Summe Cume Laude

He did it!
My husband has a Bachelor Degree! He graduated Summe Cume Laude (that is a 4.0! for those of you who don't know) ALL A's!

The title is a bit long, but worth the wait!

Bachelor of Science

Concentration in Networking

Minor in Security Administration


I am so proud of my husband.




We had a celebration for him today. All his friends and family came to wish him well.
Many thanks to those who attended, sent cards and called to wish him well.
One huge accoplishment for my Timothy.

TA DA!

It's Official 4.0

Tim is an official Summa Cum Laude graduate for the Spring 2011 Strayer University Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with a minor in computer securities!
He did it!
We did it!
We made it!
I am proud beyond words of my wonderful husband!
Let the relaxing begin and the job search commence!
WAAAAAAHHHOOOOOOOOOOO

The Kuchta Christmas 2010 trip

We put 1800 miles under our tires in 7 days. To some that may not seem relaxing, but to us it was just what we needed.

Our first top was in Savannah where I had hoped to go to The lady and sons for dinner, but Paula Deen was closed Dec 25 and 26. We saw her on the cooking channel doing a Christmas dessert cook off, that must have been taped. None the less she was closed, so we managed other ways!

Tim and I and Pat all left the DC area Christmas morning and drove tandem to Savannah, the eight hour drive was easy. We even stopped at Denny's for Christmas morning breakfast out. It was really amazing how many families were out Christmas morning. Who knew!? We arrived in Savannah without a hitch and checked into the Holiday Inn Express. We had a river view and the moss covered trees were everywhere. It was beginning to snow and Savannah was in a panic, we asked if there was a spot for dinner in walking distance, there was: J. J. Bonerz!
The 3 of us had dinner in a local sports bar near hotel. We arrived just in time for the Dallas game, Tim was in heaven. Pat was in heaven as you can still smoke in pubs in Georgia. I was just happy to be in Savannah and have a relaxing week to look forward to.

The next morning we drove to Tybee island, had a chilly tour there and wound up at Uncle Bubbas for lunch.

Another Paula Deen spot. Not too impressed, but did have my first fried pickles, dill to be sure, and Tim and Pat had oysters.

Yes, those are individual fried dill pickles! They are so cute! This could actually the the oyster vacation for Tim.

The next morning Pat went north a bit to Hilton Head to find a smoking hotel and Tim and I forged on to Clermont, Florida. We saw Mark Kazda, I got to meet his lovely parents and see life in a retirement community.

Then to Melbourne beach to see my long lost Friend Glenn Birdsong Boykin. The joys of Facebook, it is amazing who can find you, and you can find. She and her husband Rob have chosen a wonderful little piece of Florida to call their own and have a fun Burrito restaurant there. If you are ever in Melbourne beach Florida Robburritos is a MUST. Below is a view from outside and Bambi in her Christmas finest. She dresses for most seasons, you will see her on the bench out front!

We spent 2 wonderful nights with the sliding door open to hear the surf. My favorite sound to sleep to, and wake to. We bid farewell to Melbourne Beach to turn north to Jacksonville Beach to see Jake and Angelika and the imfamous bull dog, one Ludus! And their Martha Stewart Christmas tree topper! What else would 2 Marylanders in Florida have a top their christmas tree?

We had a nice visit with Jake and Angelika and had 2 more nights of ocean surf right out our door. I cannot tire of that sound.

All in all a very relaxing vacation. Just somehow makes it harder to go back to work on Monday, but oh so many fond memories!

Happy New Year! Below is Thelma Lou of Rob and Glenn. She is a talker just like my Kelly was. I miss having a puddin in the house.

Droid am I!

An early birthday present. That is what I am thinking of it as! Tim has fit the 2 of us with brand new phones! wahoooo!

A phone with all 27 buttons for letters and others for all sorts of symbols! Now I can text with the rest of the world and not loath texting! Not fast, but I can do it! Seems that is the only way to "talk" to some. Cest la vie. Still love a good letter, e-mail or phone call. But a text will do in loo of nothing at all!

Love it, have my Joni Mitchell playing in my ear already on my Pandora. Now I am cool like everyone else. I just have to get the book out to learn all there is to do!

Happy Fall! Happy cool nights and sunny days! Happy Life. It is good.

