Yesterday being Thursday, of course, I made my weekly visit to the town's Market House - my favorite thing to do on Thursdays (BTW... Market will be open on Saturdays starting next week - woo-hoo!) after having very meaningful conversations (not) I came home to change my clothes and start wash - one of the glories of working from home - I guess someone would say - that someone isn't me. Anyway, I came home changed into the wonderful sweats and start sorting wash. (I love that I can throw my baskets over the balcony and not have to carry them down the steps. ) Anthony came home shortly after. He says "hey, what's that smell?" "what smell?" "I smell something metallic" When The Chemists speaks I listen. I come out the laundry room and I smell it too. I have a bionic nose, BTW. The search began. I touched every electrical outlet, cord, appliance - anything that had to do with electricity because it smelled electrical. We searched for 40 minutes to no avail. I called my nephew the firefighter and he treks over. He says "Aunt Daysi (that's how they all pronounce it) I think you should call it in." Just then Tony calls from Hsbg. He's asks all of the no brainer questions and just frustrated me more. OF COURSE I CHECKED THE SPACE HEATER IN THE OFFICE!! So Lewie calls it in. The three ring circus began. The police show up first and say "ma'am, get a coat on and step outside ... you may want to take your dog with you" so Pebby, Anth and me go out. A truckload of firemen show up - none say "HI" - what's the deal? - they begin up the steps. There's one particular fireman that catches my eye.... he's carrying a very large poker. "Uhhhh, I hope you guys ask before you use that thing!" I shout. Lewie goes in after them. After about 15 minutes the firemen all start pouring out. The Fire Chief says "I'm sorry, we didn't find anything. If you feel you need us, don't hesitate to call us again.... by the way, you sure have a nice house there" ...... thaaannnkkks. I come in and turn to the boys... I still smell something. The boys tell me the firemen used meters and such and I just had a nervous nose. K - got it.Hours later, Tony comes home and says the place is freezing - I've been running around setting up for an event this week, working in the office, doing the wonderful wash, cooking, washing last night's pots (gasp) and cleaning so I was not cold. He turns up the heat and heads upstairs. He yells down "why didn't the heat kick on?" - I KNEW IT!! It's got to be the HVAC system!! I want to scream out the window "I KNEW IT!!" but fought the urge. Tony asks the frustrating questions again "did you guys check in the utility room b/f calling the firemen?" - Anth and me just look at each other and yell "YES!" together. So out come the space heaters - these tiny little things that are supposed to warm up over 2200 SF. *sigh* He'll have to call the repairmen in the morning.
How much is that going to cost???? In the meantime, fire up that dang stove!
Just last week we had to remove the spouts from the outside because they were totally frozen solid. Here's some of the storm aftermath ... I 
knew the pictures would come in handy. That's going to cost a pretty penny to have replaced. UGH.... 
What a great party we had!
I finally can get around to talk about the party. What a great one it was. Considering that the party was nearly cancelled, I was very happy to have it. Our host of honor is, indeed, loved. The place was packed. The jazz trio was AWESOME - as always. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of them! As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I don't have one picture of them. Hmm, have to do something about that one. Back to the party; I asked the wife early on if we needed a gift table - she didn't think so - well, we did. It was great. I think that one of the reasons people really poured out to support him was because the party was almost cancelled. I'm really glad you chose to stay with us, guy! The food was great and the waitstaff was fabulous - they never let me down. The Cosmo luge was a hit - I had a Cosmo at 11:30 at night - of course, after the party - no one wanted to see me sliding around the room - very good. I have to put cosmopolitans on the top of my mixed drink list - along with the other two that are on there. That's about all I can handle.
By the way... I never got around to talking about the Sweetheart Banquet. Well I really have to give kudos to that one... it was fantastic. With cancelling and not cancelling the Cosmo party I never had a chance to check in here. Well, the food was probably the best catered I've ever had. Terry Sears made his fabulous fudge - which he then cut into hearts - a very big hit. Everyone had an awesome time - which I'm ecstatic about. I didn't get any pictures of the room after it was all set up but Whit did. This picture was taken in the middle of everything. Of course, I don't have the pics yet but when you check back (with the new web site under construction) I'll have them under "Sweetheart Banquet". Well, everyone asked if they can make reservations for next year. Sure guys but what about that soup party I'm having? All you soup people come join us with your best ever soup. Say good bye to the cabin fever for one night, bring your soup (enough for 6 people) and join us for an awesome
time. I can have soup anytime of the year but my soup parties are always a great time in the dead of winter while spring is just starting to bud and bring us beauty. Contact me if you're interested in attending - we'd love to have you. My favorite soup is cheddar - broccoli!
Cosmos anyone?
Here's what's left from the Cosmo party. I had to take a picture of it since I was soooo stressed about the cosmo luge melting. It's 2 days later and the thing is holding up!! When my new site gets released (how 'bout it Shoff?) I'll put the pictures into a showcase for you to see. Until then, I'm too proud not to show you what the space looked like.
Before:
After:
Look what I found!
