only shameful, but it's close to sinful to even admit it.

Grandma J loves so many blogs and bloggers....all the way from the silly to the logical, even if she has no clue about logic, she knows plenty about silly.

So, with all this rambling.....what she really means is she wants to share this award with all her friends. Don't worry about feeling worthy...I didn't. Just grab it and run, but while you're at it, stop by and say "hi" to Grandma Nina!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME....almost

On March 16th, I put my very first blog entry on the Internet. Up until then, I was happy being a commenter on other blogs. A few people kept bugging me....saying things like, "hey get your own blog", and "quit hogging everyone's bandwidth with your silly off topic comments". So I eventually got the hint and jumped in.....

Remember when I looked like this?

Four of those blogs were my commenters that first day in the history of Grandma J. Heartshapedhedges, is my daughter and her blog sprung forth from her son's Caringbridge site (yeah leukemia survivor!). LMNOP, is another blogger crossover from Caringbridge, (whose daughter is also a leukemia survivor). Then The Cortney Chronicles is a follower of HSH and LMNOP, and My Training Adventures, a wonderful marathon fundraising woman who I met through her support of several Caringbridge sites.

So there you have it...my first four commenters. The amazing thing is, after reading that pitiful first post, all four still come back a year later. So thank you....to those first four, and the other two rest of you who check in on a regular basis to see if I'd been committed kicked the bucket, or to be more politically correct, dove into the deep end.

Over the last year, I have posted 380 entries, with 64,879 visitors. Ok, I know, there was that day back in July when I have over 15,000 hits! All because Michael K from dlisted put a link to my Shamwow testimonial on his site. Just because of that I'm now engaged to best buds with Nick, who lives somewhere in the Heart of Dixie in Charleston....with his new puppy. I've also become good friends with Hollywood, who really lives in Albuquerque. Ummm, where's that blog of yours Hollywood?

Now, here's the exciting part that includes all of you. Yes even you, and you too. Over the past year, I've reviewed several movies, given testimonials on a plethora of products. God, thank you for the word plethora, I love it more than you know.

I've keep you abreast of current events...like the Yearning For Zion dilemma here in Texas, and the tragic toilet malfunction on NASA's space station. I've talked about my grandchildren and JJ til I'm blue in the face....with much more to tell you! You know all about my Uncle Jack, and the escapades of my Mother, Rita. I've discussed personal stuff like my sex life colon, pinkie finger, and mustache.

Several times over this past year I have honored our Service Men and Women...specifically my son-in-law, 1SGT John, who is currently serving his third tour of duty in Iraq.

I took a road trip to visit Cortney and Briana here in Texas, and I met up with Jason, Pumpkin Delight, and Hula Hank in Los Angeles. I'm trekking to Virginia in July to partake in the Virginia Blogfest hosted by Big Hair Envy, and Chesapeake Bay Woman.

With all of this in mind, I want you to tell me which post you liked the best. I know, they all kind of blur together. But seriously, I have to know....so take a minute to jog your memory or look in the archives. I'll make it worth your while with a contest/drawing.


That's right, a $50 gift card from Bed Bath and Beyond. the winner will be picked by a random picker thing on March 16th....the anniversary of the day everyone's Grandma J's world changed....forever.

Thank you for making 2008 a year full of friendship, love, and kindness. As I look back, I know I've been blessed in too many ways to count. I'm not very successful at keeping resolutions, so I'm not going to disappoint anyone by starting now. I hope to do a better job of paying it forward in 2009. I didn't do as much fundraising, and I could have given more blood.....my efforts will improve on both fronts this coming year.

I have met a few blogging friends in the last nine months that I've been blogging. Here in Texas I spent a wonderful day with Briana and Cortney last Spring. Then in the fall, I met up with Jason, his spouse Giancarlo, his son Diego, Kim from Pumpkin Delight, Hula Hank and his family from the land of wallabies, in Southern California for a wonderful brunch.

Bloggers I hope to meet in 2009. The East Coast hooligans, specifically the gang in Mathews County Virginia, if they ever get their Blogapalooza plans up and running....then swing by Virginia Beach to see my boyfriend Cooper. I will definitely be there in Austin when The Incredible Woody crosses the finish line on her bike ride. I might be driving to Denver, which means I might check up on Hollywood even though she doesn't have a blog.

