memories – Todd Bennetar

December 23, 2015

Mother Loved Her Diamonds

Soon after we are all done with Christmas and New Years, it will be February, and then Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. My mother was born on February 14th, so it was always a day that my mother enjoyed immensely. Mother really had an eye for all things shiny and pretty, so diamonds always were a hit for her. Dad tried his best to give her everything that she always wanted and once in a while he would present to her on February 14th some very nice Diamond earrings gift that would put the biggest smile on her face for weeks on end, and make her the happiest person on earth.

Ross-Simons is certainly one of the better known jewelry stores around, they’ve been in business since 1952 and still going strong and they are currently offering up to 1/3 off of their diamond earrings, along with Free Shipping to boot. I was feeling a bit melancholy earlier and was checking out jewelry sites, seeing all the “bling” that my mother was have gone ape over if she was still here among us. She was just getting comfortable with using the Internet and all that it has to offer, she really would have enjoyed surfing the net and seeing all the nice shiny things that a person can order due to today’s technology.

December 5, 2015

Luxury Real Estate Online

I grew up with a father that enjoyed gathering everyone up in the station wagon on Sundays and taking a nice Sunday drive, looking at the new houses that were popping up all over town and then on the way home we would drive through the older section and look at all the nice older houses and properties that were full of character and love for generations in the past. So it isn’t any wonder that I know enjoy looking at real estate websites and seeing what is out there that is for sale all across the country, since the Internet now allows us to do just that.

One site in particular that always fascinates me is by the Bushari Group Real Estate that has the most splendid Boston Condos and Boston Luxury Lofts that just blow the mind to gaze at. You have to remember that I grew up on a farm and am still living on one and have never had the opportunity to live in any places like what I have seen online. Now that I’ve inherited the farm it doesn’t look like I’ll be leaving any time soon so I can only dream of ever living in a glamorous house anywhere much less one of the luxury Boston Lofts that I keep returning to online from time to time.

October 1, 2015

Mom’s Chipped Beef on Toast

As a kid, we were required to eat breakfast every morning before leaving the house. Even if it meant being late for school. However, if we were tardy we did get in trouble. Mother would often rise early and cook a hearty breakfast for the entire family. One of my favorites was her creamed chipped beef on toast, with a side of scrambled or fried eggs. I can’t help but think of Mother every time I enjoy creamed chipped beef for my breakfast.

September 25, 2015

Daylight Savings Time Ends at 2:00 a.m.

Tonight is a night that I look forward to all year long, each and every year. At 2:00 a.m. we are all supposed to set our clocks back one hour and to let Daylight Savings Time end for the year 2015. This is not my favorite “holiday” life is so much better when it stays lighter out for longer periods of time.

Right in the middle of summer is actually stays light until after 9:00 p.m., which is so awesome. Since I spend so much of my time outside in the yard and the garden that time of the year and I tend to wait for the sun to go down and it becomes dark to to in the house to start to fix,cook, and eat dinner, some of the summer time my dinners aren’t until almost 11 o’clock, sometimes midnight!

Anyway, don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour tonight folks.

September 13, 2015

Amazing Rainbow

This picture has become very well known by now, on TV, in the newspapers and magazines alike and of course all over the World Wide Web. I don’t like beating a dead horse but this is just to special not to post here. It’s all in the timing, as they say!

pre 9/11 rainbow — Becoming The Most Well Known Rainbow In The 21st Century

July 20, 2015

Birdhouses and Feeders

My parents used to love putting up birdhouses, they really enjoyed finding interesting birdhouses and feeders here and there and the back part of the yard is filled with numerous varieties of them that are still hanging about. Some are really old and in bad shape, so I’ve been contemplating taking some of those down and trashing them and looking for some new ones to replace them with that would fill in the gaps that will be left.

My father made some of them that are out there himself and I hate to toss any of those out, guess I’ll have to take all things in consideration when I take on this task. Dad was a very handy man and made so many things that I have to decide upon what to do with at some point, not a cheerful chore to even to think about.

This one is my all time favorite. I have no clue where he came up with this one, but it has always fascinated me. I don’t know if he made it or if he bought it or was given to him. Too bad I’ll never know the story behind it.

July 14, 2015

Paint Ball Update

The recent game of paintball ended up being a blast, a good time was had by all. The weather was perfect, no rain or severe heat threatened the days fun. More peopled showed up than I expected but it all worked out and I’m looking forward to the next scheduled game day,

I’m not nearly as tired or sore as I anticipated, since I had not playing a game in some time. So next time I will not be as anxious about the whole ordeal and can relax and enjoy the sport for what it is. I still want to buy my Tippmann A-5 Scenario Paintball Gun as well as the whole darned set that is pictured with it.

the whole kaboodle — Tippmann A-5 Paintball Marker Gun 3Skull Flatline Paddles Set

June 6, 2015

The Tremolo Pedal Was A Huge Hit

The tremolo pedal that I bought my nephew last Christmas (wow Christmas seems like it was so long ago) has made a big impact on him and his music. Music has always been such a big deal in our families lives and I am glad to help nurture anyone’s interest and abilities in the family, when I can.

The house was always full of music back in the day. My mother didn’t enjoy a quiet house, so there was usually a radio on in various rooms and levels of the house. Something that I try to continue to do here today. I don’t like a quiet house either and since I live hear alone it is a constant battle, while trying to conserve electricity.

guitar centers boss pedal — Boss TR-2 Tremolo Pedal

May 6, 2015

Beginner Saxophone Sheet Music

Digging around the basement this weekend I stumbled onto a box that I had not noticed before, it was full of sheet music for various musical instruments that my mother had tucked away for who knows how long. She had even kept some of the beginner saxophone music that my kid brother used to have to practice along to. Boy oh boy, didn’t Kevin hate practicing that sax and the whole family (as well as many of the neighbors) suffered right along with him. Day after day, week after week, month after month…….

Kevin has always been known for practicing the “misery loves company” theory. I can’t wait to see his face when I pull out this sheet music and stick it in his face at the next family gathering. Not sure if that is going to be on Memorial Day or the 4th of July. But I’ll tuck it away until the time is right.

April 1, 2015

April Fools

One thing that really sucks about living alone and tending to the farm as much as I do is that holidays like April 1st (April Fools Day) are just another day on the farm. There is no one around to play a joke on, what a bummer. I used to love playing pranks on people as a kid, any day of the year was a good day to get a good laugh!