My So-Called Ice Storm
When I awoke around 9:30 today, there was the tiniest dusting of snow and ice on my porch...and it was half-melting even then. The sky was gray and the day was chilly, but it was the damp chill and flat gray sky of rain, not the biting chill and pearly gray sky of snow.
Since it wasn't doing anything by 11:30 but looking gloomy, I decided I would be fine running my errands today. I rode next to the Newton River Park and headed for the Haddon Township Library. Why "next to?" The paths in the park are still covered with last week's snow. There are lots of tracks where humans, dogs, and water fowl have run and played...but not people on bikes. I rode on the street alongside the park instead.
The Library was very busy when I arrived. There were piles of DVDs and kids' books to put away, probably due to last week's weather. Tons of non-fiction DVDs. Maybe a lot of mothers wanted their kids to learn something while they were snowbound.
I helped a mother and her adorable toddler daughter look up a book series the mother wanted to read more of. The daughter wore a beautiful gray coat with a large black velvet collar trimmed with braid and a bow on the back. The mother said she actually found the coat mint at a second-hand store!
I ended up taking out several books. Two recipe mysteries, one recent American Girl mystery, the Samantha tale Cry of the Loon, a book on crocheting, the newest Garfield comic book, and a book written by a woman who lost her job at a prestigious magazine when it shut down...and used it as an opportunity to learn how to slow down and enjoy life. I thought I could learn how to do the same.
Made a quick stop at Dollar Tree for sponges and a new brush. The top of the brush I bought last August snapped off the handle! After I left there, I had lunch at the Bagel Shop. It was about quarter after 2 when I came in, and the place was completely empty except for the people cleaning up the back dining area. I had a wonderful lunch of beef chili and a whole wheat bagel slathered in strawberry jam to myself.
Rode straight home after that. Or at least as straight as I could. The sidewalks on Cuthbert Road were icy, and it took me 10 minutes to just cross the street! I rode down some side streets instead and took the back way home.
After I got in, I put my things upstairs and went back out for a walk. It was raining a little by then, a fine misty rain that made me slightly wet, but otherwise caused no real trouble. The sidewalks were a little icy, but the street was clear. I walked down Manor Avenue and back up and around to Kendall, dodging ice and the sharp salt pellets on driveways.
When I got in, I started this month's cleaning with the bathroom. It wasn't quite as bad as when I last cleaned it, probably because I did my cleaning late last month. Still needed to get done, though. I did some reading, too.
When I finished, I switched to McBride while I made salmon, broccoli and cauliflower topped with Colby cheese, and a spinach salad for dinner. In Tune In to Murder, McBride has to defend the gentler partner of a popular morning radio host who loved playing nasty pranks on his listeners. He's killed the night after his partner had discovered him making a solo contract...but is that 911 call that Ron made before he was killed the real thing? I liked the use of sound - radio's calling card - to solve the crime. And Linda Young is right. The 911 call DOES sound so fake, it's surprising the police even bother using it as evidence.
Life is a lazy river - no matter where you are. Movies, musicals, mysteries, pop culture, and lots of other great stuff.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
New Jersey On Ice
I awoke to a chilly, 30-degree morning. Unfortunately, that meant anything that melted yesterday was frozen by the time I got out...including the ice on the path leading to my apartment, a line of melting snow on my porch, and just about any water surrounding the laundromat. The streets are still clear, but it was hard to get onto the sidewalk once I got there.
At least I didn't have much laundry to do. It didn't take much more than the usual hour-hour and a half. They laundromat was really busy today. Everyone was fussing about the ice and the weather, and it got very annoying to listen to. I got squawked at by the old lady who owns the place, too. She complained about my bike blocking the door...but there weren't too many other places I could put it! I was glad when I was finally done with both Clues In the Shadows and my dryer load and was able to go home.
I put my clothes away, then had leftover meatballs and peas and carrots for lunch while watching more McBride. In The Doctor's Out...Really Out, Mac attempts to help out his friend and accountant Harvey, who just lost custody of his son due to a psychiatrist's insistence that he's unstable. Harvey goes to the man's house to have it out with him and make it look like he's going to kill himself, but he trips and accidentally shoots the man. When he panics and calls McBride, it's discovered that the man was likely dead before Harvey arrives, and that he may have been poisoned with a chemical that can dissipate in the body after 36 hours. However, when Roberta arrives, the body's somehow disappeared. Some very interesting cat-and-mouse games here, especially as Phil searches the hospital for the body.
I wish I'd stayed with McBride. Snow/ice jitters crossed with beginning-of-the-month customers made for a busy and fairly unpleasant night at work. This is getting absurd. We are supposed to have ONE inch of snow tomorrow, then a LITTLE freezing rain, and tons of regular old RAIN! People will have to be a little careful on their morning commutes, but we're hardly going to get snowed in. People were snippy; old ladies were demanding and obnoxious. We had call outs, including one manager who couldn't get her car started, and were short-handed all night.
I awoke to a chilly, 30-degree morning. Unfortunately, that meant anything that melted yesterday was frozen by the time I got out...including the ice on the path leading to my apartment, a line of melting snow on my porch, and just about any water surrounding the laundromat. The streets are still clear, but it was hard to get onto the sidewalk once I got there.
At least I didn't have much laundry to do. It didn't take much more than the usual hour-hour and a half. They laundromat was really busy today. Everyone was fussing about the ice and the weather, and it got very annoying to listen to. I got squawked at by the old lady who owns the place, too. She complained about my bike blocking the door...but there weren't too many other places I could put it! I was glad when I was finally done with both Clues In the Shadows and my dryer load and was able to go home.
I put my clothes away, then had leftover meatballs and peas and carrots for lunch while watching more McBride. In The Doctor's Out...Really Out, Mac attempts to help out his friend and accountant Harvey, who just lost custody of his son due to a psychiatrist's insistence that he's unstable. Harvey goes to the man's house to have it out with him and make it look like he's going to kill himself, but he trips and accidentally shoots the man. When he panics and calls McBride, it's discovered that the man was likely dead before Harvey arrives, and that he may have been poisoned with a chemical that can dissipate in the body after 36 hours. However, when Roberta arrives, the body's somehow disappeared. Some very interesting cat-and-mouse games here, especially as Phil searches the hospital for the body.
I wish I'd stayed with McBride. Snow/ice jitters crossed with beginning-of-the-month customers made for a busy and fairly unpleasant night at work. This is getting absurd. We are supposed to have ONE inch of snow tomorrow, then a LITTLE freezing rain, and tons of regular old RAIN! People will have to be a little careful on their morning commutes, but we're hardly going to get snowed in. People were snippy; old ladies were demanding and obnoxious. We had call outs, including one manager who couldn't get her car started, and were short-handed all night.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunrise, Sunset
I slept until 9:30 this morning, then read in bed for another hour. The Brunch With the Beatles show wasn't very interesting today, so I opted for more McBride and an episode of a 1994 show called Burke's Law instead.
