The Jelly Bean Forest Children's Book

This great little book, story, has a coloring book inside of The Jelly Bean Forest as well as The Jelly Bean Jerk Dance song. Made just short enough for little ones to remember. The story is surprising, happy, a tiny bit sad but surprising, and so colorful. Also the art work was done by a fifteen year old boy in Norway, my very young cousin Tom Kastet.  I promise you, children will love this. It can be purchased from Etsy/Doozybags is the name to see. 

doozybags.etsy.com

Three piece Green Baby Set

doozybags.etsy.com

    Hi Everyone, I have a nice choice of items on Etsy and making more each day. Hard to keep up with requests, well not really, just wishing it was. Hard to sit for a long time but I love what I make, enjoy knowing my work will last, is made in Pennsylvania, USA ! Here's hoing you decide to purchase from me. I will send things out in 1-3 business days which include Saturdays as teh  Post Office is open here until eleven. Thank you, Doozy

I have animal prints, polka dots, kids themes, fun themes, princess theme, star wars, bat man and hulk, Cars, motorcycles and more, just can't remember them all. I  buy when I have extra because I love materials. Now if I could just know how to sell, but all things turn out good enough in teh end. A last note. I made all my items triple stirched.

See, something for Everyone :)

The Salty Dog 2015

This says it all !

        It won't be long before it's 2015 and I plan to be in Brooklyn the last day of this year and the first day of the New Year, celebrating my last supper of this year having the best burger at my favorite place. Coming back to Brooklyn means home and any time I can visit the Salty Dog only makes it more meaningful. It isn't just a bar or just a restaurant but it's the people,
        From the moment I take a first step over and into The Salty Dog, I always first notice the wooden floors and then me eyes sweep the room taking it all in, the firetruck, blazing a deep red, the brick walls and the bar. The bar at times looks lonely, waiting. It sits and waits for elbows, smiles, pats on the backs of friends, hugs, kisses on cheeks and orders of big beer mugs.  Here it comes, a frosty one and a big man grabbing the cold handle after a long day and taking that first swallow and just as he does a buddy walks in, pulling his thick blue jacket off, nodding his head and another beer is set up. The voices. Two men who share a same kind of job, now relaxed at home with who they know. Home as in the neighborhood place to be.
        As I continue to walk to the back, I notice a few servers on each side waiting to see where I want to sit, not where they want me to sit. That's a nice feeling. No one is pushing me to sit in a section. Ah, I am comfortable. Adjusting my eyes to the dimly lit area I see some familiar faces, smiling and welcoming. They know me, as a visitor who comes up every few months or sometimes longer. It  doesn't matter. I'm just as good as any regular. They know what I order but ask anyway to make sure I didn't want anything different.
       Then they look to the other side. My guest, usually a kid, but once in a while a friend I grew up with and no matter who or what, we are treated as friends, as long time neighborhood friends.
      I'm a listener and a watcher and I see how people are treated at The Salty Dog, how they are spoken to, smiled at. Warm hearts. It's almost like saying, Who loves ya baby?  At times I forget why I'm there as I get lost in looking around. The photos on the walls, a fireman, history, buildings and a fireplace with a dalmation.
That dog who never moves but reserves in silence a place, a place for newcomers, almost makes me want to walk over and pet him, but all of this means, There's No Place Like Home.
Thank you Salty Dog

Welfare, Financial Education $$$$ Receipients

       Maybe others have thought of this before but I never heard it until tonight. I have heard about a back to work program, free college, drug testing, free babysitting, free bus tickets and repeating the family welfare cycle but never anything about teaching people on welfare how to manage money.
        Many, many of us could use that but who better than those who rely on public assistance to receive training on financial education ? My son's wife came up with this. Great going Kelly ! A young working woman now with two boys and a stay at home hubby, also part-time photographer, does very well with financial management considering all unexpected things life gives and takes to and with us all :