On the California front, there are two very special ladies who I have to meet one day. I've known them the longest...through my grandson's leukemia journey. That would be Marey and Postcard Cindy. As I mentioned before, Marey's daughter had leukemia too, and it's amazing how many wonderful people I have met through childhood cancer....Briana is another person that came into my life that way.

So, If you happen to be on my route as I travel, or if you find yourself in my neck of the woods give me a shout!!

Thank you friends and God bless you in 2009

Where Did The Day Go?

Sometimes I find myself mesmerized by stuff like this buzzard sitting on a roof. Of course, that's after I chased him away from a dead squirrel in the road. Then I'm reminded that I've just wasted four hours staring down a friggin buzzard when I could have been blogging.

So, that's why I'm posting this poem for ya'll. I'm thoughtful like that.

Cleaning Poem

I asked the Lord to tell me
Why my house is such a mess.
He asked if I'd been blogging
And I had to answer 'yes.'

He told me to get off my fanny
And tidy up the house.
And so I started cleaning up...
The smudges off my mouse.

I wiped and shined the topside.
That really did the trick...
I was just admiring my work..
I didn't mean to 'click.'

But click, I did, and oops I found
A real absorbing site.
That I got SO way into it.
I was into it all night.

Nothing's changed except my mouse
It's very, very shiny.

GIFTS FOR BLOGGERS



Let's start with some bling from Gyrlz Lyfe! Not that it's computer or blogger related....it's just classy. I would love one for myself, but with the lack of donut shops in Texas, I'm afraid I would have those cute donuts chewed off in no time.


I know most of you are too sophisticated for some of the gift ideas I've posted. In fact you indicated your disdain for the Chicken Poop lip balm...even though it's free range!

I'm beginning to understand that the readers of this blog are diverse and geographically spread out. One in Florida, one in Philly and the other three in Virginia. Technically, I think all of you live together in Australia, but that's just a hunch.

Anyway, here are some more blogger appropriate gifts.

Here we have an air conditioned mouse. It should prevent your hand from sweating as you blog 12 hours a day.

Next we have the illuminated keyboard. Perfect for the night owl who likes to work in covert conditions....like in the dark. These run between $25 - $100.

How about some replacement keys for those days when the world spins off it's axle. Is the world on an axle?

Some of you are closet bloggers....I know who you are....wouldn't it be nice to have a rear view mirror to prevent suspicious aliens from sneaking up on you?

And, how about my new work station with all the conveniences you could ask for. Let me get up and show you.....

That's right.....a built in loo.

NAME THAT BEAR....please!

I'm having a contest!

Wouldn't you like to win something like this?

Or how about one of these?

Well, the answer is yes you could, if you were entering one of Pioneer Woman's contests The Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes.

But I love you too, and I want to give you this.....

a WalMart Gift Card valued at $25. I can hear you saying, it's about time yeah!

I have been very fortunate ever since I won two football pools started my blog back in March. I've met so many bloggers over the Internet and some in person...like Her, and Her...on my Major Road Trip to Phlugerville Tx.....and Him, and Him and Her in Los Angeles CA. So, this is my way of saying thank you, and let you know how much I enjoy all of your blogs.

Now, for the contest. Here's what you do. See the slide show in the column on the right? See that pitiful cute little "astronaut" bear? Well, I've been featuring my little astronaut bear in my posts for quite some time, and he's never had a real name....and a reader recently reminded me that he needs one. So, please submit a name in the comment section.

Since I don't have more that six a zillion readers, I won't be using a random computer generated winner picker. No, it will be a random grandchild's grubby little hand picking the winner out of a hat.

So, rack your brain, and shuffle your feet....then come up with a perfect name for my little bear.

Please! Just one entry per person!

Contest ends Friday, October 31st at noon PDT.

That's right, get your entry in before you go trick or treating. I will announce the winner at 6 PM on Friday....unless I can't find a grandchild with grubby hands.

