A Rather Blustery Day
The wind, which had subsided yesterday, returned with a vengeance today. It rained a little as I worked on editing a few role-play stories this morning, but by the time I decided to go to Veteran's Park next-door for a walk, it was merely cloudy. I had a really nice walk, though. The sun peeked through the clouds long enough for me to take a couple of great pictures of the park. I walked around to the edge of the cliffside, then back around to Miss Ellie's house, picking my way over to her yard. I put my camera back at the house, then completed my walk with a quick jaunt down to West Clinton Avenue and back around to Manor. I had lunch, then threw together a snack and headed to work.
Work was quiet earlier on, but the rush hour crowd was a pain. We had one woman who wanted the 12 for $5 canned vegetable sale that ended yesterday. She had found one little sign left in the back...so of course, after much fuss, we had to give it to her. And then, it turned out that she'd bought the wrong damn vegetables to begin with!
I don't know why anyone would want to eat canned vegetables anyway, especially the peas that were one of the three options for that sale! I can understand corn and green beans a little. Both are fine if you use them in soups or casseroles. But canned peas are tasteless green mush. And don't get me started on canned carrots! That's why the only canned vegetable I'll eat is tomatoes. Canned diced tomatoes are great in chili and makes excellent marinade with oil, but most canned vegetables are just gross.
Life is a lazy river - no matter where you are. Movies, musicals, mysteries, pop culture, and lots of other great stuff.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Keeping Things Balanced
This morning was this week's Yogawood class. It was the fullest class I'd seen in a while, with at least fifteen women or more, not counting the teacher, Jill. It was a good, solid class. I tried the "crow" pose, which requires a lot of squatting and leaning on one's hands to lift one's squatted knees and rear end. Needless to say, I didn't get very far, but I tried.
I went straight home after class and did the laundry. Unlike last week, the laundry went just fine. Dad was the only one home, no one else was doing laundry, and the dryer behaved. Dad received an American Girls catalog that he let me keep. I haven't seen one of those in years, since Mom stopped getting them in the late 90s. It confirmed that yes, they're retiring Samantha after the holiday season. I know Linda's right and they're probably hoping to triple the value on Sam's collection, but I'm also hoping this means we'll get a new Victorian-era American Girl. I agree with Linda. I'd love to see a Jewish tenement-dweller, or the spirited daughter of a suffragette, or maybe go a decade or so ahead and see a Miranda and the Movies-style child star on the stage...and in that daring new medium of motion pictures.
Ran errands while the laundry was in the dryer. It was a wonderful day for a walk, sunny but not windy like over the weekend and in the lower 60s, just right for this time of the year. The air really smells like fall now, spicy and smoky and crisp. I went in one direction down the White Horse Pike to the CVS on the border of Collingswood and Oaklyn and bought Herbal Essences shampoo, then went in the other direction towards Audubon and bought the cheaper milk from WaWa and a little Pumpkin Spice Cappuccino. I dropped the shampoo and the milk off at my apartment, then went back to Dad's for my laundry, which came out just fine. (I didn't have nearly as much laundry to do this week, either.)
I spent the remaining afternoon working on my DVD inventory. Work was on-and-off steady, with a few cranky customers (and one elderly couple whose bickering just ended up confusing me and messing up their order), but otherwise no problems. I had no relief and was in and out without a fuss. The ride home was in the dark, but it was nice anyway. The air had that crisp, clear scent night air gets in the fall and winter, and the night sky was velvety navy, with barely a moon to keep it from falling to the earth.
This morning was this week's Yogawood class. It was the fullest class I'd seen in a while, with at least fifteen women or more, not counting the teacher, Jill. It was a good, solid class. I tried the "crow" pose, which requires a lot of squatting and leaning on one's hands to lift one's squatted knees and rear end. Needless to say, I didn't get very far, but I tried.
I went straight home after class and did the laundry. Unlike last week, the laundry went just fine. Dad was the only one home, no one else was doing laundry, and the dryer behaved. Dad received an American Girls catalog that he let me keep. I haven't seen one of those in years, since Mom stopped getting them in the late 90s. It confirmed that yes, they're retiring Samantha after the holiday season. I know Linda's right and they're probably hoping to triple the value on Sam's collection, but I'm also hoping this means we'll get a new Victorian-era American Girl. I agree with Linda. I'd love to see a Jewish tenement-dweller, or the spirited daughter of a suffragette, or maybe go a decade or so ahead and see a Miranda and the Movies-style child star on the stage...and in that daring new medium of motion pictures.
Ran errands while the laundry was in the dryer. It was a wonderful day for a walk, sunny but not windy like over the weekend and in the lower 60s, just right for this time of the year. The air really smells like fall now, spicy and smoky and crisp. I went in one direction down the White Horse Pike to the CVS on the border of Collingswood and Oaklyn and bought Herbal Essences shampoo, then went in the other direction towards Audubon and bought the cheaper milk from WaWa and a little Pumpkin Spice Cappuccino. I dropped the shampoo and the milk off at my apartment, then went back to Dad's for my laundry, which came out just fine. (I didn't have nearly as much laundry to do this week, either.)