A beautiful fall day

I love the fall. No matter that a cold winter will follow I love the fall. The cool nights, the crisp air, the crunch of leaves under your feet, the beautiful array of colors brought on by the changing of leaves, pumpkins, apple butter, new crisp apples, and now even football!

My heart is heavy today. I am a lone Mohegan for 10 days. For the first time in my recent memory my family has gathered on the west coast and I am here on the east coast, not with them. A very sad feeling. But I have made commitments and connections that I must honor. Still I am sad and lonely and wishing I could share in the family memories, fun, grins and giggles. Wonder if I am even missed, wonder what everyone is doing, imagine the love and stories I am missing out on. Hope I cam be connected via phone and photos soon.

Tim is on a 3 week break and I am honored, proud and ecstatic to report he once again has attained a 4.o for his 4 classes this semester! Thus he still has a 4.0 at Strayer University! So the pressure deepens for him as he sets forth in October to take 4 more classes this fall. Then 2 classes in the winter and he will finish and start the full time job of finding a job!

One year of blogging, and one long year of loss

What a year. I started with thoughts about loosing my beloved friend, mentor and plastic surgeon; Thomas Sanzaro suddenly. It was exactly one year ago today. I have honestly missed him daily since I heard the awful news from Ashley in Rehoboth Beach. Good news for him, he has had a wonderful addition to his family, a new granddaughter Carolina Chase Butler on 9-9-10. Hard to believe, but she actually looks like her beloved Grandpa. I am thrilled for the whole family.


This year has been a year of changes for me too, in a much better way than above. Tim quit his IT job at Sibley and become a full time student for the first time in his whole life. It is much harder than he thought, but he is now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for his Bachelor's degree in IT and a minor in computer securities! Waaaahoooo! He has 9 of his 15 classes done and is already registered for 4 more this fall. Then two in the winter and he can start looking hard to find the perfect match for employment and qualifications. We have had an interesting year of major changes in life style, spending habits and no dining out. We are doing quite well, better than we both had hoped. Amazing what you can do when you make a budget and stick to it, even when it is easier not to! We both are working hard in our own ways, and are working toward one goal together. What doesn't kill us will make us stronger!


I have posted 95 blogs. I think I am getting better every time. Some are short, some are long. Some I expect responses from and get none, some I only have my faithful commenter Bethany, and occasionally I get 3 or 4 comments! I'll have to join a blog community like Bethany did and diverse my readers! And my reading. I'm looking for good gardening, cooking, organizing one. Any suggestions will be welcome!


And on a much happier note today Mom and I picked up the lamp base. Major changes to it, the addition of 3 bulb holders, a top to accommodate the shade, six pounds of lead in the bottom to keep it from toppling over from the weight of the shade and viola, we have a renovated lamp base. They cleaned her up and she is shiny new. And looks spectacular if I do say so myself. Here are a few photos, we still need to darken the silver solder, and we will soon. (or maybe after Mom gets back from Portland/Chelan)






Pretty impressive! And we are not done, we also want to find the perfect cobalt beads for the pulls. But that will come in time.

Rain Rain Rain

I think we should start gathering animals in twos!

We have had 2 inches of rain which would=20 inches of snow! SHEW! And we are expecting 2-3 more inches of rain today. The wind is 50 MPH! Literally time to hold on to your hat!

So what has been going on in my life?

Mom has started cutting glass for our Tiffany lamp project. She is such a trooper. She is doing a great job, now time for me to do the "easy" square ones on the top of the lamp. The "easy" cuts are my responsibility. I better get busy too. Maybe next weekend, we will be home as Tim will be studying for his final the next week. I'll try to get some photos so you can see what we are up to.

Tim is fine. He has had an interview, called back for a second one with the same company, so we are on pins and needles waiting for a call. But if they don't call by the 28th of March he will register for 4 classes and move forward with school, and keep looking for a job. This will all work out the way it is supposed to.

Not much else.

Tim's last day

No more both employed at the same place. Tim's job got replaced. Cest la vie. We are off to Rehoboth and hope all will be OK. Two households and one income will be very interesting for quite a while!

Snow Snow and more snow!

