What's next? Locusts? I REALLY don't like bugs, Lord, so can we stop at just two natural disasters and forget the plagues?
Although the actual hurricane, Irene, wasn't as bad as we had been prepared for, we got water in our basement. If Jack and I hadn't jumped on it first thing after breakfast, we'd be underwater now. It never got deep; it was just a constant stream of water, well, constant streamS of water coming up through the floor, in through the windows and walls. Our neighbor on the left has 6-8 inches of water in their finished basement. Our neighbor across the street has a completely renovated basement that was done a few years ago after the sewer backed up into her basement - so deep that her second refrigerator wad literally floating. She sent me a photo that year of Ole' Faithful gushing out of her basement toilet. And that happened again this morning. Not quite as bad as last time, but she was SUPPOSED to be on vacation in Virginia this week... Imagine if it was spouting lime that with no one there for a week...
It can always be worse; we just have to keep telling ourselves that...
About Me
- Krys72599
- I'm happy, married, and looking forward to sharing my world with you! If you're interested, that is!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
5.9 Earthquake in Mineral, VA...
... and we were evacuated from our building!!!
I was in yoga class, in the middle of some stretching, and we felt the floor move.
It was more than the rumble of a truck passing in the street below. This was, for lack of a better word, "different."
It felt shakey, like a truck, vibrating up and down, but it was also swaying back and forth. You know how they say, "Once you feel it, you'll recognize it!"? Well, that's true. To a point.
We knew it was something more than a big truck. But we never expected it to be an earthquake!
We finished another 3 or 4 minutes of yoga, and were just settling in under our blankets for a 15-20 minute nap (this is "Yoga Snooze" class, after all!), when the sirens went off and they evacuated the building!
I grabbed my flip flops and my clothes and my work I.D. and ran out of the building to my assigned spot. The 4th floor meets on Pier A, on the right side, about midway. My purse, keys, and phone, and all my money and credit cards, were at my desk. I could get on the train, and get home, but I couldn't get into my car. I could walk from the train station to my house but I couldn't get inside.
And besides that, it was H.O.T. outside today - I was wearing a t-shirt and some capri-length work out pants that were a heavy jersey. It was so warm that an hour later, by the time they let us back into the building, I needed a shower! (Keep in mind, after Yoga Snooze, I don't normally need to shower; it's not a class in which we really exert ourselves all that much!)
I haven't seen any news reports yet from the epicenter - I don't know how much damage was done there - but apparently this earthquake was felt as far south as South Carolina and as far north as Rhode Island and/or Massachusetts, depending on the news media you subscribe to... I must say, though, if I felt it as strongly as I did, and it was nowhere near a 5.9 in Hoboken, NJ, then I can't imagine what "The Big One" must have felt like!!!
And, quite frankly, I don't want to know...
I was in yoga class, in the middle of some stretching, and we felt the floor move.
It was more than the rumble of a truck passing in the street below. This was, for lack of a better word, "different."
It felt shakey, like a truck, vibrating up and down, but it was also swaying back and forth. You know how they say, "Once you feel it, you'll recognize it!"? Well, that's true. To a point.
We knew it was something more than a big truck. But we never expected it to be an earthquake!
We finished another 3 or 4 minutes of yoga, and were just settling in under our blankets for a 15-20 minute nap (this is "Yoga Snooze" class, after all!), when the sirens went off and they evacuated the building!
I grabbed my flip flops and my clothes and my work I.D. and ran out of the building to my assigned spot. The 4th floor meets on Pier A, on the right side, about midway. My purse, keys, and phone, and all my money and credit cards, were at my desk. I could get on the train, and get home, but I couldn't get into my car. I could walk from the train station to my house but I couldn't get inside.
And besides that, it was H.O.T. outside today - I was wearing a t-shirt and some capri-length work out pants that were a heavy jersey. It was so warm that an hour later, by the time they let us back into the building, I needed a shower! (Keep in mind, after Yoga Snooze, I don't normally need to shower; it's not a class in which we really exert ourselves all that much!)
I haven't seen any news reports yet from the epicenter - I don't know how much damage was done there - but apparently this earthquake was felt as far south as South Carolina and as far north as Rhode Island and/or Massachusetts, depending on the news media you subscribe to... I must say, though, if I felt it as strongly as I did, and it was nowhere near a 5.9 in Hoboken, NJ, then I can't imagine what "The Big One" must have felt like!!!
And, quite frankly, I don't want to know...