I spent the remaining afternoon working on my DVD inventory. Work was on-and-off steady, with a few cranky customers (and one elderly couple whose bickering just ended up confusing me and messing up their order), but otherwise no problems. I had no relief and was in and out without a fuss. The ride home was in the dark, but it was nice anyway. The air had that crisp, clear scent night air gets in the fall and winter, and the night sky was velvety navy, with barely a moon to keep it from falling to the earth.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Emma and the Blustery Day
I spent a rather relaxing day mostly at home. I only worked for four hours, and other than my relief was late, it was busy all day and there were no problems. I don't often get to spend most of the day at home. It was kinda nice. Today was sunny, but still windy and, though less cold than yesterday, pretty chilly. I baked a loaf of Whole Wheat Pear Bread that came out very well and watched The Black Cauldron, Disney's adaptation of the Chronicles of Prydain series of fantasy novels.
I called my family in Erma this morning; got my brother Keefe. He was on his way out with Dad to buy some black shades for his costume. He's in Lower Cape May Regional High School's band, and they play in Cape May's Halloween Parade every year. This year, he and a buddy were being the Blues Brothers (which I thought was brilliant). I called Mom later. She said he had a good time, even though his drum broke and he had to share with the other drummer. Keefe's not the kind of kid who minds doing stuff like that. :)
I spent a rather relaxing day mostly at home. I only worked for four hours, and other than my relief was late, it was busy all day and there were no problems. I don't often get to spend most of the day at home. It was kinda nice. Today was sunny, but still windy and, though less cold than yesterday, pretty chilly. I baked a loaf of Whole Wheat Pear Bread that came out very well and watched The Black Cauldron, Disney's adaptation of the Chronicles of Prydain series of fantasy novels.
I called my family in Erma this morning; got my brother Keefe. He was on his way out with Dad to buy some black shades for his costume. He's in Lower Cape May Regional High School's band, and they play in Cape May's Halloween Parade every year. This year, he and a buddy were being the Blues Brothers (which I thought was brilliant). I called Mom later. She said he had a good time, even though his drum broke and he had to share with the other drummer. Keefe's not the kind of kid who minds doing stuff like that. :)
Darn It!
American Girls is retiring Samantha, the one doll I have. Now I'll never be able to get more clothes for her!
American Girls
American Girls is retiring Samantha, the one doll I have. Now I'll never be able to get more clothes for her!
American Girls
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Ponies and Muppets and Childhood Memories
Today was Farm Market Day. I bought those lovely mini MacIntosh apples, pears, carrots, radishes, and a medium-sized pumpkin for Halloween and Thanksgiving at my apartment. I'd never be able to get a big one home on my bike, and I don't carve them, anyway. Besides, my porch faces the river side of the house. It's a lovely view when the leaves are gone, but until the leaves ARE gone, no one can see my place...and even then, the only ones who could really see it are my neighbors on my right. There's only the park to my right, and the people across the river are too far away.
It was nice to be able to just ride around and check out yard sales today. It was nice weather for it, too, windy and chilly but soooo very fall, with that lovely wood-burning scent in the air. There were tons of yard sales today. Most of them were disappointments. I went back to the place I found the genuine 50s and 60s dolls and toys at, the one I got my cool 60s mohair bear from in the spring. I saw a mechanical teddy bear that moved and made sounds like the panda I found in front of the thrift shop two years ago, but he was too big to carry on my bike, so I moved on.
I rode around for almost an hour looking for yard sales. There were three or four in Oaklyn alone today. I went behind the school, near a park and playground, and found Maple Street, where I made my best (and only) find of the day. They had a table filled with kids' videos from the 80s. Among the familiar Winnie the Pooh, Disney Sing-Alongs, and Christmas specials were four that stood out. I'd never heard of, much less seen, the 1974 special Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus, though I'm quite familiar with the story of the little girl and the newspaper man who convinced her - and all of New York - that Santa and the Christmas spirit exists. They also had the two remaining mid-90s Muppet Babies videos I didn't have.
My favorite find was a true piece of 80s culture. The My Little Pony toy line made its animated debut in a half-hour special in 1984. Though it starts cute, with frolicking pastel-colored horses, pegasus, and unicorns, it quickly becomes much darker than most people today would anticipate. This is surprisingly dark and disturbing for what's supposed to be a cartoon for little girls. Four of the ponies are captured by a strange lion-like monster and are turned into dragons by a demon. There's a surreal Busby Berkley-esque "dance" number by the Sea Ponies about midway through that really has nothing to do with anything.
It's that darkness, though, that makes this one of the best of the Little Pony cartoons. The villains here are far more menacing than in most girls' shows of this type, and the songs actually aren't that bad (including that crazy Sea Horse song). Tony Randall plays Mr. Muchick, the forgetful elf-like wizard who provides the MacGuffin that saves the day. I think Sandy Duncan was Firefly.