• she uses what she has for sometimes more than one purpose, recycles
• consignment shops
• buys gently used
• exchanges and welcomes new ideas
• sews - a very good help
• has a circle of supportive friends
• a great husband-and I know many are single, so use a man in your home church, home town, a friends husband, for small repairs
• join a church
• stay in the community where you can give, share and receive help
• start or be part of community gardening
• pray

These are just a few things that come to mind in addition to a better suggestion from Kelly that those on Welfare should receive financial training so the next time you shop, before that you will have made a meal plan, one that is nutritious, then a list from that plan and your money will be well spent. The next time you plan on shopping for kids clothes, check out friends to exchange with, Church stores offer free kids clothes, as well as the Salvation Army and craigslist.

Iron Cross Bike Race Pennsylvania

       Have you ever attended a bike race, much less been an active participant in any way at all? I haven't. I've listened to my son talk about them, watched him at his bike shop, well the one he buys his bikes from, thebikeway.com, in Omaha Nebraska and heard both he and his wife talk about the bike community. (They even bought a little bike for his one year old son's birthday last year. At eighteen months he now walk/rides it. That too was bought at thebikeway.com and little Declan gets on, tries to put his helmet on and knows dad has to fasten it and off he goes, part of an early entry into a world he will always be part of.)
        Yesterday, my understanding of the bike community changed as I saw and heard it all, from a different perspective. Now I have a new respect for all of the men and women who do this, live and aspire to enjoy a better way of life.
       It started with the family getting up early enough to watch my son Mike pack his bike gear, along with his Puglsey, a heavy bike with fat tires onto the back of his vehicle. He checked his tires, had extra co/2's in case of a flat if not for himself for anyone who might need it. In his package prep bag he had energy bars, a three different bottles, one water, one for extra electrolytes, and I just can't remember the third bottle, along with extra clothes, heavier socks and a rain jacket which appeared to be a very slim piece of shelter.
         Out the door we went stopping for coffee, a breakfast sandwich, gas, and off we rode into the hour long ride to a place I haven't been to in years,Micheaux state Park also combined with Pine Grove Furnace ( a park) and Caledonia State park .  These three parks touch one into another so you can't tell which way is in or out, as I found out later in the afternoon.
          Finally I arrived. What I was met with was a large parking lot with all kinds of men as far as sizes and ages and their bikes. There were also women too, happily for me to see. I watched just about every guy do the same as my son Mike was doing. Checking and rechecking, warming up, signing in, checking bags for wives to take to the sign-in post. These plastic bags were filled with water bottles, energy bottles and snacks that would be waiting at certain check points. There would be four altogether and my sons' wife, their baby son and myself would stop there to see the riders fly by. The bags were brought to the check points earlier by drivers to make sure to meet the riders.
        As Kelly, MIkes wife Declan and I hopped into the van, we stopped at the roadside check points and saw the riders as they rode past, hopped up a rocky incline, one with a tree so near I am surprised that no one smacked into that tree. They were coming down the gravely road and about to make an unseen hard left into the woody trail. This left turn was barley visible, only noticed by a small yellow arrow. Thank goodness someone stood out front, well a few someones yelling, hard left,and pointing with hands and arms. As we stood a few zipped past the arrow.
         As that hard left was right before me I noticed a big hole, then a tree stump sticking out, so if a rider didn't see that immediately, he or she would have hit hard and flew backwards. Some did see it and jumped, but most only saw it at the last moment and had to come only a few inches from the tree to get onto the wooded path filled with more limbs and rocks. Seeing this, I wondered about my son and did he have more protection because of his Heavy Pugsley? I hoped and prayed so.
         Back in the van and on, we were told about Larry's tavern, that people could stop and get a beer. I want to pee. This was the first of what I was to learn was part of how this bikers community, communicated. The tavern, was just a car with a cooler of beer, high up surrounded by trees and waiting for bikers to pass. During that break I noticed men and women walking off in different directions to use the outdoor restrooms. Me? No way. I was afraid if I was to squat with my bad knees, I would fall over backwards, not able to get up and, well you can imagine help with that. I waited until the end.
      After the final stop my daughter-in-law got out, baby in his pack, all snugly and warm who had been fed the natural way, was happiest of all. Arriving at the last stop, the van driver wasn't sure if restrooms were close by and drove me down to where they were. Hiking back up to the top where food was, I tasted what I haven't have before in a burrito, black beans, rice, shredded chicken and
some kind of sauce. It was delicious. We sat outside and the baby ate from Kelly's burrito enjoying it as naturally as if he ate it every day. That's the natural baby. Finishing off with Moms milk, he slept.
    All around us stood the Bike atmosphere, all for one and one for all. What a camaraderie? Everyone had something in common. It was too long before I saw Mike riding in on his Pugsley, happy, satisfied and hungry, I felt like he came in first place. It was more than happiness for me to watch him ride it, it was pride and maybe a bit of envy. His wife ran to meet him, as I inched my way down the side of a hill and watched and listened to him talk to the greeter and a few guys who were giving him congrats,  a good job and more. He was happy, his wife was proud and the baby asleep. They talked about his Pugsley, how he rode, his fat tires and the challenge. It was about the challenge, not all of it, but also about the family. A biking family of men and women who look out for each other, cheer each other on and enjoy a way of life many just don't get, but I do, now I do. I am proud of you Michael, so very proud.
   