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Lots to catch you up on...
I spent 4 days in Boston/Cambridge last week. I traveled up there on business and for the first time, I found something that said spouses can't travel with you... didn't want to get in trouble, and he was working anyway, so this trip didn't work out for a side trip to Cape Cod (sorry, D & A!). He said for the rest of the summer, he's free to accompany me, so we'll see what, if any, trips I can schedule quickly... Here are some photos from this trip, along with some notes...
This was my view from breakfast at the ArtBar in the Royal Sonesta Hotel, BEFORE I walked out without breakfast - 35 minutes I sat there, without even a cup of coffee! And when I complained to the hostess, she stopped a waitress who looked right at me, shook her head "no" and didn't come over to take my order. Another 15 minutes and I was outta there!
The waitress who refused to serve me...
The view of the lobby wall when the elevator doors open - I like those pictures!
South Street Station on Thursday, on my way home.
A mural on the wall, done with tiles, in the hotel, on the 2nd floor. Apparently the hotel is known for having art on display all over the hotel; you can even take a self-guided tour of the art... There were a few pieces that caused me to think, before I knew it was "art," "What on earth is that and when are they going to finish it??!!??"
Appetizer at evoo, in Cambridge: Lourdes' Burratini with Drumlin Farms' Arugula, Kimball Farms' Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Red Onion and Toasted Pine Nuts
My hotel room at the Royal Sonesta Hotel. Opposite the bed, to the right, was a corner window that let in a LOT of light - loved that, even though the view was of the Galleria and PF Chang's...
On Sunday, August 7th, Mom turned 39 (again!). I threw her a little surprise party at our house. She knew I'd invited my baby sister and her family, but she didn't know I'd invited my cousin and his family, and my husband's family, too! She was very surprised when they all arrived! Here are some photos...
We put together an appetizer of tomatoes, roasted red peppers, red onions and mozzarella, drizzled with evoo and seasoned, on a bed of fresh basil. Personally I could have eaten that whole plate, and nothing else, and been perfectly happy!
We had cavatelli and broccoli, sausage with peppers and onions, mini sandwiches, cole slaw made from the red cabbage from our garden, three bean salad, potato salad, and a tomato salad my sister made.
My little great niece, at 13 months old. Apparently we had to be sure not to draw attention to her barettes or they would be torn out of her hair!
My SIL, mom and one of my nieces.
My sister and her beau.
My niece's hubby (she's the one in the photo above), my sister's beau's son, and the baby's daddy, who's married to my other niece (they're twins!).
Mom blowing out her candles - my sister got red candles that sparked colored flames!
Mom with my cousin - he's more like a brother to me than a cousin... His family couldn't come, dang it - his wife and son were working, and his daughter was away for the weekend with some friends. Yes, it's my fault, I left invites to the last minute...
Hubby and me!!!
This was my view from breakfast at the ArtBar in the Royal Sonesta Hotel, BEFORE I walked out without breakfast - 35 minutes I sat there, without even a cup of coffee! And when I complained to the hostess, she stopped a waitress who looked right at me, shook her head "no" and didn't come over to take my order. Another 15 minutes and I was outta there!
The waitress who refused to serve me...
The view of the lobby wall when the elevator doors open - I like those pictures!
A mural on the wall, done with tiles, in the hotel, on the 2nd floor. Apparently the hotel is known for having art on display all over the hotel; you can even take a self-guided tour of the art... There were a few pieces that caused me to think, before I knew it was "art," "What on earth is that and when are they going to finish it??!!??"
Appetizer at evoo, in Cambridge: Lourdes' Burratini with Drumlin Farms' Arugula, Kimball Farms' Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Red Onion and Toasted Pine Nuts
My hotel room at the Royal Sonesta Hotel. Opposite the bed, to the right, was a corner window that let in a LOT of light - loved that, even though the view was of the Galleria and PF Chang's...
On Sunday, August 7th, Mom turned 39 (again!). I threw her a little surprise party at our house. She knew I'd invited my baby sister and her family, but she didn't know I'd invited my cousin and his family, and my husband's family, too! She was very surprised when they all arrived! Here are some photos...
We put together an appetizer of tomatoes, roasted red peppers, red onions and mozzarella, drizzled with evoo and seasoned, on a bed of fresh basil. Personally I could have eaten that whole plate, and nothing else, and been perfectly happy!
We had cavatelli and broccoli, sausage with peppers and onions, mini sandwiches, cole slaw made from the red cabbage from our garden, three bean salad, potato salad, and a tomato salad my sister made.