My lovely told me that she's featured on the Salimbeni Studio website. Awww... she's soo cute - if I say so myself. http://www.salimbenistudios.com/seniors_gallery1.html
My Funny Valentine
Valentine is my favorite
The cutest thing
Yesterday I cut out a picture, of my 10 y.o. neighbor boy, that was in the paper. He made it into the spelling bee. I added a note that told him I was proud of him. I put the article in his mail box. At about 8 pm while I'm setting up for the Sweetheart Banquet my door bell rings. It's him. God love him. He's real shy looking and he says: "thank you for the note that you wrote me." "Oh, you're welcome", I say. "that was very nice of you", he says. "you're welcome"... then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a Valentine. "I have a Valentine for you" and he hands me a Sponge Bob Valentine. OMG... he lowered his eyes and got all shy.... how darn cute. "Thaaaannnk you" I say and he gets embarrassed and says "I have new sneakers" and shows me his new sneakers. The innocence.... I tell my hubby who says "it must have been your new haircut". Great, at my age I can't woo a little boy on my own - by the way, my hair is really very short for the wintertime. I feel like a fat little boy.
What did that Mayor say?
Among other things that Perfect Settings is the nicest place to book in Columbia. - well he really didn't say that but we are! Mayor Lutz is such a good guy. He really knows what's best for the community and isn't afraid of making enemies to prove it.
I was given some time to speak and I got tunnel vision. (Give me a reception of 200 or more and I'm fine - a group of 40 and I feel like they're looking at my every zit.) I hammered the most important things like wedding coordinators aren't for the wealthy anymore, we give you options of being different, we provide a reasonable budget that everyone agrees on, we suggest items to change to save you money and of course booking at my site and hiring me will automatically save you money on the booking.
7/7/07
How cool is that? One of my dearly beloved was born on 8/8/88 so I'm thinking that 7/7/07 is almost as cool.Anyhooooo, I was contacted by AFWPI regarding availability on the venue and am most happy to post the link. http://afwpi.com/777/pennsylvania.html I have a ton of cool ideas for a wedding like this!
Ledger
This was in this week's Ledger. Tune in to see what the Mayor did say. It was a great breakfast and Mayor Lutz did a fantastic job of telling and informing everyone of the accomplishments and upcoming changes to the Borough. He was very energetic and contagious - not his cold, his attitude. He made most of us walk away from the breakfast feeling refreshed and encouraged that our attempts are going to be very fruitful.
Full moon
I debated about writing this one.... but there's certain things that you'd rather write about than talk about.I went to Dr. Hassel's viewing last night and woke up thinking of Jennifer Hassel. I went there to comfort her because I knew how much Mark loved Jennifer and how much Jennifer loved him.... and she ended up comforting me. I'm in the wedding industry. I love the feeling of love. I love that people look into each other's eyes and fall in love. I love that one look at a bride from her groom and she melts. I love dating and the anticipation that you'll spend the rest of your life with the one you love. ... all these things that I love, Jennifer and Dr. Hassel loved too. I knew I was in for tears and hurt. There was a montage of Dr. Hassel's life that easily brought me to tears. After speaking with Jennifer and looking into the faces of their children I had to sit and compose myself before leaving the sanctuary, knowing that the foyer was full of people waiting to come in. People that Dr. Hassel's life changed in one way or another. After leaving Dr. Hassel's viewing last night. I looked up and saw there was a full moon. - something he would have loved. It brought this deep howling sob from me and I sat in the car for more than 1/2 hour sobbing my eyes out because of the unfairness of it all. - that I won't go into. Let's just say Dr. Hassel was 47 .... nuff said. Once the tears started I couldn't contain them or control them. I sobbed for the whole ride home and often wondered what people thought of me when they either passed me or turned towards me and stared .... I just couldn't help it. The bottom line..... I still have my husband today because God has blessed me beyond measure. Jennifer's family is less one member today, tomorrow and forever.... and it's not because God hasn't chosen to bless them. This is what disturbs me most.
10 Ways
I just spent an hour on LancasterOnline.com trying to find the article that was in today's morning paper about saving money on your wedding.... to no avail. The search engine is horrible. I probably could have scanned it in much faster but whatever.... get it if you want to read it. For the most part it's a good article. I did want to mention that although I agreed with almost everything.... (especially the plug about my girlfriend from highschool (Claudia) who writes the craft corner) .... in the article, I'm not really feeling the ipod wedding. We recently had one of those - against my recommendation - and I can really tell you, there was a huge void in the reception. Spend the extra money on the DJ or band. You won't regret it.... it's money well spent into the temporary investment you've come to call your wedding. Your ipod isn't going to read the crowd when everyone is yelling "play it again!". Take the time to write down your fav hits and make sure you meet with the DJ. Last and surely not least... hire a wedding coordinator - if not for the whole job just for the day of coordination! Nothing looks worse than a bride approaching the DJ or running around looking for trash bags!
Sweetheart Banquet
Perfect Settings is hosting a Sweetheart Banquet in celebration of my most favorite holiday. Please let me know ASAP if you are interested since space is limited. The cost is $30 per person.
My Dr. Hassel
He's probably everyone's Dr. Hassel today. I felt like somehow I had to mark it in history somewhere that our precious Dr. Hassel went to meet the Lord this morning. My heart is saddened for Jennifer and their children.... but softened by the fact that he is no longer suffering.