So today we were supposed to get a dusting of snow. "no more than an inch or 2". I just estimated our accumulation: 8 inches.......and no stopping in sight. I think they got their bands of snow off! This afternoon I ventured out to "run a few errands" and the roads were awful. But I love love love my Buick Enclave and I had not a moments worry in all the non plowed roads. Managed to get to the grocery, which was packed. You'd think they were giving food away.

Now this particular Safeway is new (atually an old Safeway there, they tore it down and started fresh, a good thing for that smelly old Safeway...except for the garage). It has been redone and has a tight parking lot outside on a good day, but with no snow plowing going on and tons o snow today you'd think that all smart Kensingtonians would be parking underneath in the covered semi-warm parking garage which is a big as the new gigundo Safeway. (which as a side note I did not want because the backside of this monstrosity looks like a 2 story huge brick wall from my quaint little Kensington....but all the little voices of 'not in my town' did not win) Anyway I tooled under the garage, which I do have to confess Tim turned me on to one Saturday the heavens had opened up and I thought Noah would be floating by soon. We zipped in the store, all dry, while bizillions had their umbrellas turned inside out from the torrential winds and rain that day. I had not been using the garage since I was so opposed to it. But I digress, same thing today. Garage all but empty, parking lot, full of crazies trying to park anywhere they please and blocking everything. I parked in the Queen Bee spot next to the handicappers. And all was well.

My car warmed up and most of the snow melted off, I had a great shop, even got 2 items for Mom and went on my merry way.

From there the decision as to go on with my list or go home. It was only 2pm and the snow was supposed to let up. The eternal optimist decided to go to Home Depot. Another favorite place of mine! Again, place packed....with Men! They followed me around like puppies to see if they could help me. Loved that! Got my few items, with lots of help from the bored workers, made my purchases and started home.

Decided to fill my tank, to be safe and ready. Stopped by Mom's with her 2 items. She was out clearing off her car and looked to cute. I wish I could figure out how to get a cell photo in this thing. She had her wool hat on that she made, her wool mittens, that she made and her face was rosy and she was happy. It is a lovely light snow. I pray at 86 I am out clearing off my car and happy. Though who knows where I'll be, or who will care.

I had wanted to visit with Mom, but the roads were doing nothing but get worse, so home I came to Tim and Drew. Drew is I guess my great nephew. He is here for the weekend doing some honey do things for us, earning some spending money and getting away from Karen. He is living with her, his Aunt, as his parents have booted him out of the house in Florida. That is a story unto itself.

But we are warm, Tim has made a yummy rib eye roast and baked potatoes, Drew is working on Broccoli and I am happy.

Life is good.

An early mini Thanksgiving

Tim and I always love to attend Thanksgiving at Eileens house. We just miss the left over Turkey for sammies after. SO. Today after Tim watched Dallas pull through with a win aganist the Redskins in Dallas....... we had a mini Thanksgiving dinner with Mom. Cooked up an 18 lb bird, mashed potatoes, a yummy yam/apple mashed dish (I must jot down the recipe as to how I did it, as I loved it, but Tim does not eat yams......) Tim had lima beans (his fave, not mine!), Mom made a trial run of her spaikopita for Eileens and an interesting cabbage cheese dish. And I made a gigundo batch of my cranberry sauce, Mom and Jasen at work (my 2 official tasters since Tim won't eat that either) both say it is great. So my Thanksgiving/Christmas presents for everyone at work are done. One less thing to stress over after Thanksgiving. All 10 of my employees will get a generous dish of yummy cranberry chutney/sauce for their Thanksgiving table.

That is it in a nutshell for today. No photos, but will on Thursday.

Friday was another story. Long story short, all is well. BUT. My sister Kate landed herself in the CICU (Cardiac Intensive Care Unit) She had an episode of high blood pressure. 220/110. NOT GOOD. Many tests later and a 24 hour monitor in the CICU where every one commented on the fact that she was so young and walking and able to care for herself. She drove herself home on Sat. and took it easy today. Needless to say there will be more to follow. But OY, she tests my strength. Once again I get to call Holly and tell her Kate is in the ER and we don't know what is wrong with her. I delivered the whole story to Mom in person. She took it well.

I hope all goes well with the rest of her tests. But please keep her near the top of your prayer lists!

And now it is back to work on Monday! But a short week for a real Thanksgiving at Eileens with 15 or so. A small group, but will be so very nice as usual.

Birthday weekends

I kindof liked the last one. And the other 2 are perfect photos!