*********************

WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE

Game 1: at Rays, PHILLIES TAKE IT 3 -2

Game 2: at Rays, RAYS TAKE IT 4-2

Game 3: at Phillies, PHILLIES TAKE IT 5-4p

Game 4: at PHILLIES TAKE IT 10-2

Game 5: at Phillies (if nec.), Mon., Oct. 27, 8 p.m. ET
Game 6: at Rays (if nec.), Wed., Oct. 29, 8 p.m. ET
Game 7: at Rays (if nec.), Thurs., Oct. 30, 8 p.m. ET

YOU'VE GOT MAIL!
....good mail

That's what the mailman said to me yesterday, in front of a bunch of jealous residents here at The Compound.

First of all, I got something from Virginia. It's from one of my favorite East Coast bloggers... Are you ready for this? Are you sitting down?


It's a Happy Fall card from my BBF, Cooper! Can you believe he has photo cards for FAll? Can you believe he sent one to Grandma J? Thank you Cooper! I love you.

Next, I received my winning tote from The Fishn Mama's recent contest!

Check out her blog, it's one of my favorites. Thank you, The Fishn Mama!

Last but not least...I received a box. A big box.

It's my CPAP contraption that the doctor ordered after my sleep study. I used it last night, and I don't know if it worked or not because I woke up at 5:30 from my cell phone alarm going off. This happens whenever I use it to wake up, it goes off everyday there after! I didn't go to bed until 2 a.m., so this was very inconvenient. I eventually got up at 8 a.m. with welts on my cheeks from the mask straps, and the thing that goes in my nostrils stretched them out to double their size.....or that's how it felt.
I'll try it again tonight.

So...what did your mailman bring you?

* don't forget to vote in my World Series poll!!

SUNDAY IN CALIFORNIA...........

.........is much the same as Texas!

Honestly, I wanted to make today a red letter day. The sky was clear, the sun was warm and the morning coffee was excellent.

I'm Catholic, and in Texas my parish is St. Paul Chong Hasang. It was established by a small community of Korean Catholics, and now serves a much larger community with most masses in English. I love my parish.

So here in Southern California, I chose not to go to the local St. Josephs, but I went to mass at St. John Paul II, which is a unique parish that caters to the Polish community. I never knew there was a Polish Community, but the parishoners come from all over Southern California. I loved the mass, and then the festivities they have afterwards with authentic music and food. It's become somewhat of a tourist attraction with all the Polish art, crafts and culture.

Now that I was all holied up, I attended a Little League Baseball game for my grandson Ryan. Just the thing I would probably be doing in Texas. He pitched, caught and played second base and had three grandmas and a great-grandma cheering him on! What fun!

Late afternoon we headed a few miles in the opposite direction for a Harvest Festival at another church. We had some good rockin' gospel music.....not unlike churches in Texas would have, and then we went inside the hall for some bingo!

Yep, of course it was another Catholic church, because didn't they invent bingo?
I won two games in a row, each paying $30. We headed over to the beer garden for some more music, then headed home.

And pictures? I took plenty...but my memory card was in the slot on my laptop and not in my camera. I don't have my cable to download them.

So Sistas? When are you going to start circulating that Blogging for Dummies Book?

I may go to a mattinee tomorrow....maybe....a big maybe

TAG, YOUR IT!
words that every blogger loves to hear
...in their dreams.

I was tagged by Kimberly over at Pumpkin Delight to do a meme. I am supposed to tell you about six quirks that I have. It will be difficult to find six things I am quirkish about...but I will wrack my brain.

1. I don't like cream cheese or sour cream. I won't eat anything that has cream cheese as an ingredient even if you can't see or taste it. If someone makes a cake that has cream cheese or sour cream in it, I won't eat it. I know I can't taste it...it doesn't matter. Now, when I'm eating something I really like, I hum. I do.

2. I have to have real butter. I can tell even in cooking if there's margarine in something. My mother Rita, used to put margarine in a butter wrapper thinking I wouldn't notice. It drove me crazy. I'd rather eat something dry than taste margarine. I'm extremely insulted when a restaurant serves margarine. I was at a steak house called Black Anus and they told me they didn't have real butter because it's bad for our health...Huh?? The next time I went there with HSH and her Honey, I brought my own cube of butter. Healthy is a matter of perspective. Some people find red meat unhealthy, or desserts.

3. I love slot machines and playing blackjack. If you go to a casino with me and you don't want to play, that's fine. Don't stand over my shoulder to bring me "good luck" because it doesn't work that way. If you ask me if I'm hungry, and I say no, please, go eat without me. Thank you very much.