The McBride movie was It's Murder, Madam. A naive young woman is accused of killing the high-priced madam who set her up with a man who tried a little too hard to get her in bed. Turns out the madam was also blackmailing her famous customers, and McBride and Phil have to find out which one of the blackmail victims might also be a murderer. Meanwhile, Mac's not terribly happy that Roberta's dating someone else.
I've never heard of Burke's Law, which seems to be an unusually elegant cop show from 1994. A father-and-son cop duo investigate a murder at a beauty pageant. The young lady who was considered a shoo-in to win was killed with a baton in the dressing room, and Burke Senior and Junior have to find out who did it...and why. I recognized quite a few familiar faces here, including Diahnne Carroll (as the pageant coordinator), Alan Thicke (as the smarmy Master of Ceremonies, an aging singer), Elizabeth Berkley (as the victim's main competition), and Jennifer Anniston (as a reporter undercover as a makeup artist). It's a shame this stylish show didn't seem to last long - considering I'm not fond of either Berkley or Anniston, I quite enjoyed this episode.
Called Mom after my breakfast of Cranberry-Lemon Pancakes and half a grapefruit. Mom was working on projects for neighbors whose daughter was getting married and couldn't talk long. We were on the phone long enough for her to deliver some wonderful news. My brother Keefe has finally decided he's going to join the Navy after he graduates high school in June. I think Mom said something about him wanting to do something with nuclear - probably designing or building submarines, if I know my brother the master builder. He'll be going to school in Charleston, South Carolina, for 2 1/2 years. I'm proud of him, and Mom's elated. She's a native southern belle (born in West Virginia) and loves the Carolinas.
I just hung out online for the rest of the afternoon, then headed to work. Work was very busy all day, not unusual for an end-of-the-month Sunday. It was much nicer today than it has been, too, sunny and in the 40s. The good weather (and melting snow) must have brought a lot of people out of the woodwork. People were generally in a good mood, my relief was actually a little early, and there were no major problems.
Went straight home after that for a shower, a dinner of leftover baked pasta and sausage and peas and carrots, and The Dress Circle. "The Music of Jerry Bock" was the theme today. Bock is best known for his famous series of shows done in the 60s and early 70s with Sheldon Harnick, including Fiddler on the Roof represented here by a medley of songs used in Jerome Robbins' Broadway, including "Sunrise, Sunset," "Tradition," and "The Wedding Dance." Other familiar Bock songs include "Artificial Flowers" from Tenderloin, "Too Close For Comfort" from the Sammy Davis Jr. vehicle Mr. Wonderful, the charming "Dear Friend" from She Loves Me, and the touching "In My Lifetime" from The Rothchilds.
I slept until 9:30 this morning, then read in bed for another hour. The Brunch With the Beatles show wasn't very interesting today, so I opted for more McBride and an episode of a 1994 show called Burke's Law instead.
The McBride movie was It's Murder, Madam. A naive young woman is accused of killing the high-priced madam who set her up with a man who tried a little too hard to get her in bed. Turns out the madam was also blackmailing her famous customers, and McBride and Phil have to find out which one of the blackmail victims might also be a murderer. Meanwhile, Mac's not terribly happy that Roberta's dating someone else.
I've never heard of Burke's Law, which seems to be an unusually elegant cop show from 1994. A father-and-son cop duo investigate a murder at a beauty pageant. The young lady who was considered a shoo-in to win was killed with a baton in the dressing room, and Burke Senior and Junior have to find out who did it...and why. I recognized quite a few familiar faces here, including Diahnne Carroll (as the pageant coordinator), Alan Thicke (as the smarmy Master of Ceremonies, an aging singer), Elizabeth Berkley (as the victim's main competition), and Jennifer Anniston (as a reporter undercover as a makeup artist). It's a shame this stylish show didn't seem to last long - considering I'm not fond of either Berkley or Anniston, I quite enjoyed this episode.
Called Mom after my breakfast of Cranberry-Lemon Pancakes and half a grapefruit. Mom was working on projects for neighbors whose daughter was getting married and couldn't talk long. We were on the phone long enough for her to deliver some wonderful news. My brother Keefe has finally decided he's going to join the Navy after he graduates high school in June. I think Mom said something about him wanting to do something with nuclear - probably designing or building submarines, if I know my brother the master builder. He'll be going to school in Charleston, South Carolina, for 2 1/2 years. I'm proud of him, and Mom's elated. She's a native southern belle (born in West Virginia) and loves the Carolinas.
I just hung out online for the rest of the afternoon, then headed to work. Work was very busy all day, not unusual for an end-of-the-month Sunday. It was much nicer today than it has been, too, sunny and in the 40s. The good weather (and melting snow) must have brought a lot of people out of the woodwork. People were generally in a good mood, my relief was actually a little early, and there were no major problems.
Went straight home after that for a shower, a dinner of leftover baked pasta and sausage and peas and carrots, and The Dress Circle. "The Music of Jerry Bock" was the theme today. Bock is best known for his famous series of shows done in the 60s and early 70s with Sheldon Harnick, including Fiddler on the Roof represented here by a medley of songs used in Jerome Robbins' Broadway, including "Sunrise, Sunset," "Tradition," and "The Wedding Dance." Other familiar Bock songs include "Artificial Flowers" from Tenderloin, "Too Close For Comfort" from the Sammy Davis Jr. vehicle Mr. Wonderful, the charming "Dear Friend" from She Loves Me, and the touching "In My Lifetime" from The Rothchilds.
"Winter at the Riverside Rest" Posted
Photobucket wouldn't cooperate...but I did finally manage to get the whole American Girl doll photo story up. Actually, it's two stories put together; the first one ended when my camera ran out of batteries! Enjoy! :)
Winter at the Riverside Rest
Photobucket wouldn't cooperate...but I did finally manage to get the whole American Girl doll photo story up. Actually, it's two stories put together; the first one ended when my camera ran out of batteries! Enjoy! :)
Winter at the Riverside Rest
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Winter at the Riverside Rest and Other Stories
Started off the day at my place, with a spinach and cheese omelet and grapefruit for breakfast. After I finished eating, I worked on crocheting a scarf for Samantha while watching another Bowery Boys movie, Lucky Losers. Sach and Slip are working for a prestigious Wall Street broker when the man suddenly kills himself. When Slip finds dice in his desk, he might have the answer as to why. With the help of a street vendor who sells a book on gambling, TV reporter Gabe Moreno, and ever-nervous soda shop owner Louie Dumbrowski, they set out to infiltrate an illegitimate casino and ferret out the man responsible for allowing the casino to stay in business!