The Salty Dog And Those Great Servers

       Yesterday morning, Saturday the nineteenth, I decided to take a foster son on a day trip to New York, Specifically Brooklyn where I grew up. I love Brooklyn and miss it. Nothing takes the place of the people and the food, except the memories.
       With those memories come the smells, pictures in my mind of places and food and servers with smiles. No mater what kind of day they might be having, no matter what's going on in their lives, they smile to make our day better. I was having an up and down day, and wanted so much to have lunch at The Salty Dog, but they were overcrowded. I felt as if I was giving the boy I had as good a time as possible, but he asked and wanted more and more than I could do on this day, leaving me feel frustrated. I had to knock thoughts out of my head of what I wanted to say to say, and remember what life was life for him and so we ate across the street at the Lighthouse for lunch, a small cafe with very nice people. They made a great burger and I added an egg cream. Ahhh...memories!

        After Lunch the boy asked about eating at The Salty Dog and I said, we'll have supper there, and while it was still day time, I took a few photos of him by and near the old firehouse. On we went to the City, FAO Schwartz and of course parking issues, but if you know New York, you know about parking and I know New York. He wanted things to buy. Anything about Harry Potter, but he just couldn't understand the cost of the trip. I gave him a few extra bucks, bought small things, and all I could think was, he's a kid and it's natural to want, when you come from where he came from.
        On to Little Italy, and I asked him about being hungry as it was getting late and I wanted to leave New York by seven. He said he wasn't hungry and I was happy because again, I wanted to go to the Salty Dog. Suddenly a guy on one of the Italian restaurant steps,  good looking and young grabs my guys attention. In his accent he tells him , don't you want to be out front and flirt with all the pretty girls? Fast talking he repeated it until the kid starts to smile, looks at me and says, well, can we? I tell him, we'll talk on the corner. There I explain how things work. It's all business and on we drove to Brooklyn. Yea!
        Round and round I went to find a parking space just up the street from The Salty Dog. As I got closer I hope Larry was working. Larry was a waiter who was there every time my daughter, her friends and my friends stopped in. He could be my son-almost. Good looking, muscular and charming he was for sure. Now that aside, a person quickly forgets as he treats you and your guests as he did mine to an experience. An experience you rarely get at many restaurants. I am not demeaning other servers. What I am saying to be more specific is Larry is a down to earth person who makes someone feel as if they count, not just a tip.
          I have known servers who pay more attention at the end of the meal. That's too late. No matter how busy The Salty Dog is Larry works hard and I feel gives as much attention to patrons as any one server can do. He's like an old friend, like someone you've known for twenty years. He smiles at the guests, checks back just enough to make sure  a person doesn't feel forgotten, doesn't feel as if they no longer count, but definitely doesn't overdo it. Larry is a just right kind of waiter/server.
            We arrived close to seven so I knew we would be getting home later than I wanted to. We were seated by a young lady name Kelly, very pretty with a classy  and friendly way about her. In the distance I saw who I thought was Larry. It's been too long since I've been gone. He changed, but so had I. I asked Kelly as she sat our beverages down, much needed coffee and root beer in a Salty Dog bottle, if that was Larry. With a big beautiful smile, she said, yes that's Larry, why does he look different? Kelly remarked how they good natured tease about how people change. If she saw me three to four years ago, she would have thought I was my daughter, that's how much I've changed.
