Brigita's Blog: February 2008

Every summer, a Washington post columnist writes a column on interesting T-shirts seen at an Ocean City, MD beach.  Here are some of them:

I child-proofed my house, but they still get in.

On the front - 60 is not old.
On the back - For a tree.

I'm still hot.  It just comes in flashes.

At my age, "getting lucky" means finding my car in the parking lot.

My reality check just bounced.

Life is short, make fun of it.

I'm not 50.  It's $49.95 plus tax.

Annapolis - A drinking town with a sailing problem.

Physically pfffffffffft!

Buckle up!  It makes it harder for the aliens to snatch you from your car!

I'm not a snob.  I'm just better than you are.

It's my cat's world.  I'm just here to open cans.

Earth is the insane asylum of the universe.

Keep staring . . . . I may do a trick.

We got rid of the kids.  The cat was allergic.

Dangerously under-medicated.

My mind works like lightning.  One brilliant flash, and it's gone.

Every time I hear the word "exercise", I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

Cats regard people as warm blooded furniture.

Live, love, laugh and be happy.  Hope you enjoyed these.

Here are some great quotes by great ladies, some of whom you will recognize:

Inside every older person is a younger person - wondering what the hell happened!
Cara Harvey Armstrong

The hardest years in life are those between 10 and 70.
Helen Hayes (at 73)

I refuse to think of them as chin hairs.  I think of them as stray eyebrows.
Janette Barber

Things are going to get a lot worse before they get worse.
Lily Tomlin

A male gynecologist is like an auto mechanic who never owned a car.
Carrie Snow

Laugh and the world laughs with you.  Cry and you cry with your girlfriends.
Laurie Kuslansky

My second favorite household chore is ironing.  My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint.
Erma Bombeck

Old age ain't no place for sissies.
Bette Davis

A man's got to do what a man's got to do.  A woman must do what he can't.
Rhonda Hansome

The phrase "working mother" is redundant.
Jane Sellman

Every time I close the door on reality, it comes in through the windows.
Jennifer Unlimited

Whatever women must do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good.  Luckily, this is not difficult.
Charlotte Whitton

Thirty-five is when you finally get your head together and your body starts falling apart.
Caryn Leschen

I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.
Jennifer Unlimited

If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.
Catherine

When I was young, I was put in a school for retarded kids for 2 years before they realized I actually had a hearing loss.  And they called ME slow!
Kathy Buckley

I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb . . . and I'm also not blonde.
Dolly Parton

If high heels were so wonderful, men would still be wearing them.
Sue Grafton

I'm not going to vacuum 'til Sears makes one you can ride on.
Roseanne Barr

When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping.  Men invade another country.
Elayne Boosler

Behind every successful man is a surprised woman.
Maryon Pearson

In politics, it you want anything said, ask a man.  If you want anything done, ask a woman.
Margaret Thatcher

I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine marriage and a career.
Gloria Steinem

I am a marvelous housekeeper.  Every time I leave a man I keep his house.
Zsa Zsa Gabor

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.
Eleanor Roosevelt

I think you'll get a kick out of this one:

The Phaomnneil Pweor of the Hmuan Mnid

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and last ltteer be at the rghit pclae.  The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm.  Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Ptrety amzanig, huh??

You have just bought your new horse and brought him home.  But, how do you go about getting to know your horse better? 

The answer is simple.  Spend time with him.  It is just like getting to know a person.  The more time you spend with him, the more you learn about him.   That's easy, but what do you do to get to know him?  Horses don't talk.  Quite the contrary.  They have their own language, which you need to learn.  The main thing is to watch and listen.

There are several things you can do to get acquainted with your horse.  Start off by grooming him.  Horses love to be groomed.  As you groom your horse, you will find out where his ticklish spots are, which are his itchy spots, etc.  Sometimes you will also find out some of their quirks.  A couple of quirks, for example, may be that he doesn't like to be touched around the ears, or, he doesn't care to be touched around the flank.  Does your horse tend to be nervous, or does he fall asleep while grooming?  These are all little things you find out while grooming a horse.                                                                                                     

Another thing you can do is to hand graze your horse.  This is a relaxing time for both of you where you can enjoy each other's company. 

If you want to learn about his normal behavior, turn him out, then sit back and watch.  See how he socializes with the other horses.  Watch what things he likes to do.  Is he playful, or is his main interest just food?  Does he like to mingle with the other horses, or would he rather be by himself?  If you find out what his normal behavior is during a relaxed setting, then when his behavior changes, you know something is wrong.