What a wonderful week of birthday treats. Thursday night Tim took me to dinner at a favorite restaurant I had forgotten all about. A little Italian place in Wheaton: Christina's. We had a lovely dinner at an intimate table in the window where we watched the goings on of Wheaton.

Tim pampered me all weekend in Rehoboth Beach. Saturday breakfast in bed! Yummo. I ran errands all day at the outlets (I was a shopping fool at the outlets, unusual actually I am rarely at the outlets. The hardware store is more my speed). I found a perfect little giftie for all the west coast families, something for Tim, hostess gift for Eileen for hostessing Thanksgiving again, a present for Kate, Justin and Mom. My Christmas paper......I love doing Christmas cards. I could probably make money doing cards for people. I think I need to have my head examined.

Tim says I am not allowed to bring one more card in the house until I use up 90% of what I have. SO, hold on to your hats, all you birthday card recipients! They are about to get weird. Birthday post cards, hand made cards to birthday cards. Note cards to birthday cards. I mail over 80 birthday cards a year. And funny, this year got only 3 or 4. But had a wonderful birthday. Back to the birthday pampering weekend.

Flowers arrived Saturday. Photo to attach soon! I promise. I am getting better at this stuff.

Dinner was turkey breast (who says you have to wait for Thanksgiving!), mashed potatoes and broccoli.

Sunday we drove home and listened to the Redskins actually win a game! Sunny is so funny on the radio. I had to concentrate to visualize the game. Actually quite scary I could do that, but I did! I even made some comments before Sunny!

We arrived home in time for Tim to watch Dallas, but he quit watching at half time and fixed my computer. I had major problems. So, my computer is now fixed!
I'm back to blogging!

Halloween's finally here

I don't have a pumpkin, but love all the postings of carved pumpkins from the kiddlebugs out west. (please post more)

It is a windy day here in Rehoboth Beach. I better get dressed and zip out to the grocery to get some Reeses.....might as well have left overs we love, according to Tim. Personally I'd get something I'd never eat, to save me from the added calories that I do not need. Don't get me wrong. I love a Reeses.

I will dig out a photo of me in my favorite Halloween costume. I was Raggety Ann. Mom made the costume for me, I loved it. I think I even made her make me another one when I outgrew the first one. I don't think kids even read about Raggety Ann and Andy any more. I loved the adventures of Raggety Ann. I had all the books. I'd bet they are in the attic with my "hope chest". Guess my hopes do not include children. I should see if they are there and offer them to someone who even knows who she is!

My girlfriend Tracy always made cool costumes that involved papermache and boxes and wire with chicken mesh over it. She had brothers and Halloween always had the gory side to it at her house. The Kestner household had the innocent no gore side. I was Ragetty Ann for at least 3 Halloweens (by my own choosing) A Heidi, with brades and a goat, an Indian princess, a Williamsburg era lady, do not remember any more, I am sure there are more.



(Update on 3-15-10....looking for photos of David as a baby I found these) So here I am in all my 6 year old glory. I LOVED this costume! I was surprised to find the one below from the next year at 7. I thought I was Raggety Ann for years. Maybe I went back to her. But here are 2 costumes my Mom lovingly made for me!



I do need to clean out my boxes in Mom's attic. But that is for another day.



Mom has found a 4th cousin from the Sturgis line! She is beside herself with excitement. And I am with her. She has been at a dead end with 2 Sturgis relatives from England for over 30 years. She posted a question on a web site and many months later she had a note from a 4th cousin in England who knows all about those distant grandparents. PRESTO! No longer at a dead end, but answers to many questions and more relatives! Living! He is Jim Sturgis! A jackpot of information. She is one cool computer granny. I love having an APB call from her to help her with her computer. This morning she was beside herself thinking she had deleted her mail. With the help of my wonderful husband and me we helped her find her link to Ancestry.com and her Sturgis cousins. She makes 86 look pretty dang good!



Happy Halloween one and all. And don't forget your genealogy!

