May 22, 2010

Life in the Suburbs



So I've been working from a different branch location a lot recently. One of the best perks of this location is the landscaping that surrounds it. There's a pond and plenty of landscaping and several retention ponds. All this landscaping is a big draw for the suburban bird population. I've seen some very nice birds - gold finches, cardinals, etc. They are common birds but they are still beautiful to see especially in close proximity.

And then there's the Canada Goose family. This pair of geese are so much fun to watch. They seem to hang out in the vicinity of the retention pond. This makes me a little nervous because it's close to a busy intersection but I suppose there is that whole survival of the fittest principle to consider.

This is a poor pic. I have a very difficult time getting a photo because I'm typically in the car when I see them. Plus geese can be pretty aggressive and every time I slow down the car, the male hisses his "fowl" head off at me. (Pun intended). This leads me to believe actually getting out of the car and approaching them is a poor idea.

This photo is from about two weeks ago. On Friday, I noticed the male standing in the road while the little ones pecked around in the grass near the road. I went to the nearby gas station to get some coffee and when I came out, they were across the street enjoying a snack in some different grass. How brave that the male puts himself in the road first to halt traffic before the female and little ones cross!

These geese are great parents and I'm very much enjoying watching them tend to their brood.

Today Was a Lazy Day - So Far



Not much accomplished in terms of home improvement projects today. If I have time, I'll clean the upstairs later this evening. Or perhaps move some more stuff from the basement to the main floor.

C and I spend very little time apart from one another. We typically travel together and work similar hours so we are frequently at home at the same time. Certainly I miss him but I'm kinda' relishing the opportunity to be even more selfish than I typically am.

I made a pizza my way. Extra cheese, slightly soggy and zipped up with red pepper flakes. C doesn't like his pizza overly cheesy. (Sometimes I don't know what goes on in that head of his!) The dogs and I waited for it to get a little overcast and set out to Patterson Park for a nice long walk. Our friend Tilghman pictured above is still a bit of a handful on the leash. It does make walks a tad less enjoyable than they could be. His beard may be getting gray but he's still a wild thing occasionally. I took a nap. I cleaned up a couple of cabinets that friend R wanted to use in her pantry. I watched Mean Girls while I was doing it. I read a magazine. (Coastal Living - some fantastic before and after home renovations featured in this issue). I might watch some Sex and the City later this evening. I haven't even thought about putting on the History Channel! haha.

While C is still out of town I hope to go to the grocery and get our meals in order for the week, get some plants for the planters at the front of the house, continue to get the house in order, maybe get the cars washed. I'm glad I took it a little easy later this afternoon. I'm exhausted just thinking about tomorrow! And I really really wish I had taken a vacation day Monday.

Month of May Catch Up - #2 Mother's Day Weekend



The Power Plant from the Pratt Street Skywalk, Saturday May 8.

Month of May Catch Up - #1 Mother's Day Weekend



Mother's day weekend was the big block Bake Sale. I'm planning to upload some pics of my contributions to the design blog at some point this evening.

Saturday after the back sale C and I ventured to the Inner Harbor to purchase a few Mother's Day gifts and get some lunch. Our tapas lunch was lack luster but the weather was pretty good. . .Windy but pretty warm and quite clear.

Caught this pic of the Constellation from the vantage point of the sky-walk above Pratt Street between the Galleria and the Harbor Place Pavilions.

That's right, the sky walk. I'm trying to be less of a wuss about heights. I'll never bungee jump or anything but I'm making a conscious effort to venture onto things like swinging bridges, sky walks, etc. It seemed to be getting worse the older I was getting so I'm working on it. Of course it's not so much the height that's terrifying, it's the fear of falling. So I guess I'm working on my fear of falling from way up high and being squashed all over the ground below!

Another Saturday Night



And here I sit drinking coffee and acting all mature. What is going on?!