Chamber Breakfast
Come one, come all. I look forward to seeing you!
Tax Season
I'm trying really, really hard not to be short since tax season is upon me once again. ... I think I'd rather deal with Christmas again than to tackle books that haven't been balanced for 4 months. ... along with a ton of construction receipts. *in through the nose... out through the mouth* .....
Marriage License Info
I get the question - a lot - of when a bride and groom should get their marriage license. I'm not sure where this source originally came from so I can't give it proper credit but as far as I know, it's correct info. Here's the skinny: Where to apply: Office of the Clerk or Orphans Court, second floor, Lancaster County Courthouse. Hours are: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm M-F. Phone number: 717.295.3522 The marriage may take place anywhere in PA. When you apply: The couple must appear in person to complete the marriage application. Social Security numbers are required. Remarriages: Applicants who have been previously married must provide additional information concerning the dissolution of the most recent marriage. Call for complete information. Medical Exams: The state of PA no longer requires a blood test or medical exams. Who may not marry: Blood relatives down to and including first cousins may not marry according to PA law. When to apply: In PA there is a three day waiting period before the license is available. Apply at least one week before the marriage date. The license is valid for 60 days after the license has been issued. Fee: The fee in Lancaster County is $40, cash only.
Invitations
The new Simple but Elegant invitation book has arrived. I decided to carry a different line of invites. There are very nice new additions and affordable. Think about ordering invites through Perfect Settings for personalized service. They are NOT the Carlson Crafts that you can order anywhere. You can look at some of the samples here:http://www.simplebutelegant.com/invitations.cfm But I warn you... the web does not do these beautiful invites any justice. Call me should you have questions or you want to see the book - you're going to love them! A lot of the invitations have embelishments and are very tastefully done.
Happy New Year
Happy New Year, guys!I'm so happy that the Holidays are over. I was talking to a very dear friend today and she told me that I really didn't skip Christmas. She reminded me because all of my days are special, Christmas had to be special too. All of the other stuff is just foo-foo. I've gotta agree. My son announced that he never wanted to have another Christmas like this one - I guess because it wasn't extra special but I tell you what.... just living as an Ayala (my maiden name) makes it special. On Christmas day we decided to go see my mom's "companion" (God forbid you say boyfriend). He lives in one of the nursing homes. I'm no fan of nursing homes and for those of you that work in one - you have a treasure in heaven! Anyway, my mom, my sister, Whitney and me decide to trek over. When the elevator opens we were immediately smacked in the face by an awful stench. We all instinctively cover our noses with our hands. As we get off the elevator there were rows and rows of people sitting in wheelchairs. They all begin to chant "hello", "hi", "hello", "hi, there", "hello".... so of course we're all saying "hello", "hi", "hello", "hi, there", "hello". We're walking down the hall with Mom leading the pack and my sister says to my mom "my God, Mami, what the heck is that awful stink" "it's him" my mom says pointing to an innocent bystander who is coming out of a kitchen. He smiles at us and says "hello". We get to Hector's room and I say to him "I brought Mami here last week and we were told you were down at the canteen dancing and drinking" he says "who me? How can I dance with this stub of a foot" and he gets up and starts dancing salsa then merengue really fast. Never a dull minute. We stay for another minute with my mom warning Hector about his blood sugars because she smuggled a box of Whitman's chocolates into his room. We finally get down the hall and an old woman starts pedaling really fast in her wheelchair (Fred Flintstone style) towards my mom and she's yelling "hey, hey, hey, hey!!" My moms says "quick, get into the elevator" so we start running because she's running. No one knows why we're running. We get into the elevator and my mom says "that woman wanted to touch my purse last week so I let her hold it and then she started screaming at the top of her lungs that I was stealing her purse when I went to take it back"..... oh, talk about a good laugh. Well, the man in the elevator thinks we're laughing at him and he starts screaming obscenities (that I can't print here) at us. ..... we laughed the whole way home. Thankfully, all of the roads were empty on Christmas night or I would have been in more than one accident.
Blogging
I've been so bad about blogging. I often go through the day and say "I ought to blog that" and then totally forget about it. However, I spoke with a very funny bride today that gave me such a good belly laugh that I said to her "can I blog that?".... she said "I was going to work the other day and when I got there I said to them "you can't tell me they're flying all of the flags at half-mast for James Brown"... no, said someone, uh, President Ford just died" Gotta love her!! Thanks for the laugh.
I finally got a minute to go through the new Knot magazine. I noticed that my Knot vendor party was featured in this month's issue. No, there's not a picture of me but there are amazing pictures of some of the highlights. There was not a picture of the cake or the favors - that were absolutely fabulous - and for that I'm sorry.
Us
One of Tony's coworkers sent this to Tony. Probably a good picture on a very bad day.... or if you're half blind. We had red eye so I fixed that and Tony looks really weird with black eye balls. His eyes are hazel so I'm not used to that. My smile is so strained b/c she was one of those people that tell you to hold still for 5 minutes before shooting the picture. Anyway, I thought the picture was funny....