After The Bowery Boys ended, I decided to go for a walk and run some errands around Oaklyn. My first stop was the Oaklyn Library, since I hadn't been able to get in on Wednesday. The only person there was some college student who kept badgering the librarian about getting newer releases and more DVDs. I organized the DVDs; moved some adult DVDs that had somehow wound up in the kids' section to the other side. Organized the young adult series shelf (the Nancy Drew and Goosebumps series were especially disorganized today) and took a quick look at the kids' picture books.
After I headed out, I went to the bank really quick to use their ATM machine, then to CVS. I forgot batteries, nuts, and sugar at work, and they have better prices on dried fruits anyway. (And the sugar and dried fruit turned out to be on sale as well.) Went across the street for a walk in Newton River Park, but it turned out to be a short slog. Their paths aren't shoveled, and it was past 2:30 by that point and I wanted lunch.
Headed back to Oaklyn to try a pizza place around the corner from me, Philly's Phatties. It's next-door to the dance studio and a few doors down from Leo's Yum-Yums and Doria's Deli. It's always been there; I just never tried it before. I had a small panzerotti - a smaller pocket pizza pie. I had been craving strombolis, but I thought this would be smaller and less to eat. I was right. It was smaller, half the size of a full-sized stromboli, though still pretty large. I had it with a 12-ounce can of Diet Pepsi and some of the dried apricots I bought. I ate, listened to the teen boys behind the counter talk, and watched what I assume to be one of the 800 versions of Law & Order on USA.
When I got back to Manor, I quickly went to see if anyone was home at Uncle Ken's...but I saw a mostly-empty driveway. I decided I'd just have to make my own fun.
I went upstairs to the apartment, quickly put away the things I bought at CVS, and grabbed my modern American Girl doll Jessa. Jess is the only one of my dolls who has a winter coat, a white fur coat I believe came from the Springfield Collection. Her sneakers are also far more appropriate for the snow than Felicity's buckle shoes or the Mary Janes on Sam and Molly. I wrapped Jess in her coat and the scarf I made last spring, grabbed my (now re-charged) camera, climbed back into my boots and coat and scarf, and headed back out.
I walked around the park again, taking shots of Jessa doing snow things - standing against the piles of snow the plows left in front of the park to show how big they are compared to her, throwing tiny snowballs, "rolling" down a hill like I did yesterday, looking out onto the frozen whiteness of Newton River, posing by the snowman I found and the snow-bear I made on the porch the other day. I even posed her taking off her coat and with a cup of hot chocolate when we got in.
While Jessa and I warmed up, we watched the first two McBride movies together, the second while I made tilapia and roasted broccoli and cauliflower for dinner. McBride is actually a series of movies the Hallmark Channel made between 2005 and 2008. Linda sent me these DVDs a few weeks before Christmas, but I put them on the small green shelf with the Monkees and Bowery Boys/East Side Kids DVDs and completely forgot about them until last week. (Sorry, Linda!)
Murder After Midnight introduces "Mac" McBride (John Larroquette), a LA cop-turned-lawyer who specializes in taking on cases that others consider lost causes. Phil Newberry is the technology-savvy young lawyer who quits the public defender's office to work for McBride, who is his hero. Roberta Hansen is a police detective and Mac's on-again, off-again girlfriend. And then, there's Jesse, the large white dog who is Mac's closest companion. (The second show in a row with a dog character that's often smarter than the humans around them! ;) )
The most interesting "gimmick" with McBride is the use of flashbacks. Two or three times a movie, McBride will be seen in a flashback of one of the suspects or clients, either to find out what they saw or ferret out a possible lie. It definitely makes the endings that much more vivid to have seen things the way McBride sees them...literally!
Of the two, I preferred The Chamelon Murders for it's more imaginative plot involving a young intern who is accused of killing the wife of a rich real estate magnate...but the woman is not what she claims to be. Murder After Midnight's family squabbling wasn't quite as creative, but it did serve to nicely set up the series' premise.
Here's Linda Young's fan site on the McBride mysteries.
Oh, and look for a photo story about Jessa's adventures outside later tonight! (If the darn pictures will ever upload onto Photobucket...)
Started off the day at my place, with a spinach and cheese omelet and grapefruit for breakfast. After I finished eating, I worked on crocheting a scarf for Samantha while watching another Bowery Boys movie, Lucky Losers. Sach and Slip are working for a prestigious Wall Street broker when the man suddenly kills himself. When Slip finds dice in his desk, he might have the answer as to why. With the help of a street vendor who sells a book on gambling, TV reporter Gabe Moreno, and ever-nervous soda shop owner Louie Dumbrowski, they set out to infiltrate an illegitimate casino and ferret out the man responsible for allowing the casino to stay in business!
After The Bowery Boys ended, I decided to go for a walk and run some errands around Oaklyn. My first stop was the Oaklyn Library, since I hadn't been able to get in on Wednesday. The only person there was some college student who kept badgering the librarian about getting newer releases and more DVDs. I organized the DVDs; moved some adult DVDs that had somehow wound up in the kids' section to the other side. Organized the young adult series shelf (the Nancy Drew and Goosebumps series were especially disorganized today) and took a quick look at the kids' picture books.
After I headed out, I went to the bank really quick to use their ATM machine, then to CVS. I forgot batteries, nuts, and sugar at work, and they have better prices on dried fruits anyway. (And the sugar and dried fruit turned out to be on sale as well.) Went across the street for a walk in Newton River Park, but it turned out to be a short slog. Their paths aren't shoveled, and it was past 2:30 by that point and I wanted lunch.
Headed back to Oaklyn to try a pizza place around the corner from me, Philly's Phatties. It's next-door to the dance studio and a few doors down from Leo's Yum-Yums and Doria's Deli. It's always been there; I just never tried it before. I had a small panzerotti - a smaller pocket pizza pie. I had been craving strombolis, but I thought this would be smaller and less to eat. I was right. It was smaller, half the size of a full-sized stromboli, though still pretty large. I had it with a 12-ounce can of Diet Pepsi and some of the dried apricots I bought. I ate, listened to the teen boys behind the counter talk, and watched what I assume to be one of the 800 versions of Law & Order on USA.
When I got back to Manor, I quickly went to see if anyone was home at Uncle Ken's...but I saw a mostly-empty driveway. I decided I'd just have to make my own fun.
I went upstairs to the apartment, quickly put away the things I bought at CVS, and grabbed my modern American Girl doll Jessa. Jess is the only one of my dolls who has a winter coat, a white fur coat I believe came from the Springfield Collection. Her sneakers are also far more appropriate for the snow than Felicity's buckle shoes or the Mary Janes on Sam and Molly. I wrapped Jess in her coat and the scarf I made last spring, grabbed my (now re-charged) camera, climbed back into my boots and coat and scarf, and headed back out.