As I mentioned previously May has been a super busy month. C is currently hiking the south rim of the Grand Canyon with his Father, Brother, Brother-in-law, and a friend. While I'd love to see the Grand Canyon from a vantage point other than an airplane, I had no desire to do the kind of super rugged camping they are planning so I opted to be left to my own devices for 4 or 5 days.

The past few weekends have been crazy so I'm enjoying my alone time. Of course, I'm not really alone with all the critters in the house. I was reminded of this last evening when I sent the dogs to the basement. I sent them to the basement because I was vacuuming and mopping the main floor of the house. Apparently Tilghman decided to make a buffet out of the un-scooped cat litter box. He came upstairs and unceremoniously vomited cat turds all over the clean floor. WRETCHED.

The house is in a state of horrible disarray pending the redo of the basement. I'm trying to assimilate as much stuff as I can into the rest of the house. It's very time consuming and frankly, I'm way over it. Hence, my desire to do anything but create more "storage solutions." Well, anything but clean up cat-turd-dog-barf. . .I hope to never have to do that again!

This is a pic of Bernie Schwartz's Music store at the intersection of Ninth and Mifflin Street in Huntingdon PA. Bernie used to sell me my piano sheet music when I was a little girl. And when I earned 12 "Excellent" piano lessons, I could go to Bernie's and pick out any composer bust I wanted! I could just pick and he would hand it over. He would patiently wait while I looked at all the neat little black boxes lined up on the shelves, Mozart, Bach, Handel. . .The busts were some type of cream colored plastic and about 5 inches tall. I know my Mom kept them all and I'm looking forward to collecting a few on my next visit. I have plans to gold leaf and display a few around the house. Yeah. Another project for the design blog.

Just heard from C and his Father. C reports he's taking copious pictures and having a great time. C's Dad reports C has been mocked all day because they overheard him tell me this morning that he missed "snuggling." LOL!!! It's nice that C's so sweet but surely he could have seen that one coming. I hope they continue to have great weather and a safe hike.

May 19, 2010

Long Time No Post

A lot going on. C's big hike. Sister D's big new house. Mom's Relay for Life. d's basement reno debacle. R moving back to town. I have pics coming out of my ears. And honestly, I'm still pretty clumsy posting from the Mac and Aperture. Getting late but I hope to get back in the swing this coming weekend.

Am beginning to understand I definitely need some kind of class to help me digitally keep the photos catalogued.

Also likely need professional help in other aspects.

Maw-ha-hahahaha!!!

May 07, 2010

Shuuuuuuuuuuuuuu. . .




Looking out my front window while I wait for the LAST batch of Lemon-Chamomile Shortbread to bake for tomorrow morning's bake sale.

Witness a neighbor across the street in his front upstairs window. He's wearing a gray T shirt with the sleeves cut off. I see him in profile from the waist up. The room is dim. The TV is flickering. He's standing close to the window making odd jerky motions.

I'm intrigued.

I'm picturing another lurid encounter with fornicating neighbors.

Of course I continue to watch.

His movements are curious. His front window is open. I can tell because the curtains stir.

I open our front door. Even across the street I can hear it. . .

Shuuuuuuuuu, Shuuuuuuuu, Shuuuuuuuu. . .

His vocalizations carry across our quiet, narrow, city street.

Shuuuuuuuuu, Shuuuuuuuuu, Shuuuuuuuu. . .

And his movements seem coreographed with his cadence.

I'm mesmerized.

I watch. I listen.

Is this some kind of tantric sex stuff I don't understand?

Suddenly gurgling is audible. And then a tiny little arm offers itself from his profile.

He is comforting a newborn baby. He is shuuuuuuu - ing and rocking a baby.

And suddenly, my perverse curiosity is replaced by a curious longing.

And I am overwhelmed by sentiment.

His movements are suddenly understood as tender, and precious, and beautiful.

His shuuuuuuuuu soothes the empty street.

And I wonder what am I missing?

