Krista Stevens at WordPress challenged bloggers to show the effects of time and the elements in a post – weathered
Okanogan WA
Berlin Germany
New York City Playground
Near Roanoke VA
Berlin Germany
Gainesville FL
Columbus OH
Millvale PA
Pittsburgh PA
Penn Avenue Pittsburgh PA
Children’s Museum Pittsburgh
Home
Lawrenceville PA
Zagreb Croatia
Near Okanogan WA
Mallott WA
Mark came to the city on business and stopped by the house to pick up his mended sweater. He brought me the one I’d left at their house at Christmas.
Steve and Mark and I drove in his rental car, down to Bryant Street, for a late supper.
He saw the sign for Teppanyaki KYOTO and although we had no reservation, there was room for us at the counter.
Our server Steven made us most welcome and offered me a taste of sake since I’d never had it.
We got to watch the Chef and owner Kevin Chen prepare our food so skillfully. Right in front of us! I’m not talking theatrics, just perfect preparation and care taken with the freshest ingredients and served immediately.
Everything was delicious. Just look at these roasted vegetables. Perfectly prepared and served fresh from the griddle.
Mark and Steve had Yaki-Soba. The second photo is Yakitori which we shared. Mark said it was authentic Japanese food and remembered his time in Okinawa and was so glad he was introduced to the restaurant.
He plans to return and bring the family and sit at one of the tables with straw mats in the upper level.I didn’t photograph every dish we ordered but tonight I’m pleased with the results from the iPhone camera. There was green tea cheesecake with a dollop of whipped cream, and four green mochi with bean paste for dessert, and another one wrapped in a special leaf which I asked if it was edible. No, just a wrapper for the sweet rounded mochi. Not the ice cream version but filled with bean paste. Mmmmmm. We shared a taste of each.
I remembered blogging about Teppanyaki KYOTO when they opened in January 2012.
It was an unexpected pleasure to dine with my son and he was happy we ate here. 
Mend.
No, it’s not the word of the week. And I haven’t done much mending lately.
It’s just that Mark asked if I could mend/repair his beloved Dude Cowichan Sweater. Both elbows were worn. I brought it home with me from Ohio.
There’s an incredible sense of satisfaction in having accomplished this task.
I got some yarn and mended the holes first, and then I ordered elbow patches and stitched them on using a blanket stitch. The tiny perforations weren’t easy to get the needle through and I wish I had my mother’s thimble. It’s in my house but I didn’t look too deeply.
Mark’s sweater looks brand new.
No, I didn’t knit it. I mended it.
Just repaired the holes in the elbows and added the patches.
Scroll down to listen to Al Green sing-
and thanks to dictionary.com
Mend- to make (something broken, worn, torn, or otherwise damaged) whole, sound, or usable by repairing: to mend old clothes; to mend a broken toy. 2. to remove or correct defects or errors in.
My sister gave me this vintage apron years ago.
It’s a conversation piece. I don’t know who made it.
Most of my aprons hang inside the pantry door and aren’t vintage. That will be another post.
This half apron is fun to wear when hostessing,
Just lift up the skirt of the dress for the unexpected.
A bit of lace and an embroidered flower. The fabric of the midriff is worn and there is a hole right where the navel would be. Maybe it is one of a kind?
And of course it it all trimmed with good old rick- rack.
OoooooLaLa
Guest Blogger Kim Teeple (my daughter’s sister-in-law) got a new DSLR camera.
She posted this photograph on her Facebook page and her brother James (my son-in-law) thought it would be a perfect guest blog. I agree.
“Our 9 year old Husky mix, Samson, loves the snow. I captured him with my new Canon Rebel T6 at a rare moment when he decided to stay in one spot. It was a cold snowy day in early January, 2018 at our home in Mansfield, Ohio. For 2018, my husband, Jeff, and I resolved to learn photography for our future of traveling North America in our KZ Venom Fifth Wheel. . Follow along on our travels at TeeplesTravel.com to watch our budding skills improve.”