Originally titled Firefly's Adventure on video and renamed Nightmare In Dark Castle when it was shown as part of My Little Pony and Friends in the late 80s, the full version has never been on DVD and costs as much as $20 on eBay and Amazon.com. The video is in lousy shape, but it runs, and a dollar sure beats $20 with shipping. There was a second Pony special a year later, Escape From Katrina, that I remember being just as good and is also hard to find in full on video.
After all that, the rest of the day was comparatively quiet. I watched Firefly's Adventure and the Muppets until it was time to go to work. Work was busy today, mostly due to a lack of help and to it simply being a lovely weekend, but I was able to get in and out with no problem, and other than a few mildly cranky customers, my day went quickly.
Today was Farm Market Day. I bought those lovely mini MacIntosh apples, pears, carrots, radishes, and a medium-sized pumpkin for Halloween and Thanksgiving at my apartment. I'd never be able to get a big one home on my bike, and I don't carve them, anyway. Besides, my porch faces the river side of the house. It's a lovely view when the leaves are gone, but until the leaves ARE gone, no one can see my place...and even then, the only ones who could really see it are my neighbors on my right. There's only the park to my right, and the people across the river are too far away.
It was nice to be able to just ride around and check out yard sales today. It was nice weather for it, too, windy and chilly but soooo very fall, with that lovely wood-burning scent in the air. There were tons of yard sales today. Most of them were disappointments. I went back to the place I found the genuine 50s and 60s dolls and toys at, the one I got my cool 60s mohair bear from in the spring. I saw a mechanical teddy bear that moved and made sounds like the panda I found in front of the thrift shop two years ago, but he was too big to carry on my bike, so I moved on.
I rode around for almost an hour looking for yard sales. There were three or four in Oaklyn alone today. I went behind the school, near a park and playground, and found Maple Street, where I made my best (and only) find of the day. They had a table filled with kids' videos from the 80s. Among the familiar Winnie the Pooh, Disney Sing-Alongs, and Christmas specials were four that stood out. I'd never heard of, much less seen, the 1974 special Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus, though I'm quite familiar with the story of the little girl and the newspaper man who convinced her - and all of New York - that Santa and the Christmas spirit exists. They also had the two remaining mid-90s Muppet Babies videos I didn't have.
My favorite find was a true piece of 80s culture. The My Little Pony toy line made its animated debut in a half-hour special in 1984. Though it starts cute, with frolicking pastel-colored horses, pegasus, and unicorns, it quickly becomes much darker than most people today would anticipate. This is surprisingly dark and disturbing for what's supposed to be a cartoon for little girls. Four of the ponies are captured by a strange lion-like monster and are turned into dragons by a demon. There's a surreal Busby Berkley-esque "dance" number by the Sea Ponies about midway through that really has nothing to do with anything.
It's that darkness, though, that makes this one of the best of the Little Pony cartoons. The villains here are far more menacing than in most girls' shows of this type, and the songs actually aren't that bad (including that crazy Sea Horse song). Tony Randall plays Mr. Muchick, the forgetful elf-like wizard who provides the MacGuffin that saves the day. I think Sandy Duncan was Firefly.
Originally titled Firefly's Adventure on video and renamed Nightmare In Dark Castle when it was shown as part of My Little Pony and Friends in the late 80s, the full version has never been on DVD and costs as much as $20 on eBay and Amazon.com. The video is in lousy shape, but it runs, and a dollar sure beats $20 with shipping. There was a second Pony special a year later, Escape From Katrina, that I remember being just as good and is also hard to find in full on video.
After all that, the rest of the day was comparatively quiet. I watched Firefly's Adventure and the Muppets until it was time to go to work. Work was busy today, mostly due to a lack of help and to it simply being a lovely weekend, but I was able to get in and out with no problem, and other than a few mildly cranky customers, my day went quickly.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Fall Is In the Air
Brr! I awoke to a lovely, sunny, chilly morning. I went to the Acme to get my paycheck in a heavy sweater and t-shirt, but switched to my light winter coat after I got home because it was just that cold. It was still windy, too, and the air had that great wood-burning scent it gets in the fall and winter. I went right back out again after putting away whole wheat flour, yogurt, small beef round steaks, ground chicken, and granola bars.
After everything was where it belonged, I went right back out again. My first stop was the PNC Bank branch on the White Horse Pike down the street from me. On my way up the hill on West Clinton Avenue, I scraped the back of my foot on my heavy metal bike pedal. When I made it across the street, I put my foot on a low ledge and checked it. It had bled through the sock, but I wear cuffed socks and the small spot didn't show. I slapped a band aid on it. I always carry band aids in my purse for occasions like this.
The bank was looking especially festive today. The tellers celebrated the Phillies' win with a huge cake and Philadelphia soft pretzels. I had a slice of cake and a pretzel while one of the tellers deposited my money.
My next stop was the Collingswood PATCO Station. I hopped a westbound train and got off at the 8th Street Gallery Mall stop. The Gallery Mall is the huge, blocks-spanning mall on Market Street in Center City Philadelphia. I mean, this place is so big, the train stops under it! I browsed a few stores before deciding to avoid the lunch crowd and head outside.