I walked around the park again, taking shots of Jessa doing snow things - standing against the piles of snow the plows left in front of the park to show how big they are compared to her, throwing tiny snowballs, "rolling" down a hill like I did yesterday, looking out onto the frozen whiteness of Newton River, posing by the snowman I found and the snow-bear I made on the porch the other day. I even posed her taking off her coat and with a cup of hot chocolate when we got in.
While Jessa and I warmed up, we watched the first two McBride movies together, the second while I made tilapia and roasted broccoli and cauliflower for dinner. McBride is actually a series of movies the Hallmark Channel made between 2005 and 2008. Linda sent me these DVDs a few weeks before Christmas, but I put them on the small green shelf with the Monkees and Bowery Boys/East Side Kids DVDs and completely forgot about them until last week. (Sorry, Linda!)
Murder After Midnight introduces "Mac" McBride (John Larroquette), a LA cop-turned-lawyer who specializes in taking on cases that others consider lost causes. Phil Newberry is the technology-savvy young lawyer who quits the public defender's office to work for McBride, who is his hero. Roberta Hansen is a police detective and Mac's on-again, off-again girlfriend. And then, there's Jesse, the large white dog who is Mac's closest companion. (The second show in a row with a dog character that's often smarter than the humans around them! ;) )
The most interesting "gimmick" with McBride is the use of flashbacks. Two or three times a movie, McBride will be seen in a flashback of one of the suspects or clients, either to find out what they saw or ferret out a possible lie. It definitely makes the endings that much more vivid to have seen things the way McBride sees them...literally!
Of the two, I preferred The Chamelon Murders for it's more imaginative plot involving a young intern who is accused of killing the wife of a rich real estate magnate...but the woman is not what she claims to be. Murder After Midnight's family squabbling wasn't quite as creative, but it did serve to nicely set up the series' premise.
Here's Linda Young's fan site on the McBride mysteries.
Oh, and look for a photo story about Jessa's adventures outside later tonight! (If the darn pictures will ever upload onto Photobucket...)
Friday, January 28, 2011
"Dashing Through The Snow, On a Two-Wheeled Open Bike..."
Started today with work. The skies were just gray when I arrived at the Acme around 10AM. I dodged snow piles, went slow on ice, and was careful on the ramp into Oaklyn and going around that turn where the Black Horse Pike becomes Nicholson Road.
Work was very busy all day. It was also very annoying. Everyone was fussing over the snow! I don't know why. I think it's pretty, and a lot of fun. I guess it's because we're not used to getting a snow storm a week. People don't like things they aren't used to around here. And admittedly, I don't have to worry about kids being underfoot or tramping around in wet clothes, either. I was very glad that work went fast and my relief was on time.
I got my schedule earlier in the day. The good news is mostly earlier hours, including 2-6 on Sunday and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday off again. (Which will once again work to my advantage; the National Weather Service is calling for a chance of snow and/or freezing rain on Tuesday night.)
The bad news is just as many hours as last week...which is to say, not enough of them. Plus, I'm stuck with that 4-9:30 shift on Thursday again.
Did my grocery shopping right after work. Took advantage of a couple of in-flyer-coupon sales to pick up Skippy's Peanut Butter for a $1 for 2 jars, 2 bottles of Wishbone Salad Dressings for $1.50 each (I got Light Italian and Red Wine Vinaigrette), and two boxes of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter sticks for $2.59 each. Picked up eggs, too, just to stock up ahead of snow panickers. Also grabbed granola bars, steak, ground chicken, grapefruit, oranges, apples, bananas, and bags of spinach and broccoli and cauliflower.
I cut across Audubon Park to avoid the traffic on the Black Horse Pike, so it took me a little longer to get home than it had getting to work. It was about ten after 4 by the time I arrived. I was tired of being cooped up inside, though. I put everything away, changed into a normal long-sleeved t-shirt and my boots, put my coat, scarf, and gloves back on, and went for a walk.
I had a great time. It had started snowing sometime during work. Not heavy snow, like the other night, but light and pretty. I walked across the path over the train tracks to Uncle Ken's to see if anyone was home. They were all inside, so I went back home and played in the park next-door and in my front yard.
Most of the snow in the park and on the train tracks were as pure and unmarked as if they were on some unexplored territory. The whole world looked new. As Lola put it, "everything is different and not the same,"...but unlike confused Lola, I thought it was a wonderful feeling. The sky was whitish-gray, like a rabbit's coat, and so soft, I felt like I could reach up and stroke it.
I ran as fast as I could. I threw snow up in the air and over my head. I admired a snowman someone else had already made. I made snow angels. I rolled down a hill...and when I stopped, I just lay in the snow, puffing and letting the flakes fall silently on my face. There was no sound, no other world. It was like it was just me and the snow.
When I finally got back in, I put my boots on the daisy welcome mat and hung my coat on a chair to dry, then did my taxes. My taxes usually take about 20 minutes to an hour to complete. I have no dependents, own no property, and prefer to eFile. My tax return was sent on it's way quickly. I'm not getting anything back from New Jersey, but I am getting something from the Federal Government. (And I did Direct Deposit, so I should get the money even faster.)
I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I want to go out and play in the snow again, but I do have some errands to run first, including trips to CVS and the bank and volunteering at the Oaklyn Library.
Started today with work. The skies were just gray when I arrived at the Acme around 10AM. I dodged snow piles, went slow on ice, and was careful on the ramp into Oaklyn and going around that turn where the Black Horse Pike becomes Nicholson Road.
Work was very busy all day. It was also very annoying. Everyone was fussing over the snow! I don't know why. I think it's pretty, and a lot of fun. I guess it's because we're not used to getting a snow storm a week. People don't like things they aren't used to around here. And admittedly, I don't have to worry about kids being underfoot or tramping around in wet clothes, either. I was very glad that work went fast and my relief was on time.
I got my schedule earlier in the day. The good news is mostly earlier hours, including 2-6 on Sunday and Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday off again. (Which will once again work to my advantage; the National Weather Service is calling for a chance of snow and/or freezing rain on Tuesday night.)
The bad news is just as many hours as last week...which is to say, not enough of them. Plus, I'm stuck with that 4-9:30 shift on Thursday again.
Did my grocery shopping right after work. Took advantage of a couple of in-flyer-coupon sales to pick up Skippy's Peanut Butter for a $1 for 2 jars, 2 bottles of Wishbone Salad Dressings for $1.50 each (I got Light Italian and Red Wine Vinaigrette), and two boxes of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter sticks for $2.59 each. Picked up eggs, too, just to stock up ahead of snow panickers. Also grabbed granola bars, steak, ground chicken, grapefruit, oranges, apples, bananas, and bags of spinach and broccoli and cauliflower.