These are all little things you learn about horses when you take the time to get to know them better.  Wouldn't you want to get to know your equine friend better?  You will be spending plenty of time together riding.  So, take some time out of your busy schedule and get to know him better like you would any friend.  In turn, he will get to know you better and you will have a great partnership that will last a lifetime.  After all, your horse is a part of your family. 

I had written a post not too long ago "Great News for Nazareth, PA - More Employment Opportunities with New Distribution Facility Opening"  and "The Lehigh Valley and Nazareth, PA Area is Growing"explaining that more businesses are moving to the area, and more housing will be needed.

I am here to inform you that even more business and employment opportunities will be coming to the Lehigh Valley.  It was just announced that a project will begin construction on Wednesday, February 27th in Allentown, PA.  The project is called the Airport Commons and is being developed by the 1st Patriot Companies from Collegeville, PA. 

The Airport Commons will consist of 53,000 square feet of professional office space, located about 1/2 mile from the Lehigh International Airport on 7 acres in Northampton County.  You will find professional service providers such as medical professionals, accounting firms, law firms, insurance agents and financial planners, to name a few. 

Next to the Airport Commons there will be an Innovation Wellness Center.  This center will contain a fitness center, a medical spa, restaurants, retail stores and conference center.  It is hopeful that the ground breaking for this project will begin next year for this facility.

So, as you can see, the Lehigh Valley area is booming.  It doesn't look like any shortage of jobs here for quite some time.

The weekend has rolled around and you are looking for something to do.  Well, don't fret!  There are many things you can do in and around the Lehigh Valley, PA. 

If you enjoy amusement parks, Dorney Park in Allentown is the place.  Not only does it have many rides, it also has a water park to cool off in on those hot summer days.

If skiing is your enjoyment in the winter, there are many ski resorts to choose from.  One of the closest ones is Blue Mountain Ski Resort.  It not only offers ski slopes, but also tubing and snowboarding.

The Lehigh Valley offers many fairs during the summer months.  Every township and town practically has one sometime during the summer.  The largest one is the Great Allentown Fair.  This fair is held at the end of summer, during the week leading into Labor Day Weekend.  In addition to the many rides and exhibits, you can find big name entertainers perform concerts held at the fair. 

If music is your main interest, Musikfest is the place for you.  It offers music from everywhere you can imagine and different types.  Something for everyone, from polkas, to square dancing, to Native American dances and music.

If you prefer getting back to nature and away from the crowds, Lehigh Valley has that, too.  Jacobsburg State Park offers hiking, biking and horseback riding trails.  (Sorry, no horse leases here.  You need your own horse to ride the trails.)  You can also fish and hunt in Jacobsburg.  There is also hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

If you are into history and art, there are many museums to visit in the area. 

Agriculture your interest?  The Steam Engine and Tractor show is another interesting place to visit.  You can check out the many different types of historic steam engines and tractors on display.  Or how about visiting the 4H shows and fairs?  The kids will love that. 

Enjoy farm fresh produce and meats?  Check out the Farmer's Market at the Allentown Fairgrounds or the local farmer's markets you can find all over Northampton and Lehigh Counties.  If you want, you can also find places that sell fresh raw milk. 

Is shopping your thing?  The Lehigh Valley offers a variety of stores.  Christkindlmarkt offers many hand made crafts during the Christmas shopping season.

How about a baseball game?  The Lehigh Valley even has their own minor league baseball team "The Iron Pigs"

So, as you can see, the list is never ending.  I can go on and on with the many things you can do in the Lehigh Valley.  Whatever your taste, I'm sure you will find something to do that you and your family can enjoy.

As some of you may know, I volunteer with the Lehigh Valley Animal Response Team (LVCART).  We have been in the organizational stage for about a year now and we are just about ready to go live. 

When disaster strikes, there are many organizaations that come to aid humans.  But, there are people that will not evacuate because they do not wish to leave their beloved pets behind.  This is where the LVCART comes into play.  LVCART will respond to any emergency situation affecting animals.

Awareness of animal response teams was raised back in 1998 when Hurricane Floyd hit.  The need was there not only for pets, but also for livestock.  During that period, millions of animals lost their lives and thousands of others were separated from their owners.  In 2004, Pennsylvania started it's state group.  The LVCART was founded in 2007 to respond to animal emergencies in Lehigh and Northampton Counties.