It really was a beautiful day. It was slightly warmer in Phildelphia, but still windy, and even in the city there was that spicy wood-burning smell. I made a brief stop at Burlington Coat Factory to avoid the spiel of an obnoxious evangelist blabbering about the Ten Commandments on the sidewalk to anyone who would (or wouldn't) listen. I usually love the Burlington Coat Factory (especially their great collection of hats and purses), but I couldn't find anything I liked. Nothing seemed right. The purses were too chunky. The hats were too fancy. The low-cut, flared jeans were impractical for bike riding. The bright, empire-waisted blouses looked ridiculous and flimsy. The big buttons on the coats would have made me look huge. God, how I HATE fashion.
A trip to Reading Terminal Market made me feel much better. Reading Terminal Market is Philadelphia's huge version of the Collingswood Farm Market, a massive old building filled with everything from produce stalls to lunch counters to gift booths selling leather and knit goods and jewelry. It was quarter of 2 by the time I got there, and amazingly busy. Some counters were packed two deep. Everything seemed to mingle - girls in uniforms meant to represent the Pennsylvania Dutch next to girls in tight t-shirts hawking cookies. Executives eating at the seafood counter next to janitors and news vendors. I wound up having fish cakes and a soda at the Pearl's Oyster Bar counter next to the 12th street entrance. I also bought a sugar cookie from the bakery across from Pearl's. The fish cakes were supposed to be a sandwich, but no one had bothered cutting the fish cakes, only the bread, so I just ate the cakes, the tomatoes, and a few slices of bread instead. The sugar cookie was really good, a little lemony and not too sweet.
I made my way down Market Street, through City Hall and down to the big FYE on Broad Street. I finally picked up Warner Bros' new Classic Christmas Collection, a set featuring all of their major holiday specials (including three Rankin-Bass specials never seen on DVD before) there. I didn't get anything at the Borders across the street, but I did pick up two records (instrumental recordings of Sigmund Romberg operetta songs and a Johnny Mathis LP) and two children's books (a vintage Strawberry Shortcake kid's cookbook and the American Girls book Addy's Surprise) from Russkof's Used Books and Records, the wonderful used book store on 10th Street.
(I love Washington Square. Bordered by the Jefferson Hospital and Medical College, it has the slightly seedy/genteel feel of Cape May in my youth. The area is mostly bars, small stores like Russkof's, coffee bars for the medical students, and for some reason, lots of small hardware stores. The buildings are, except for some obviously new hospital buildings, a little shabby but not so run-down you feel like you're gonna be killed any second. I imagine it's worse during the night, but during the day, it's really cool.)
I got on the PATCO stop around the corner from Russkof's with no problem. It was about 5:30 by then, and the train was only slightly full when I went home. (I definately wanted to avoid the 6PM rush.)
Oh, and a major word of warning about that Classic Christmas Collection set - boy, did Warner Bros make a mess of that. The disc that's supposed to hold the "Deluxe Edition" of the original animated Year Without a Santa Claus seems to hold the live-action TV movie released last year instead. That's not a big deal for me. I do have the animated Year Without on DVD, but wanted the other specials and to replace my video copy of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. However, everything on the case indicates the animated version (including the cover art), and people who bought this hoping for the original will be very disappointed. I seem to remember hearing that Little Drummer Boy, Book II was supposed to be on here, but I don't see it.
Brr! I awoke to a lovely, sunny, chilly morning. I went to the Acme to get my paycheck in a heavy sweater and t-shirt, but switched to my light winter coat after I got home because it was just that cold. It was still windy, too, and the air had that great wood-burning scent it gets in the fall and winter. I went right back out again after putting away whole wheat flour, yogurt, small beef round steaks, ground chicken, and granola bars.
After everything was where it belonged, I went right back out again. My first stop was the PNC Bank branch on the White Horse Pike down the street from me. On my way up the hill on West Clinton Avenue, I scraped the back of my foot on my heavy metal bike pedal. When I made it across the street, I put my foot on a low ledge and checked it. It had bled through the sock, but I wear cuffed socks and the small spot didn't show. I slapped a band aid on it. I always carry band aids in my purse for occasions like this.
The bank was looking especially festive today. The tellers celebrated the Phillies' win with a huge cake and Philadelphia soft pretzels. I had a slice of cake and a pretzel while one of the tellers deposited my money.
My next stop was the Collingswood PATCO Station. I hopped a westbound train and got off at the 8th Street Gallery Mall stop. The Gallery Mall is the huge, blocks-spanning mall on Market Street in Center City Philadelphia. I mean, this place is so big, the train stops under it! I browsed a few stores before deciding to avoid the lunch crowd and head outside.
It really was a beautiful day. It was slightly warmer in Phildelphia, but still windy, and even in the city there was that spicy wood-burning smell. I made a brief stop at Burlington Coat Factory to avoid the spiel of an obnoxious evangelist blabbering about the Ten Commandments on the sidewalk to anyone who would (or wouldn't) listen. I usually love the Burlington Coat Factory (especially their great collection of hats and purses), but I couldn't find anything I liked. Nothing seemed right. The purses were too chunky. The hats were too fancy. The low-cut, flared jeans were impractical for bike riding. The bright, empire-waisted blouses looked ridiculous and flimsy. The big buttons on the coats would have made me look huge. God, how I HATE fashion.