Image Info:
Canon EOS Rebel T6
300 mm – 1/500 – F-1.0 – ISO 2000
Kim S Teeple
BIO: App developer for Vitro – La Compañia del Vidrio. Loves camping, rockets, and the planet Mars. Is learning to take beautiful photographs for her travel blog.
Note from Ruth: If you’ve ever tried to photograph a dog with black fur you will appreciate how good this photo is.
GROWTH– the Weekly Photo Challenge
And the grandchildren have grown even more since these photos were taken.
Except maybe Jack holding his Christmas present from his Grandma Marlene. She takes the year of photos and creates a hardcover book for each grandchild. She makes one for the family, too, which is really nice to have the hard copies instead of a picture on a computer or phone. A good way to document growth from year to year.
Some of you’ve seen the little sock monkey I keep on my camera lens. He stretches around the cylinder, a gutted Beanie Baby. I’ve got a sweet spot for them.
Eleven years ago I made this Sock Monkey Book for granddaughter Anna(14 now). I found it on a shelf while re-shelving some children’s books at Mark and Erika’s. Finding some books to pass on to the younger grandchildren. Not sure if these blank Little Golden Books are still available but it was fun to make.
I’ve sewn a lot of sock monkeys over the years. This book tells the story of transforming a pair of Rockford Socks into a lovable toy.
The finished sock monkey joins the other toys.
A few alterations to the original recipe but Wednesday night Laura guided Charlie and Maura in the holiday tradition of making Chex Mix. One site says “it’s been a party staple for 50 years”. I can tell you the original recipe was not on the boxes we had this year. Boo.
Baked at 250 F for an hour stirring every 15 minutes. What could be bad about it with all that melted butter and savory salt? Hmmmm
After the Mix making the two cousins played in Charlie’s new train tent. Crawling between the red and blue and back again. Then the added collapsible tunnel component.
A fun night.
Charlie said ” I love this game”
My house is quiet this morning and it’s zero degrees with a windchill of plenty below.
I got back to Pittsburgh yesterday evening. I miss them all now, having spent two weeks with my families in Ohio.
This morning in my kitchen I see my 33 year old self looking at me making toast and wonder where the time flew – I took a cake decorating class in Germany with my friend J when Laura was small.
There’s the reliable top of the line toaster from my dear friend V.
Best 50th birthday present, still working wonderfully fifteen years later.
There’s the new ceramic pour over I received from James and Laura this Christmas. The family photo mug Marlene created for me last Christmas waiting for hot coffee to drip in it. The new spices and tiny lidded butter dish from J in Florida. Oh and the new spices on the rack from her,too. There are Christmas cards to read, bills to pay, Laundry, ordinary life stuff.
At my daughter’s home it’s “pour over” and mugs of places traveled. Every morning my DIL would make a fresh carafe of coffee. Both types delicious. How lovely it is to have someone serve you coffee. I made a pot in their fancy machine but I know they like it a certain way.
Five grandchildren in two homes guarantee fun, laughter and lots of activity. I like playing. Here at home, I’m thinking about finishing knitting projects, checking out a book at the library, hoping the pipes don’t freeze, going to a doctor’s appointment, meeting friends for lunch next week and continuing my efforts to reduce the accumulations in the house with multiple thrift shop trips with donations. I found I had difficulty doing this ongoing task so hired an expert to assist me, spur me on. Need to clear out my third floor.
It’s good to be home in my kitchen.
I’ll catch up on the blog and reply to comments, think about what’s next.
Schedule a battery replacement for my iPhone, (link to a Washington Post Article Below Run Don’t Walk To Replace Iphone Battery for $29). I won’t be running to the nearby Apple store as there is no availability support said to try tomorrow to schedule.
Anyone still collect matchbooks? Do restaurants still have them in a large glass snifter for the taking? I know people who’ve collected colorful and interesting ones from fancy or fun establishments-but years ago.
Brides and Grooms names on matchbook covers were once a popular wedding favor.
I saw this matchbook at my son and DIL’s home, and wasn’t sure how long they’ve had it. I keep the same brand of kitchen matches in a drawer- like box.