Healing Chicken soup

Tim gets a gold medal in tending to the ill this weekend. My juice glass was never empty, he reminded me every 4 hours to take more Tylenol. Saturday he made the best healing huge crock pot of chicken soup I've ever had. I had one small bowl full and just wanted a cup of broth the next time. He delivered said broth in a perfect cup, all warm and healing as it soothed by tired coughing, aching throat. And not to be out done by himself on Sunday he made a batch of white chicken chilly for me that was amazing. I had that for dinner tonight and am off to bed with warm tummy full of soup.
Tim on the other hand is at Redskins stadium watching the Eagles fly over the Redskins like they don't exist. I watched the first quarter, have showered and am off to bed. I cannot watch anymore and I need the sleep.
May he stay warm and enjoy the Eagles game in Washington!

Sunny beautiful fall Sunday

I have been down for 48 hours now and am coming out of the fog. My Tim made chicken noodle soup yesterday that warmed me to the core of my bones. I had a second cup of just the broth and know I am better today because of it. Today's healing warming soup is a white chicken chili with tortias. YUMO (cause he knows I'm not so fond of red based stuff) He is a gem. I think I will live! I am still wiped out, but did actually have the energy to toss a load of laundry in this morning. And am thinking I really should unpack my suitcase from the trip last week! At least I have the energy to sign on today, yesterday was spent in bed or on the couch.
The sun is out today. We had 1.6 inches of rain yesterday. Just how I felt! The leaves are amazing today. Out my back window I have a red dogwood backed buy a maple that is yellow and orange. Beautiful.

Tuesday Call

Most of you know Tuesday is my day for call. I seem to have fallen into this niche. It fits. Some of you get calls on my way home in the dark in the fall, winter and early spring. The days seem to melt away so fast now. It was a chilly 36 degrees this morning. I skipped into work in my new dress and felt invigorated. I love the fall!
Tomorrow is cat delivery for Mom and then home to undo some chaos I've made upon my return to the pristine home Tim had for me. Complete with flowers in the kitchen and a long stemed rose on the pillow for me. He is such a love.
Maybe I'll knit a bit when I get home. I need to finish that blanket before the baby gets here!
Otherwise she will get a half knit blanket at the baby shower at work!

Work Heidi Work Heidi Work Work Work

A saying my youngest niece said about her Dad as he went off to his night job, having been at work all day. She looked out the window as he drove away and proclaimed: "Work Daddy work Daddy, work work work!". It seemed to have stuck in my mind, and the whole family I think.

I seem to feel that way lately. Although I had an unexpected 3 day weekend this past weekend and got so much done in my yard and office I still feel like all I do is work. But then I don't have much else to do! Don't get me wrong. I love my life, my husband, my family. But I can't seem to "get" into anything. Perhaps I am "in" to too many things!

I knit, cross stitch, crochet, do photography, love to scrapbook (though I think the day of the digital on line booking is here), love to garden, can put together a mean dinner, with dessert. I just feel like I am not getting anything done.

Funny, my 86 year old Mom told me the same thing the other day...and I told her that was her job at 86 to not do anything, yet that is what seems to be bothering me most, but I am not 86!

On Saturday my best friend Pat came over and we worked in the yard for 6 hours and got so much done. I am so happy. We pulled 2 huge new dawn Roses that had taken over the front garden bed and just were not easy to attach to the house. Roses seemed like such a good idea, but unless they are on a fence or a trellis, they are not. Tim and Pat planted an ever green by the front door, Pat weeded the life out of a bed by the steps. We planted yellow daffodils and red tulips. My Dad loved red tulips. I hope they don't make me cry in the spring.....
I love to plant bulbs, it is my little hope that life will go on and spring will come again! Don't get me wrong, I love love love the fall. But it is always followed by winter and the gloom of cold dark mornings to work and even colder and dark nights home.

Perhaps my work rut it is the loss of my favorite plastic surgeon in the whole world. My Tom Sanzaro dropped dead on Sept 10, 2009 at 58 young years old. He has left a huge hole in my heart, the OR, his practice and most important a huge hole his wife and children just cannot seem to get a grip on. None of us can. I keep expecting him to pop around the corner with his endearing, "Ho Ho Ho".

Perhaps it is that work is slow, I have been having to furlough folks for an hour here, an afternoon there, a day there. It is not easy and makes my heart heavy. But I cannot have folks sitting around doing nothing. The hospital is struggling, we were asked this morning to cut 70K from my little group of 7. That is 10K each. I do not know where that would come from except salary. And that makes me woozy just to think about.

So that is it in a nutshell. My thoughts for the day.