A trip to Reading Terminal Market made me feel much better. Reading Terminal Market is Philadelphia's huge version of the Collingswood Farm Market, a massive old building filled with everything from produce stalls to lunch counters to gift booths selling leather and knit goods and jewelry. It was quarter of 2 by the time I got there, and amazingly busy. Some counters were packed two deep. Everything seemed to mingle - girls in uniforms meant to represent the Pennsylvania Dutch next to girls in tight t-shirts hawking cookies. Executives eating at the seafood counter next to janitors and news vendors. I wound up having fish cakes and a soda at the Pearl's Oyster Bar counter next to the 12th street entrance. I also bought a sugar cookie from the bakery across from Pearl's. The fish cakes were supposed to be a sandwich, but no one had bothered cutting the fish cakes, only the bread, so I just ate the cakes, the tomatoes, and a few slices of bread instead. The sugar cookie was really good, a little lemony and not too sweet.
I made my way down Market Street, through City Hall and down to the big FYE on Broad Street. I finally picked up Warner Bros' new Classic Christmas Collection, a set featuring all of their major holiday specials (including three Rankin-Bass specials never seen on DVD before) there. I didn't get anything at the Borders across the street, but I did pick up two records (instrumental recordings of Sigmund Romberg operetta songs and a Johnny Mathis LP) and two children's books (a vintage Strawberry Shortcake kid's cookbook and the American Girls book Addy's Surprise) from Russkof's Used Books and Records, the wonderful used book store on 10th Street.
(I love Washington Square. Bordered by the Jefferson Hospital and Medical College, it has the slightly seedy/genteel feel of Cape May in my youth. The area is mostly bars, small stores like Russkof's, coffee bars for the medical students, and for some reason, lots of small hardware stores. The buildings are, except for some obviously new hospital buildings, a little shabby but not so run-down you feel like you're gonna be killed any second. I imagine it's worse during the night, but during the day, it's really cool.)
I got on the PATCO stop around the corner from Russkof's with no problem. It was about 5:30 by then, and the train was only slightly full when I went home. (I definately wanted to avoid the 6PM rush.)
Oh, and a major word of warning about that Classic Christmas Collection set - boy, did Warner Bros make a mess of that. The disc that's supposed to hold the "Deluxe Edition" of the original animated Year Without a Santa Claus seems to hold the live-action TV movie released last year instead. That's not a big deal for me. I do have the animated Year Without on DVD, but wanted the other specials and to replace my video copy of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. However, everything on the case indicates the animated version (including the cover art), and people who bought this hoping for the original will be very disappointed. I seem to remember hearing that Little Drummer Boy, Book II was supposed to be on here, but I don't see it.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Autumn Leaves
I'm so tired. I've had a long day. I slept in after staying up late last night and was just about to have a nice, long breakfast before raking the leaves and going to the library. Around 9:30, just as I was getting dressed, I got a phone call from the Acme. Yup, they wanted me to come in, five minutes ago if possible. Seems someone from the bakery called out and they needed to send a cashier with bakery experience to replace them, leaving THEM short of help on the front end!
I did not go in five minutes ago. I told Donna I'd promised my landlady I'd rake the yard, and I really did want to get that done before the men pick up the leaves tomorrow. I went in from noon to 5. Work was on-and-off steady, except for around the usual 4PM-5PM rush hour. There were some cranky people and some people who just couldn't read sale signs. I was not a help. I was cranky and tired from having to rush breakfast and raking and going to bed late and not in the mood for anyone's fussiness. Everyone got so upset when I was hard on myself. I never see it as being hard on myself in the heat of the moment; I just figure that I shouldn't have done it and automatically feel guilty and try to apologize, though no one wants to hear apologies. I can't help feeling bad when I do stupid things. I hate holding up the line.
I did get the raking done today. I mostly just wanted to get the older leaves from the late spring and summer up and on the curb before we get the next round. The trees in the yards are just starting to turn colors and fall. Not all of them are quite there yet, but some are really the most glorious shade of yellow. I got most of the front yard done in a little over an hour; not bad for someone who was in a hurry. My legs are killing me, but I earned $10 and the yard looks somewhat better.
I'm so tired. I've had a long day. I slept in after staying up late last night and was just about to have a nice, long breakfast before raking the leaves and going to the library. Around 9:30, just as I was getting dressed, I got a phone call from the Acme. Yup, they wanted me to come in, five minutes ago if possible. Seems someone from the bakery called out and they needed to send a cashier with bakery experience to replace them, leaving THEM short of help on the front end!