I cut across Audubon Park to avoid the traffic on the Black Horse Pike, so it took me a little longer to get home than it had getting to work. It was about ten after 4 by the time I arrived. I was tired of being cooped up inside, though. I put everything away, changed into a normal long-sleeved t-shirt and my boots, put my coat, scarf, and gloves back on, and went for a walk.
I had a great time. It had started snowing sometime during work. Not heavy snow, like the other night, but light and pretty. I walked across the path over the train tracks to Uncle Ken's to see if anyone was home. They were all inside, so I went back home and played in the park next-door and in my front yard.
Most of the snow in the park and on the train tracks were as pure and unmarked as if they were on some unexplored territory. The whole world looked new. As Lola put it, "everything is different and not the same,"...but unlike confused Lola, I thought it was a wonderful feeling. The sky was whitish-gray, like a rabbit's coat, and so soft, I felt like I could reach up and stroke it.
I ran as fast as I could. I threw snow up in the air and over my head. I admired a snowman someone else had already made. I made snow angels. I rolled down a hill...and when I stopped, I just lay in the snow, puffing and letting the flakes fall silently on my face. There was no sound, no other world. It was like it was just me and the snow.
When I finally got back in, I put my boots on the daisy welcome mat and hung my coat on a chair to dry, then did my taxes. My taxes usually take about 20 minutes to an hour to complete. I have no dependents, own no property, and prefer to eFile. My tax return was sent on it's way quickly. I'm not getting anything back from New Jersey, but I am getting something from the Federal Government. (And I did Direct Deposit, so I should get the money even faster.)
I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I want to go out and play in the snow again, but I do have some errands to run first, including trips to CVS and the bank and volunteering at the Oaklyn Library.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Miss Redmer and the Tales of the Canceled Shows
After last night's storm, I wasn't even going to attempt to get to Collingswood this morning. I doubt either Yogawood or the Collingswood Library were open, anyway. I slept until 9:30 again, then read in bed for a while and wrote in my journal.
When I finally got dressed and made grits for breakfast, I ran the last two episodes of Tales of the Gold Monkey. My favorite of the two was A Distant Shout of Thunder, in which Sarah is accused of causing a rash of nature-related phenomenon by a charismatic native shaman, including a volcanic eruption. The final episode, Mourning Becomes Matuka, had Jake working as a bodyguard for Princess Koji when she fears someone in her palace may be trying to assassinate her.
Even more than another one-season wonder from the early 80s I have on DVD, Voyagers!, I really wish this show had lasted. While Voyagers! apparently hit stiff competition (including 60 Minutes), Tales ran into executives who didn't understand the concept and wanted it to be more "kid-friendly."
Actually, the biggest problem with both shows may have been they were simply ahead of their time. People are far more appreciative of action shows with lots of special effects and elaborate, ongoing story-lines in the early 21st century than they were during my early childhood, thanks to hits like Lost and Heroes.
Spent the rest of the afternoon messing around online. I watched a couple of Sailor Moon Season 2 episodes while eating leftover steak, spinach, steamed peas and carrots, and a slice of Molasses-Oat Bread with apple butter for lunch.
I debated walking to work, but by the time I finally got out the door, it was too late. I half-slid, half-walked down my snow-covered steps, dug out my bike, and hit the streets. I was fortunate that even the back streets had been plowed by quarter of 4; I had a harder time getting to the streets than riding down them.
I wasn't crazy about working 4 to 9:30 tonight, especially after it was such a pain last week. Thank goodness this time, we were on-and-off busy and I had no problems whatsoever. I even had enough time to put several shelves of candy away.
After last night's storm, I wasn't even going to attempt to get to Collingswood this morning. I doubt either Yogawood or the Collingswood Library were open, anyway. I slept until 9:30 again, then read in bed for a while and wrote in my journal.
When I finally got dressed and made grits for breakfast, I ran the last two episodes of Tales of the Gold Monkey. My favorite of the two was A Distant Shout of Thunder, in which Sarah is accused of causing a rash of nature-related phenomenon by a charismatic native shaman, including a volcanic eruption. The final episode, Mourning Becomes Matuka, had Jake working as a bodyguard for Princess Koji when she fears someone in her palace may be trying to assassinate her.
Even more than another one-season wonder from the early 80s I have on DVD, Voyagers!, I really wish this show had lasted. While Voyagers! apparently hit stiff competition (including 60 Minutes), Tales ran into executives who didn't understand the concept and wanted it to be more "kid-friendly."
Actually, the biggest problem with both shows may have been they were simply ahead of their time. People are far more appreciative of action shows with lots of special effects and elaborate, ongoing story-lines in the early 21st century than they were during my early childhood, thanks to hits like Lost and Heroes.
Spent the rest of the afternoon messing around online. I watched a couple of Sailor Moon Season 2 episodes while eating leftover steak, spinach, steamed peas and carrots, and a slice of Molasses-Oat Bread with apple butter for lunch.
I debated walking to work, but by the time I finally got out the door, it was too late. I half-slid, half-walked down my snow-covered steps, dug out my bike, and hit the streets. I was fortunate that even the back streets had been plowed by quarter of 4; I had a harder time getting to the streets than riding down them.
I wasn't crazy about working 4 to 9:30 tonight, especially after it was such a pain last week. Thank goodness this time, we were on-and-off busy and I had no problems whatsoever. I even had enough time to put several shelves of candy away.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Snow and Slush and Sleet, Oh My!
I think we had a little bit of everything today. I awoke to land of whiteness. I couldn't tell where the world began and the sky ended. Only the trees broke up the endless pearl landscape. It was eerie. Everything was muffled. It was like nothing existed but me and the trees.
I didn't get up until 9:30, and it was well after 1 before I decided to go for a walk and to volunteer at the Oaklyn Library. I spent the morning mucking around online and watching the Bowery Boys movie Smuggler's Cove. Terrence "Slip" Mahoney thinks he's inherited a large manor house on Long Island, and takes the other Bowery Boys to check it out. Not only was there a mistake and a far more prominent Terrence Mahoney really owns the house, but smugglers are using it for their base...and they don't like trespassers!
The weather had changed a great deal by the time I got out the door. The sky was a little grayer, though it retained a pearly sheen. The snow had changed into light rain, making the two inches of snow we'd gotten that morning sloppy and slushy...and perfect snow for making snowmen. I strolled along, kicking at puddles happily. I've wanted the chance to play in the snow all winter, but I've always been busy.
My delight came to an abrupt end when I arrived at the Oaklyn Library. It was dark inside, and there were no cars in the small parking lot. Yup, the Library had closed because of the two inches of snow we got last night. Well, I was disgusted, and I still am. The back roads were a little slushy, but the main roads were clear. It seemed completely ridiculous to close anything over two inches of snow that wasn't even really snow anymore. People around here really are wimps when it comes to the weather!