Last year, LVCART raised nearly $5,000 and received many donations of pet supplies, medical necessities and a trailer for it's equipment.  Even Senator Lisa Boscola has confirmed that she will support the LVCART grant application for $5,000.  The volunteers consist of many different backgrounds, including veterinarians, technicians, real estate agents, like myself, housewives and mothers, etc.  

LVCART can always use more volunteers for both small and large animals.  Training classes are offered for those who wish to earn credentials to be a part of the team.  If you are interested in either volunteering and/or donating items or funds, then contact LVCART at 610-442-0128 or e-mail lehighvalleycart@aol.com

If you love animals and want to help, won't you come out and join us? 

The Lehigh Valley, in Pennsylvania, has a minor league baseball team called the "Iron Pigs".  I know that this is an odd name for a baseball team.  The word "Iron" is supposed to reflect the fact that Bethlehem (part of the Lehigh Valley) had Bethlehem Steel Co.  Years ago, Bethlehem Steel had made the steel that supplied many bridges, buildings, etc. throughout the country.  Bethlehem Steel no longer exists in Bethlehem.  It is now known as the Beth Steel site.  It will now consist of casinos, hotels, shops and residences on that property.  Parts of Beth Steel will be preserved as a museum.

Anyway, the "Iron Pigs" Stadium is to be completed this spring.

Now the "Iron Pigs" of course has a mascot.  I bet you can't guess what it is.  What was that you said?  You're right!  The mascot is a pig. 

A while back, a contest was run to name the mascot.  Many participated and came up with many different names.  The winning name originally was "Pork Chop".  A little boy came up with the name and many, including myself, thought it was cute. 

Not long after publicizing the name, a select few were totally against naming the mascot "Pork Chop" because it was offensive.  Many of us did not see that.  The story behind it is the fact that during the days when Bethlehem Steel was still in business, some of the steel workers were called "pork chop".  These are the people that took offense to the name.  Because of a handful of people, the name of the mascot was changed to "Ferrous".  Personally, I preferred the name "Pork Chop" to "Ferrous" (which, by the way, was the second place winner). 

So, here you have it.  The Lehigh Valley "Iron Pigs" is a minor league baseball team that has a mascot by the name of "Ferrous".   

I have been Meme'd 3 times and you all know a bit more about me.  So, now, I thought I would tell you about my other half.  The person who has taught me a lot about the construction of homes.  What made me decide to write about him is what he did for me.

My husband, Bill, is a construction worker and is usually laid off this time of year.  Of course, with him being home, it does make it a little more difficult to do my work because he ends up being bored at times and, therefore, bugging me. 

Anyway, yesterday, being Valentine's Day, he had the whole evening planned.  He served me a candlelight dinner, which he cooked.  We had classical music playing with a fire in the fireplace.  Actually, the fire and fireplace was on our TV screen.  It's a CD that plays nothing but a live scene of a fire burning in a fireplace.  Hey, if you don't have an actual fireplace, it's at least better than nothing.  We then had a heart shaped chocolate cake (I'm a chocoholic) for dessert.  Oh, yes, he also gave me a box of chocolates.  I think I gained 5 pounds yesterday. 

After dinner, you will never guess what we did.  We were shooting ducks in our living room.  That's right!  Shooting ducks.  He found an electronic game in the basement that day.  It shows images of ducks on the ceiling and walls and you have to try and shoot them.  Would you believe I did better than Bill?  And I never played the game before. 

I do want to mention that a few days before Valentine's Day, he gave me 2 dozen red roses.  He wanted to beat the crowds as far as roses.  The one day last week, he got me a big, stuffed dachshund that says "I Love You This Much" the length of his body.  On a another day last week, he gave me one of those singing horses.  It has a cowboy hat and guitar and looks hilarious.  It may be funny, but, it's actually cute.

All in all, Bill is a very thoughtful guy and helps others out.  He has helped many people over the years without asking for compensation.  This is one of the reasons why I love him so much.

Great news for the Nazareth, PA area.  A new distribution facility will be opening in Lower Nazareth Township.  It is an 198 acre ProLogis Park 33.  It is adjacent to a new facility being developed for BMW.   The ProLogis Park 33 is located just off of Route 33 and Route 248.  So access to it will be easy.  It is also close to the PA Northeast Extension of the Turnpike.  An ideal location.

This means that there will be more employment opportunities.  More employment means more families moving into the area.  With more families moving into the area, more housing will be needed.  So, the real estate market will be picking up for this area.

This is great news for for the Nazareth area employment and real estate.