I did not go in five minutes ago. I told Donna I'd promised my landlady I'd rake the yard, and I really did want to get that done before the men pick up the leaves tomorrow. I went in from noon to 5. Work was on-and-off steady, except for around the usual 4PM-5PM rush hour. There were some cranky people and some people who just couldn't read sale signs. I was not a help. I was cranky and tired from having to rush breakfast and raking and going to bed late and not in the mood for anyone's fussiness. Everyone got so upset when I was hard on myself. I never see it as being hard on myself in the heat of the moment; I just figure that I shouldn't have done it and automatically feel guilty and try to apologize, though no one wants to hear apologies. I can't help feeling bad when I do stupid things. I hate holding up the line.
I did get the raking done today. I mostly just wanted to get the older leaves from the late spring and summer up and on the curb before we get the next round. The trees in the yards are just starting to turn colors and fall. Not all of them are quite there yet, but some are really the most glorious shade of yellow. I got most of the front yard done in a little over an hour; not bad for someone who was in a hurry. My legs are killing me, but I earned $10 and the yard looks somewhat better.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
What A Glorious Feeling
I began today at work, my first morning shift in weeks. It wasn't too bad, other than a fair assortment of grouchy people. That gets annoying after a while. I feel like I'm handling a heard of Grumpy Bears...and the grouchiness is MUCH cuter on a blue bear with a rain cloud on its stomach.
I was looking forward to getting off of work. It was a gorgeous day, and I had more than two days to enjoy it. At press time, I don't work again until 2:30PM Saturday. I'd just changed my shirt and was taking out the trash when I saw my landlady, Miss Ellie, coming home from work. She said she had some epoxy she wanted to use on the leaky bathtub, but couldn't corral her nephew to do it. I told her I'd try it; how hard could it be? Besides, it wouldn't hurt for me to learn how to do house-hold repairs myself.
I went for a long walk in Newton River Park after I put the epoxy in my apartment. This was the same park I saw the Fourth of July fireworks in, and it's just as spectacular in the fall. Though most of the trees are just beginning to turn colors, some are already stunning shades of flame orange, golden yellow, coppery brown, and brick red. I made a brief stop at the playgrounds near the stump I rested on while watching the fireworks last summer. I wish I could have gotten to play on them then; they're fun. The set has an especially cool slide with a ramp made of rollers instead of plastic or metal. They're bumpy, but they go very, very fast! I had an enjoyable trip down, even if it was a little hard on my rear.
I continued on my walk, down the pathway and around to Beechwood Avenue, across a little stone bridge and over a few flagstone steps. The river flowed to my right; the Collingswood High School football and soccer teams practiced on the fields to my left. People walking dogs and their children passed by, all enjoying the weather as much as I was.
I'd often passed by a little path between two of the houses on Beechwood Avenue on my way to somewhere else, but I'd never seen where it went to. I decided to check it out. It turned out to be a green, grassy, unpaved passageway that wound around the other side of the river. There were no streets on this path, no high schoolers or dog walkers. This path wound between the river and several houses. It lead to two green fields, one larger than the other, separated from the houses by fences, high cliffs, and more stone stairways. One field was surrounded by woods, with only a glimpse of houses. I may have to return there for a picnic sometime. The other one was greener, almost slick...but it was also behind a row of townhouses and was likely their backyard area. I kept going on the path until it finally came to an end at a clump of high weeds, then climbed another steep stone staircase and walked home (stopping quickly at Dad and Uncle Ken's for the pan that held the chocolate cake on Sunday - oh, and he did fix the dryer).
I applied the epoxy, a putty-like substance you "mixed" in your hands, after I got home. I hope it works. I don't really know much about cauking a bathtub. Miss Ellie told me I could rake the leaves tomorrow, too - they're getting really bad. I spent the rest of the evening having pain-fried Flounder with Herbs, sweet potatoes, and tomato-basil salad for dinner while finally watching the Singin' In the Rain DVD I bought last month.
Oh, and at press time, the Philadelphia Phillies seem to be on their way to their first NL Pennant in 15 years, beating the LA Dodgers 5-1. Philly was crazy enough when the Flyers went to their National Conference Finals in the spring; I can only imagine what it'll be like if they go to the World Series!
I began today at work, my first morning shift in weeks. It wasn't too bad, other than a fair assortment of grouchy people. That gets annoying after a while. I feel like I'm handling a heard of Grumpy Bears...and the grouchiness is MUCH cuter on a blue bear with a rain cloud on its stomach.
I was looking forward to getting off of work. It was a gorgeous day, and I had more than two days to enjoy it. At press time, I don't work again until 2:30PM Saturday. I'd just changed my shirt and was taking out the trash when I saw my landlady, Miss Ellie, coming home from work. She said she had some epoxy she wanted to use on the leaky bathtub, but couldn't corral her nephew to do it. I told her I'd try it; how hard could it be? Besides, it wouldn't hurt for me to learn how to do house-hold repairs myself.
I went for a long walk in Newton River Park after I put the epoxy in my apartment. This was the same park I saw the Fourth of July fireworks in, and it's just as spectacular in the fall. Though most of the trees are just beginning to turn colors, some are already stunning shades of flame orange, golden yellow, coppery brown, and brick red. I made a brief stop at the playgrounds near the stump I rested on while watching the fireworks last summer. I wish I could have gotten to play on them then; they're fun. The set has an especially cool slide with a ramp made of rollers instead of plastic or metal. They're bumpy, but they go very, very fast! I had an enjoyable trip down, even if it was a little hard on my rear.