I continued my walk anyway. I went to WaWa and bought a Chai Tea (which wasn't as sweet as the last time I got chai at WaWa - this time, it was too watery) and a soft pretzel. I walked over the tracks and down to Doria's Deli. I chatted with Mr. Doria about the weather and bought a fat kosher pickle to go with my lunch.
When I got home, I decided to try making a snowman on my porch, where the snow was less messy. I made a cute little snow-bear, with round snow ears and a little tail. I'm glad he came out rather well. I can't remember the last time I made even a small snow-creature.
My boots were getting soaked, so I headed indoors. I spent the rest of the day amusing myself indoors. I had leftover turkey burgers and spinach for lunch. I tried to do a picture story of my American Girl dolls thinking of ways they could have fun on a snow/slush day, but my camera ran out of batteries. I made Lemon Squares. I watched another Bowery Boys movie, Loose In London, and the next set of Tales of the Gold Monkey episodes.
Naka Jima Kill was my favorite episode in this round. Sarah and Jake meet Whitney Bunting, an old college roommate of Sarah's who is now intends to interview the Japanese Defense Minister. Trouble is, she'll do anything to get that interview, including getting on the wrong side of Princess Koji and almost getting everyone killed. Kim Cattrall has a lot of fun as the Brenda Starr-style reporter here, and the crafty assassin who is a master of disguise is one of the show's best villains. I do feel very sorry for Corky here, though...
I also liked Boragora or Bust, where Jake's regular stomping grounds Boragora Island becomes a boom town when a grizzled old prospector finds a platinum mine in the mountains. Cooked Goose, where Jake has to rescue the kidnapped bride of a pilot and keep Corky from leaving after he lets the Goose burn while drunk, was enjoyable. Last Chance Louie, with Louie, the owner of the Monkey Bar and a kind of mentor to Jake, almost going under the guillotine, was a little too convulted and a bit morose for my taste.
I don't know when it started snowing again. All I know is that when I peeked outside before I took my shower around quarter after 8, the snow was coming down again...and much harder than this morning. Life came full circle as I once more gazed into a land that had become a soft, glistening pearl.
I think we had a little bit of everything today. I awoke to land of whiteness. I couldn't tell where the world began and the sky ended. Only the trees broke up the endless pearl landscape. It was eerie. Everything was muffled. It was like nothing existed but me and the trees.
I didn't get up until 9:30, and it was well after 1 before I decided to go for a walk and to volunteer at the Oaklyn Library. I spent the morning mucking around online and watching the Bowery Boys movie Smuggler's Cove. Terrence "Slip" Mahoney thinks he's inherited a large manor house on Long Island, and takes the other Bowery Boys to check it out. Not only was there a mistake and a far more prominent Terrence Mahoney really owns the house, but smugglers are using it for their base...and they don't like trespassers!
The weather had changed a great deal by the time I got out the door. The sky was a little grayer, though it retained a pearly sheen. The snow had changed into light rain, making the two inches of snow we'd gotten that morning sloppy and slushy...and perfect snow for making snowmen. I strolled along, kicking at puddles happily. I've wanted the chance to play in the snow all winter, but I've always been busy.
My delight came to an abrupt end when I arrived at the Oaklyn Library. It was dark inside, and there were no cars in the small parking lot. Yup, the Library had closed because of the two inches of snow we got last night. Well, I was disgusted, and I still am. The back roads were a little slushy, but the main roads were clear. It seemed completely ridiculous to close anything over two inches of snow that wasn't even really snow anymore. People around here really are wimps when it comes to the weather!
I continued my walk anyway. I went to WaWa and bought a Chai Tea (which wasn't as sweet as the last time I got chai at WaWa - this time, it was too watery) and a soft pretzel. I walked over the tracks and down to Doria's Deli. I chatted with Mr. Doria about the weather and bought a fat kosher pickle to go with my lunch.
When I got home, I decided to try making a snowman on my porch, where the snow was less messy. I made a cute little snow-bear, with round snow ears and a little tail. I'm glad he came out rather well. I can't remember the last time I made even a small snow-creature.
My boots were getting soaked, so I headed indoors. I spent the rest of the day amusing myself indoors. I had leftover turkey burgers and spinach for lunch. I tried to do a picture story of my American Girl dolls thinking of ways they could have fun on a snow/slush day, but my camera ran out of batteries. I made Lemon Squares. I watched another Bowery Boys movie, Loose In London, and the next set of Tales of the Gold Monkey episodes.
Naka Jima Kill was my favorite episode in this round. Sarah and Jake meet Whitney Bunting, an old college roommate of Sarah's who is now intends to interview the Japanese Defense Minister. Trouble is, she'll do anything to get that interview, including getting on the wrong side of Princess Koji and almost getting everyone killed. Kim Cattrall has a lot of fun as the Brenda Starr-style reporter here, and the crafty assassin who is a master of disguise is one of the show's best villains. I do feel very sorry for Corky here, though...
I also liked Boragora or Bust, where Jake's regular stomping grounds Boragora Island becomes a boom town when a grizzled old prospector finds a platinum mine in the mountains. Cooked Goose, where Jake has to rescue the kidnapped bride of a pilot and keep Corky from leaving after he lets the Goose burn while drunk, was enjoyable. Last Chance Louie, with Louie, the owner of the Monkey Bar and a kind of mentor to Jake, almost going under the guillotine, was a little too convulted and a bit morose for my taste.
I don't know when it started snowing again. All I know is that when I peeked outside before I took my shower around quarter after 8, the snow was coming down again...and much harder than this morning. Life came full circle as I once more gazed into a land that had become a soft, glistening pearl.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Riverside Frozen
I happily slept in this morning. By the time I finally headed out around 11:30, the sun was out, and it was probably into the mid-upper 30s, much warmer than it has been. This manifested itself by the considerable lack of ice on my porch. The thick icy patch near the steps was rapidly vanishing. I saw two small boxes for me, one in a rather sorry state, on my way out, but I didn't have the time to pick them up then.
I opted to cut through the park both ways. Though it was no longer cold, the waterway winding through Newton River Park was still frozen solid, as it has been for over a month. It was so solid, a bunch of teenagers were walking on it later in the day with no fear of ending up in the water. There were lots of other people out, too - dog walkers, joggers, older couples out for a stroll, Canadian geese looking for lunch.
The Haddon Township Library was busy when I arrived. There were lots of DVDs and books to shelve. I put away a huge stack of Easy Readers. One of the librarians told me she really appreciates my specializing in the children's section. For some reason, no other volunteer will tackle it. (Oddly enough, the librarians at the Oaklyn Library have complained about the same thing.) I still have a lot to read and watch at home, so I didn't take anything out.