           Kelly gave us more time to check the menus and suddenly Larry walked over, and took our order. I was confused. Talking more a short time later, Kelly said, we look out for each other and then she and I shared college stories about myself and her mom. Just everyday people. It was nice to see the love when she talked about her mom.  My guy wanted to put half of his order in a box to go, said he was full. I felt just right yet I ordered a slice of cheesecake. Oh wait, my order; I ordered a bacon cheeseburger as I always do. It came with mouth watering fries, a big bun, tomato, a pickle and a smile from Larry-I think. By now after the total experience, I'm not too sure who did what as another guy brought desert.
        I have to back-up.  I ate my burger off the bun so I didn't get full, but fresh coffee and cheesecake, I was in heaven. But that burger!  Not only was I so happy to be in Brooklyn but at The Salty Dog, the place that makes the best burgers anywhere! As I was leaving Larry stood by the bar and I patted his shoulder, almost feeling like I shouldn't be, but wanted to say good-bye. He made this visit so special and then to meet Kelly doubled my very happy time. She was  as friendly, but in a different way and made me feel like I just met a friend, although I could be her gram, well maybe.
       Quickly I stepped away from where Larry stood, stepped back by a wall and caught him as he turned around to shake my kids' hand. What a class act! He waved to me, said nice seeing you again. Hopefully I'll get up again when it's colder or get my a/c fixed, brakes and those things we all need to take care of.
         Oh remember I said what a class act? That goes for Kelly and everyone at the SD. I have eaten in many restaurants, (you can tell) from Sardi's to Ill Cortille, Sal Anthonys, Siba's in Pittsburgh, The brown Derby in California-nice but ...well, is it no cigars? All nice places, but I would rather eat any meal where I am made to feel at home, welcome and I can go so far as to say nurtured. I, as well as anyone I bring leave the Salty Dog knowing, what a great place, what kind people and the food..ahhh the food. Thank you Kelly, and Thank you Larry. You all treated this little guy just as important as you do the adults. Class unmeasured to you.
 No brag, just fact!

Kelly "clean-Up" lady:)

     Some time ago, about five or six weeks now, I said good-bye to a very nice person, and could consider her a friend of sorts except she was a boss and that means boundaries. Yet with all that she seemed like someone I've known for a lifetime. Kelly wasn't at this place of work as long as it would have been nice to have her for, but she make a whopping difference. I think because of how she cleaned-up, cleaned house, exterminated that others are now following in her footsteps. Isn't that kool to have others follow what you started and she not only made a difference, but an improved difference.
    This lady didn't worry about the little things or at least I didn't know about it and no reason I should or would, but when she did make changes, it made those left behind to think they were doing a right kind of a job. Kelly, while soft spoke, spoke with firmness, kindness and an attitude of saying what she meant. We knew she meant business and she was I believe the first person to have the courage to do what was needed for many years. Thank You Kelly. I'm proud to have known you. Be happy, stay healthy and enjoy that car.