I continued on my walk, down the pathway and around to Beechwood Avenue, across a little stone bridge and over a few flagstone steps. The river flowed to my right; the Collingswood High School football and soccer teams practiced on the fields to my left. People walking dogs and their children passed by, all enjoying the weather as much as I was.
I'd often passed by a little path between two of the houses on Beechwood Avenue on my way to somewhere else, but I'd never seen where it went to. I decided to check it out. It turned out to be a green, grassy, unpaved passageway that wound around the other side of the river. There were no streets on this path, no high schoolers or dog walkers. This path wound between the river and several houses. It lead to two green fields, one larger than the other, separated from the houses by fences, high cliffs, and more stone stairways. One field was surrounded by woods, with only a glimpse of houses. I may have to return there for a picnic sometime. The other one was greener, almost slick...but it was also behind a row of townhouses and was likely their backyard area. I kept going on the path until it finally came to an end at a clump of high weeds, then climbed another steep stone staircase and walked home (stopping quickly at Dad and Uncle Ken's for the pan that held the chocolate cake on Sunday - oh, and he did fix the dryer).
I applied the epoxy, a putty-like substance you "mixed" in your hands, after I got home. I hope it works. I don't really know much about cauking a bathtub. Miss Ellie told me I could rake the leaves tomorrow, too - they're getting really bad. I spent the rest of the evening having pain-fried Flounder with Herbs, sweet potatoes, and tomato-basil salad for dinner while finally watching the Singin' In the Rain DVD I bought last month.
Oh, and at press time, the Philadelphia Phillies seem to be on their way to their first NL Pennant in 15 years, beating the LA Dodgers 5-1. Philly was crazy enough when the Flyers went to their National Conference Finals in the spring; I can only imagine what it'll be like if they go to the World Series!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Old-Fashioned Drying
I slept longer than I thought I would and was later than I'd hoped getting the laundry done today. It proved to be quite a pain in the rear. Seems Dad and Uncle Ken were doing their laundry this morning too. I ran errands (including sending Lauren's birthday present) while waiting for the dryer to be empty. After I finally got the clothes in the dryer, I went for a second walk. It was another gorgeous day here, breezy, sunny, and in the lower 70s. I admired the many Halloween decorations on people's porches and lawns, ranging from a few pots of mums and a fall wreath on the door to elaborate, blood-soaked displays of plastic skeletons, cotton cobwebs, and massive orange pumpkins.
I decided to open the dryer a little early to see if my clothes were dry. Not only were they still about three-fourths wet, but the dryer wouldn't start again when I closed it...AND it was getting late. I barely had enough time to run home, hang everything on my porch or wherever it would dry the best in the house, change into my damp uniform pants and shirt, throw together a dinner, and run to work. I just made it on time.
Work was steady-to-dead, really no problem except for a few obnoxious old ladies at the beginning. One woman refused to bag and bawled for a bagger. "I don't know how," she claimed. "The last time I tried, everything fell out." That doesn't mean you don't try again! Some of these older ladies who are perfectly capable of fending for themselves are sooo spoiled. They could do things, like Dolores and Lauren's mom and Miss Ellie, but they don't. It was the middle of the afternoon, and all the baggers were busy!
I slept longer than I thought I would and was later than I'd hoped getting the laundry done today. It proved to be quite a pain in the rear. Seems Dad and Uncle Ken were doing their laundry this morning too. I ran errands (including sending Lauren's birthday present) while waiting for the dryer to be empty. After I finally got the clothes in the dryer, I went for a second walk. It was another gorgeous day here, breezy, sunny, and in the lower 70s. I admired the many Halloween decorations on people's porches and lawns, ranging from a few pots of mums and a fall wreath on the door to elaborate, blood-soaked displays of plastic skeletons, cotton cobwebs, and massive orange pumpkins.
I decided to open the dryer a little early to see if my clothes were dry. Not only were they still about three-fourths wet, but the dryer wouldn't start again when I closed it...AND it was getting late. I barely had enough time to run home, hang everything on my porch or wherever it would dry the best in the house, change into my damp uniform pants and shirt, throw together a dinner, and run to work. I just made it on time.
Work was steady-to-dead, really no problem except for a few obnoxious old ladies at the beginning. One woman refused to bag and bawled for a bagger. "I don't know how," she claimed. "The last time I tried, everything fell out." That doesn't mean you don't try again! Some of these older ladies who are perfectly capable of fending for themselves are sooo spoiled. They could do things, like Dolores and Lauren's mom and Miss Ellie, but they don't. It was the middle of the afternoon, and all the baggers were busy!
Monday, October 13, 2008
A Quiet Bit of Balance
First of all, Happy Columbus Day to my American readers! I hope you did some exploring of your own today!
It was a pretty quiet day here. I did my Yogawood class of the week. (I work too early on Wednesday to get to that one.) Jill was back, and we did some moves I'd never seen in the class before. We even used the yoga straps to tone our arms. (My arms certainly could use it.)