Stopped at Wendy's for lunch. It's not my first choice, but I didn't have much money, and I figured Wendy's was cheap and close, not to mention not that bad calories-wise for fast food. I had a small Apple-Pecan Salad and an almost slider-sized Bacon Cheeseburger Jr.
Went straight home through the park. When I got in, I grabbed the two boxes and hauled them upstairs. Yay, my WebKinz order had arrived! I ordered the Silverback Gorilla and the Blufadoodle (a sparkly blue bird with a head and neck like a blue flamingo's and a body like a swan or pelican's) from Amazon when I couldn't find them around here. Slip the Silverback was perfectly fine...but the box poor Sach the Blufadoodle came in looked like someone sat on it! Good thing Sach is stuffed and was unharmed.
And by the way, Sach and Slip are the last WebKinz I intend to buy for a long time. Slip is this month's Pet of the Month; Sach is next month's. You get extra goodies for buying the Pet of the Month. After that, I won't buy another pet unless it's something I really, really want. Counting Sach, whom I won't be adding to my account until next week, I have at least 88 WebKinz. I've donated some of the actual stuffed animals to the thrift shop and will probably be giving more to Goodwill eventually, but still. 88 of anything is more than enough.
Went for a short walk after I put the WebKinz in my room. It was sunny when I came out, but there were wispy gray clouds on the horizon. Other than that, it was as nice as a day in late January in southern New Jersey can be. It was neither windy, nor that cold. I went down to the end of Goff Avenue and took a good, long look at the ice on the river there. Despite the relative warmth of the day, it was still thick enough for the Philadelphia Flyers to play hockey on.
Spent the rest of the evening inside, making chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and salmon and roasted broccoli and cauliflower for dinner and watching more Tales of the Gold Monkey. Force of Habit was the best episode in this batch as Jake, Corky, and a novice nun who also happens to be a former girlfriend of Jake's set off in search of the vaccine the nun and her Mother Superior were supposed to be transporting. High Stakes Lady, in which Jake gets involved with a beautiful blond poker player who also turns out to be a spy, was fun, too. Wasn't as crazy about the convulted God Saves the Queen, in which Jake and Corky save the Duke of Windsor from a thief seeking revenge on the Queen Mary, other than the chance to see Jake in a towel.
And yes, meet Slip the Silverback Gorilla and Sach the Blufadoodle! Slip looks like a tough goon, but he's a smart softy inside. Sach is a sweet but none-too-bright bird who loves playing with chemicals and goofing around with his big best buddy. I made a Bowery Kinz' Boarding Room for them that's an intentionally eclectic mix of the Condo, Jungle, and Farm themes.
I happily slept in this morning. By the time I finally headed out around 11:30, the sun was out, and it was probably into the mid-upper 30s, much warmer than it has been. This manifested itself by the considerable lack of ice on my porch. The thick icy patch near the steps was rapidly vanishing. I saw two small boxes for me, one in a rather sorry state, on my way out, but I didn't have the time to pick them up then.
I opted to cut through the park both ways. Though it was no longer cold, the waterway winding through Newton River Park was still frozen solid, as it has been for over a month. It was so solid, a bunch of teenagers were walking on it later in the day with no fear of ending up in the water. There were lots of other people out, too - dog walkers, joggers, older couples out for a stroll, Canadian geese looking for lunch.
The Haddon Township Library was busy when I arrived. There were lots of DVDs and books to shelve. I put away a huge stack of Easy Readers. One of the librarians told me she really appreciates my specializing in the children's section. For some reason, no other volunteer will tackle it. (Oddly enough, the librarians at the Oaklyn Library have complained about the same thing.) I still have a lot to read and watch at home, so I didn't take anything out.
Stopped at Wendy's for lunch. It's not my first choice, but I didn't have much money, and I figured Wendy's was cheap and close, not to mention not that bad calories-wise for fast food. I had a small Apple-Pecan Salad and an almost slider-sized Bacon Cheeseburger Jr.
Went straight home through the park. When I got in, I grabbed the two boxes and hauled them upstairs. Yay, my WebKinz order had arrived! I ordered the Silverback Gorilla and the Blufadoodle (a sparkly blue bird with a head and neck like a blue flamingo's and a body like a swan or pelican's) from Amazon when I couldn't find them around here. Slip the Silverback was perfectly fine...but the box poor Sach the Blufadoodle came in looked like someone sat on it! Good thing Sach is stuffed and was unharmed.
And by the way, Sach and Slip are the last WebKinz I intend to buy for a long time. Slip is this month's Pet of the Month; Sach is next month's. You get extra goodies for buying the Pet of the Month. After that, I won't buy another pet unless it's something I really, really want. Counting Sach, whom I won't be adding to my account until next week, I have at least 88 WebKinz. I've donated some of the actual stuffed animals to the thrift shop and will probably be giving more to Goodwill eventually, but still. 88 of anything is more than enough.
Went for a short walk after I put the WebKinz in my room. It was sunny when I came out, but there were wispy gray clouds on the horizon. Other than that, it was as nice as a day in late January in southern New Jersey can be. It was neither windy, nor that cold. I went down to the end of Goff Avenue and took a good, long look at the ice on the river there. Despite the relative warmth of the day, it was still thick enough for the Philadelphia Flyers to play hockey on.
Spent the rest of the evening inside, making chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and salmon and roasted broccoli and cauliflower for dinner and watching more Tales of the Gold Monkey. Force of Habit was the best episode in this batch as Jake, Corky, and a novice nun who also happens to be a former girlfriend of Jake's set off in search of the vaccine the nun and her Mother Superior were supposed to be transporting. High Stakes Lady, in which Jake gets involved with a beautiful blond poker player who also turns out to be a spy, was fun, too. Wasn't as crazy about the convulted God Saves the Queen, in which Jake and Corky save the Duke of Windsor from a thief seeking revenge on the Queen Mary, other than the chance to see Jake in a towel.
And yes, meet Slip the Silverback Gorilla and Sach the Blufadoodle! Slip looks like a tough goon, but he's a smart softy inside. Sach is a sweet but none-too-bright bird who loves playing with chemicals and goofing around with his big best buddy. I made a Bowery Kinz' Boarding Room for them that's an intentionally eclectic mix of the Condo, Jungle, and Farm themes.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Cold Valentines
Started today with this week's trip to the laundromat. It was surprisingly quiet when I arrived there at quarter after 10. The only people there were a middle-aged man and an old woman who were complaining about the generation gap and how horrible anyone who isn't their age is. I read An Unsutible Job For a Woman and ignored them. It didn't get much busier in the hour and a half or so that I was there. People were likely still trying to avoid the 20-degree temperatures.