4. I Can't stand clutter. I like everything in it's place. People at work used to make fun of me because the only papers on my desk were in one folder for one project. I used to wipe my desk and work area with rubbing alcohol at the end of each day. don't ask me why.

5. I sing when I drive, with the music loud, especially on the open road. I was enjoying my singing once on my way to San Diego, and a CHP on a motorcycle had to come up and cut me off to get my attention. I didn't hear his siren. I cuss at bad drivers (with the windows up).

6. I let my grandchildren eat whatever they want, whenever that want, where ever they want. We don't ever tell the parent units what we do.....ever!

7. I sleep with the TV on. I never turn it off. I also make my bed as soon as I get up, before I do anything. I like white sheets only, 400+ thread count, no flannel, no satin.

Ok, I did seven because there are several more and it was hard to pick just six. But as long as I'm on a roll, I have to say, I hate salad dressing....all salad dressing. I love salad, and don't assume that I want lots of lemons to compensate.

Now I'm supposed to tag six people. I was going to break the rules because Pumpkin took all my friends. Well, except for Hollywood and Nick. They don't have blogs. Of course there's Bossy and P-Dub, but they don't do meme, mimi, mama's. If you would like to do this quirky thing then please do! Let me know cuz I'd love to read them.

If you decide to do this meme, here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Mention the rules on your blog. (Here they are.)

3. Tell about six unspectacular quirks of yours.

4. Tag six fellow bloggers by linking them.

5. Leave a comment on each of the six blogger’s blogs letting them know they have been tagged.

ARTE Y PICO AWARD
for me?

I was just awarded my first ever Blog Award...the Arte Y Pico Award. Katrine at Squibs and Crackers bestowed this blog award on me. I don't know what Arte Y Pico means, but I must deserve it, right? Thank you, Katrine!

I have nominated these five bloggers:

1. Kim from Heart Shaped Hedges because she encouraged me to blog, I love the way she blogs with substance and humor, and oh yeah, she's my daughter.

2. Cortney from The Cortney Chronicles because she actually commented on other blogs, tell me to start blogging.

3. Marey from Elemento-P. I knew Marey before I started my blog and she also encouraged me. She is by far the world's best kindergarten teacher ever!

4.Chesapeake Bay Woman from Life in Mathews. This woman is as funny as they get, yet she blogs about the beauty and serenity of a place far away from the stress most of us live with.

5. Rebeckah from Life With Kaishon. Because she named me one of her favorite blogs writes with humor and an upbeat sense of how to live life as a mom.

Congratulations my nominees! Here are your rules:
1. Pick five (5) blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
2. Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
4. Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of “Arte y Pico” blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award Art y Pico

FOOLERY'S THURSDAY CHALLENGE
That was supposed to be on Wednesday

One of my favorite bloggers is Laurie at foolery. Her blog is one of the first ones I read every morning, and today she had a challenge. The challenge is to give an award to three newer bloggers. The fun part is, you just make up any award you want...silly, serious or down right mean just plan interesting, and bestow it on some unsuspecting soul.

I'm taking your challenge, Laurie.

My first award should go to one of two bloggers, and since Laurie can't participate, I present the coveted BEST MORNING READ AWARD to the two sistah's at Holy Crappers. Relocated from Philly to the Florida Panhandle, these sistah's talk about their garden, beer, offspring, beer, boyfriends, and guess what? Beer! Keep it coming!! My next award is my HOT BLOGGER AWARD, presented to Madame x at Letter W. Madame x is chili pepper hot in more ways than one. Her humor is cutting edge, and if anyone can make me laugh she can. She also has no problema, calling out any TV news anchors with potty mouths.
My final award is the prestigious FAMILY SANITY AWARD, to Kim at heart shaped hedges. OK, you busted me, Kim is my daughter...but seriously, she knows more parenting blogs than I do. She blogs about issues that other mom's care about like poop, laundry, kids groups, breastfeeding and childhood cancer. I know she will be a better judge of just who this award should go to next.

So blog award winners? Go forth and share the love. And blogger friends? Go take foolery's challenge. Knock on another blogger's door and say Boo! "I like your blog".