May 05, 2010

Life is Officially Imitating Art - 'Cept Uglier. . .



If you split the slit in your skirt getting into the car it might be a good idea to get back on the Weight Watchers no? in my defense, the skirt wasn't tight, I just kinda slid into the car in rather ungracefully.

But I had a good 50 minutes in traffic to contemplate the error of my ways. It also afforded me time to formulate a plan for getting into the house without my wardrobe malfunction exposing my Spanx to the entire neighborhood. (Slid the skirt around so it appears the skirt has a side slit. Albeit a slutty bizarro looking side slit but it's better than giving your neighbors a good look at your caboose while you drag in about 35 bags from the craft store.)

And after I figured out the split-slit twist, I had plenty of time to be painfully aware of the extra 20 pounds I'm carrying around. Why do I keep yo-yo-ing the same 15 pounds? Why can't I just be more disciplined? Why can't I get a stomach flu to get me a good head start?

Luckily before I had time to contemplate anything serious, I got a phone call. (Can you believe I had cell reception the entire way through the Fort McHenry tunnel?)

At the present? Sitting here mindlessly eating M&Ms. . .After all, the best diet ever is the one you start tomorrow!

April 21, 2010

Catoctin #105

Catoctin #110



Like spring leaves, present yourself to the world quietly but confidently

Like spring light, highlight all that is fresh, and graceful, and glorious

Like warmer days, endeavor to shine light upon all that is tender and beautiful

Like a stream running swift with snow melt and spring rains, soften rough edges

Be brilliant like small flowers on the forest floor

Hurry

Fall is swift

And winter is certain

Catoctin #153

Catoctin #156



Seems a shame that this perfectly good still is sitting idle. Maybe the National Parks Service should start brewing some Camp David Whiskey? It could help defray the costs of maintaining the Park.

Catoctin #143



While C did a more "challenging" (i.e., miserable way uphill, only woods, potential to leave d sweaty and waaaayyy winded hike), d checked out this trail. . .

Sadly, the still isn't in current operation.

So don't come thirsty.

You will be sadly disappointed.

Consider yourself warned. . . hahaha

April 20, 2010

Catoctin #86



Things that look dirty but aren't. . .

Things that are a public safety hazzard. . .

Things that could be easily fixed with a chainsaw. . .

Giggle. . giggle. . .snarky giggle. . .

Catoctin #77



C: Maybe they had a bowel movement here and that sealed their love?

d: I married you! I married you! I married you? Such a romantic.

Catoctin #76




This pretty much perfectly illustrates why C should not be left to his own devices hiking the Grand Canyon. . .

For the love of gawd. . .We paid how much for Invisalign?!

Catoctin #67

April 19, 2010

Catoctin #64



A good wife would think the following after viewing this pic of their husband:

A. Ha, ha, ha, eeeehhhh, ha, ahahahaha. . .It looks as if he's "motor boating" the mountains.

B. My handsome husband is a sweet gentle soul that really loves hiking, and nature, and me.

C. Neither A nor B

D. I'm going to hell regardless.

E. Shouldn't the answer be more obvious - like one of those stupid magazine or online quizzes?

F. Thank gawd I'm not married to Tiger Woods, I'd be a widow by now.

Catoctin #56



Trust me. I'm a Certified Industrial Hygenist.

Shall we Commence with the Weekend Torture?



C and I decide Sunday is a great day for a hike. C and I are forced to admit our ideas of "hiking" and spending time in "nature" are not necessarily the same. This is a nice way of saying C was a bit cranky. . .'cause I'd never ever be cranky.

C and I realize sometimes you can take different paths and still come to the same place (that place may or may not have been C was cranky.)

Hiked Catoctin. Another National Park. Felt very important being so close to Camp David. Was just waiting for some Secret Service Agent to tell me I was too close to something important. . .

Sadly, C and I don't make nearly as much of an impression as those two ding-dongs that crashed the dinner at the White House.