Other than that, I didn't do a whole lot today. I mostly worked on editing role-play stories and doing stuff online. Work was a mess, with little help and long lines all night. I don't know what the managers were thinking, but we didn't have enough help on one of the major holiday weekends of the fall. Thankfully, there was no real trouble other than my relief was late and a kind-hearted manager came in for me.
Oh, and I hope this teaches Daddy a lesson about bragging. At press time, the formerly undefeated New York Giants are being pounded by the bottom-dwelling Cleveland Browns, 35-14, unless they can pull off a spectacular turn-around like the Eagles did last night.
Who's got the last laugh now? ;)
First of all, Happy Columbus Day to my American readers! I hope you did some exploring of your own today!
It was a pretty quiet day here. I did my Yogawood class of the week. (I work too early on Wednesday to get to that one.) Jill was back, and we did some moves I'd never seen in the class before. We even used the yoga straps to tone our arms. (My arms certainly could use it.)
Other than that, I didn't do a whole lot today. I mostly worked on editing role-play stories and doing stuff online. Work was a mess, with little help and long lines all night. I don't know what the managers were thinking, but we didn't have enough help on one of the major holiday weekends of the fall. Thankfully, there was no real trouble other than my relief was late and a kind-hearted manager came in for me.
Oh, and I hope this teaches Daddy a lesson about bragging. At press time, the formerly undefeated New York Giants are being pounded by the bottom-dwelling Cleveland Browns, 35-14, unless they can pull off a spectacular turn-around like the Eagles did last night.
Who's got the last laugh now? ;)
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Winners and Losers
I slept in today and had just enough time to eat breakfast and call the family before work. I got Daddy. He was just watching CNN while Mom got washed up; apparently, my little nephew Skylar had visited overnight and they were all tired out. Dad watches a lot of CNN when he's home. He says it's because he doesn't know what's going on when he's out fishing (he's a commercial fisherman) and wants to find out the news right away when he gets home. He also gave me a lot of flack about how the New York Giants are going to win tomorrow. We'll see. He's a huge Giants fan.
Work was busy today, but not nearly as bad as yesterday. We always have plenty of help on Sundays, and between the myriad major sports games this weekend, the many fall carnivals and parties, and people just having Columbus Day Weekend off, most folks were in a good mood. My relief was on time, and I was in and out with no problems.
I went straight over to Uncle Ken's after work. I had a nice time, talking with Uncle Ken, Dolores, Mark, Samantha, and her family while we watched the game. Uncle Ken made beef stew. Samantha brought a huge loaf of bread she made in her bread machine. I brought my chocolate cake. (The kids loved it.) Dad and Jodie came back from their vacation during half-time, and I got to have a nice chat with them, too. They apparently had a nice time in Florida. Jodie was attending a convention for Campbell's Soup in Miami Beach, so they got to stay in a really fancy hotel and do all the things the other wealthy guests did on the company payroll. They also visited old friends of Dad's further north in Ft. Lauderdale.
Oh yes, and though they were losing when I left, the Philadelphia Eagles came back to beat the San Fransisco 49ers 40-26. Mark was happy, too - the Green Bay Packers beat the Seattle SeaHawks 27-17.
Not all is well in the City of Brotherly Love, however. At press time, the Philadelphia Phillies are down 7-2 to the LA Dodgers.
I slept in today and had just enough time to eat breakfast and call the family before work. I got Daddy. He was just watching CNN while Mom got washed up; apparently, my little nephew Skylar had visited overnight and they were all tired out. Dad watches a lot of CNN when he's home. He says it's because he doesn't know what's going on when he's out fishing (he's a commercial fisherman) and wants to find out the news right away when he gets home. He also gave me a lot of flack about how the New York Giants are going to win tomorrow. We'll see. He's a huge Giants fan.
Work was busy today, but not nearly as bad as yesterday. We always have plenty of help on Sundays, and between the myriad major sports games this weekend, the many fall carnivals and parties, and people just having Columbus Day Weekend off, most folks were in a good mood. My relief was on time, and I was in and out with no problems.
I went straight over to Uncle Ken's after work. I had a nice time, talking with Uncle Ken, Dolores, Mark, Samantha, and her family while we watched the game. Uncle Ken made beef stew. Samantha brought a huge loaf of bread she made in her bread machine. I brought my chocolate cake. (The kids loved it.) Dad and Jodie came back from their vacation during half-time, and I got to have a nice chat with them, too. They apparently had a nice time in Florida. Jodie was attending a convention for Campbell's Soup in Miami Beach, so they got to stay in a really fancy hotel and do all the things the other wealthy guests did on the company payroll. They also visited old friends of Dad's further north in Ft. Lauderdale.
Oh yes, and though they were losing when I left, the Philadelphia Eagles came back to beat the San Fransisco 49ers 40-26. Mark was happy, too - the Green Bay Packers beat the Seattle SeaHawks 27-17.
Not all is well in the City of Brotherly Love, however. At press time, the Philadelphia Phillies are down 7-2 to the LA Dodgers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)