After I got home and put away my clothes, I pulled out my Valentine's Day decorations. I don't have a lot for this one, just two tinsel garlands, one white, one red, a bear-shaped tin, a red ruffle-and-rose-trimmed candy box that was too pretty to throw away, and lots of heart-shaped window hangings. I also have two cardboard hangings I picked up from the thrift shop last year, a pink bear with a valentine and a Holly Hobbie-type pioneer child against a pink backdrop.
I ran Tales of the Gold Monkey all morning after I got in. The Late Sarah White was by far my favorite of this batch. Jake, Corky, and Jack fly to Manila to rescue Sarah when Jake suspects that her reported death may have been faked. The other two episodes were more bizarre. The Lady and the Tiger involved Jake rescuing an Amish mother and son from a very hungry big cat and a group of Western-loving Japanese soldiers. The Sultan of Swat has Jake defending his childhood baseball hero when he's accused of killing a native girl.
One of my big chores for this week was getting all those boxes and the recycling leftover from the holidays downstairs and out to the curb. I did manage to get it all downstairs...but I ran out of time to get it to the curb and just barely made it to work on-time! Good thing it's cold but not windy, and the clouds wouldn't come in until later.
Work was on-and-off steady all night, busy enough to keep boredom at bay but otherwise not a problem. I was in and out with no trouble.
And of course, when I got home, a car was blocking the part of the curb where I usually put the recycling and trash. I hope my neighbors don't mind my moving it in front of their house. I had to be really careful bringing it out front. The side path is fairly clear, but the front yard is covered with ice and very slippery!
Started today with this week's trip to the laundromat. It was surprisingly quiet when I arrived there at quarter after 10. The only people there were a middle-aged man and an old woman who were complaining about the generation gap and how horrible anyone who isn't their age is. I read An Unsutible Job For a Woman and ignored them. It didn't get much busier in the hour and a half or so that I was there. People were likely still trying to avoid the 20-degree temperatures.
After I got home and put away my clothes, I pulled out my Valentine's Day decorations. I don't have a lot for this one, just two tinsel garlands, one white, one red, a bear-shaped tin, a red ruffle-and-rose-trimmed candy box that was too pretty to throw away, and lots of heart-shaped window hangings. I also have two cardboard hangings I picked up from the thrift shop last year, a pink bear with a valentine and a Holly Hobbie-type pioneer child against a pink backdrop.
I ran Tales of the Gold Monkey all morning after I got in. The Late Sarah White was by far my favorite of this batch. Jake, Corky, and Jack fly to Manila to rescue Sarah when Jake suspects that her reported death may have been faked. The other two episodes were more bizarre. The Lady and the Tiger involved Jake rescuing an Amish mother and son from a very hungry big cat and a group of Western-loving Japanese soldiers. The Sultan of Swat has Jake defending his childhood baseball hero when he's accused of killing a native girl.
One of my big chores for this week was getting all those boxes and the recycling leftover from the holidays downstairs and out to the curb. I did manage to get it all downstairs...but I ran out of time to get it to the curb and just barely made it to work on-time! Good thing it's cold but not windy, and the clouds wouldn't come in until later.
Work was on-and-off steady all night, busy enough to keep boredom at bay but otherwise not a problem. I was in and out with no trouble.
And of course, when I got home, a car was blocking the part of the curb where I usually put the recycling and trash. I hope my neighbors don't mind my moving it in front of their house. I had to be really careful bringing it out front. The side path is fairly clear, but the front yard is covered with ice and very slippery!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Taking Inventory
Started a late morning with Brunch With the Beatles and apple-cinnamon pancakes and half a grapefruit for breakfast. Today's Brunch theme was "The B Sides of Beatles Singles." Some of the most famous B-Sides include "I Am the Walrus," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "I Saw Her Standing There," "That Boy," "Day Tripper," "Revolution," and Ringo's "Act Naturally."
Called Mom after I finished my pancakes. She was keeping warm in today's 20-degree weather by working on craft projects inside. She and Dad were fine, but my brother Keefe had apparently picked up a really nasty stomach virus at school. She says he's having a hard time eating anything.
Spent a couple of hours on the computer after finishing breakfast. I've been wanting to do inventories for my various toy collections - the American Girls, Care Bears, WebKinz, Efframbee dolls, Sailor Moon dolls, and other stuffed animals, good teddy bears, and porcelain dolls. I started with the one I've had the hardest time keeping track of - the WebKinz. According to the "My Page" section in their site, I have 86 WebKinz! I know their names, but couldn't tell you much else. I at least got started with that.
Watched more Tales of the Gold Monkey and crocheted after I got bored with inventory work. Trunk From the Past, with Sarah receiving an Egyptian trunk from her deceased father, was my favorite of the three I did today. Honor Thy Brother was also quite interesting...and poor Jack the dog almost got his eye back!
Work was pretty quiet, which I highly appreciated after Thursday. Maybe the cold scared people off. As I mentioned earlier, it only got into the 20s here today, though it was sunny and only a little windy. I had one annoying customer who didn't read her WIC Check right and gave me attitude about it; otherwise, there were no major problems.
Oh, and I didn't find out until later, but it looks like the Steelers and the Packers are going to the Super Bowl. I'm a little disappointed. It's not like they haven't been there before.
Started a late morning with Brunch With the Beatles and apple-cinnamon pancakes and half a grapefruit for breakfast. Today's Brunch theme was "The B Sides of Beatles Singles." Some of the most famous B-Sides include "I Am the Walrus," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "I Saw Her Standing There," "That Boy," "Day Tripper," "Revolution," and Ringo's "Act Naturally."
Called Mom after I finished my pancakes. She was keeping warm in today's 20-degree weather by working on craft projects inside. She and Dad were fine, but my brother Keefe had apparently picked up a really nasty stomach virus at school. She says he's having a hard time eating anything.
Spent a couple of hours on the computer after finishing breakfast. I've been wanting to do inventories for my various toy collections - the American Girls, Care Bears, WebKinz, Efframbee dolls, Sailor Moon dolls, and other stuffed animals, good teddy bears, and porcelain dolls. I started with the one I've had the hardest time keeping track of - the WebKinz. According to the "My Page" section in their site, I have 86 WebKinz! I know their names, but couldn't tell you much else. I at least got started with that.
Watched more Tales of the Gold Monkey and crocheted after I got bored with inventory work. Trunk From the Past, with Sarah receiving an Egyptian trunk from her deceased father, was my favorite of the three I did today. Honor Thy Brother was also quite interesting...and poor Jack the dog almost got his eye back!
Work was pretty quiet, which I highly appreciated after Thursday. Maybe the cold scared people off. As I mentioned earlier, it only got into the 20s here today, though it was sunny and only a little windy. I had one annoying customer who didn't read her WIC Check right and gave me attitude about it; otherwise, there were no major problems.
Oh, and I didn't find out until later, but it looks like the Steelers and the Packers are going to the Super Bowl. I'm a little disappointed. It's not like they haven't been there before.
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