My little great niece, at 13 months old. Apparently we had to be sure not to draw attention to her barettes or they would be torn out of her hair!
My niece's hubby (she's the one in the photo above), my sister's beau's son, and the baby's daddy, who's married to my other niece (they're twins!).
Mom blowing out her candles - my sister got red candles that sparked colored flames!
Mom with my cousin - he's more like a brother to me than a cousin... His family couldn't come, dang it - his wife and son were working, and his daughter was away for the weekend with some friends. Yes, it's my fault, I left invites to the last minute...
Hubby and me!!!
Monday, August 08, 2011
From Shelf Awareness...
Good Advice: Live with More Books than You Read
| "He should live with more books than he reads, with a penumbra of unread pages, of which he knows the general character and content, fluttering round him. This is the purpose of libraries.... It is also the purpose of good bookshops, both new and secondhand, of which there are still some, and would that there were more. A bookshop is not like a railway booking-office which one approaches knowing what one wants. One should enter it vaguely, almost in a dream, and allow what is there freely to attract and influence the eye. "To walk the rounds of the bookshops, dipping in as curiosity dictates, should be an afternoon's entertainment. Feel no shyness or compunction in taking it. Bookshops exist to provide it; and the booksellers welcome it, knowing how it will end." --Economist John Maynard Keynes, as quoted in a Canberra Times piece headlined "Bookshops about more than just purchasing." From Shelf Awareness, Friday, August 5, 2011 - Volume 2, Issue 1525 |
Saturday, August 06, 2011
You will be missed, Mr. T.
If you're friends with me on FB, you might have seen that my friend's dad died this past Thursday. I'd like to take just a minute to write a little something here in honor of Mr. T.
Mr. T., I didn't meet you until 1981 even though C and I had been friends for three years already. I'd met Mrs. T. at the end of freshman year, for just a minute or two. You and Mrs. T. made me feel so much at home when I came out to KCMO to visit C in 1981. We alll hit it off spectacularly well. We talked and talked, I never felt uncomfortable spending time with the two of you while C was at work. I felt at home at your home.
I remember when you told me about C's eye. What you said was that you'd been looking through his things for my number so you could call me because you knew he'd want me to know and you knew I'd want to know he'd been hurt. You were so worried about your son but you took the time to tell me what you knew, reassure me that C was okay, get me the room number and phone number for his hospital room...
Then when I came out for C and D's wedding, you rode back to the hotel with me from the rehearsal dinner. That's when you said I was like a daughter to you. Mr. T., you'll never know how much that meant to me; my dad had passed away the year before so hearing that... well, you'll never know how much it meant to feel that I had another "dad" out there if I needed one, to know that someone else loved me ...
I invited you and Mrs. T. to our wedding but you watched the boys so C and D could come. Thank you for that. I wish you'd been there to celebrate with us, but thank you for letting C come. That meant a lot to me, that he was there.
I had always talked about you and C with J, and we promised that if we retired and drove cross-country, on the motorcycle or by car, we'd stop in MO to see you and Mrs. T. I'm so sorry that I won't be able to spend time with you, but if the timing works, I'll stop by and see Mrs. T....
I know your life wasn't easy. I know you've had some health issues, especially these past few years. I'm so sorry for any pain or suffering you went through. But knowing you're with God now, that brings peace to my heart. Hearing from C that your children were with you, that it was easy, that brings comfort to those of us missing you.
We will miss you, Mr. T. Say hi to my dad, will you?!?
Mr. T., I didn't meet you until 1981 even though C and I had been friends for three years already. I'd met Mrs. T. at the end of freshman year, for just a minute or two. You and Mrs. T. made me feel so much at home when I came out to KCMO to visit C in 1981. We alll hit it off spectacularly well. We talked and talked, I never felt uncomfortable spending time with the two of you while C was at work. I felt at home at your home.
I remember when you told me about C's eye. What you said was that you'd been looking through his things for my number so you could call me because you knew he'd want me to know and you knew I'd want to know he'd been hurt. You were so worried about your son but you took the time to tell me what you knew, reassure me that C was okay, get me the room number and phone number for his hospital room...
Then when I came out for C and D's wedding, you rode back to the hotel with me from the rehearsal dinner. That's when you said I was like a daughter to you. Mr. T., you'll never know how much that meant to me; my dad had passed away the year before so hearing that... well, you'll never know how much it meant to feel that I had another "dad" out there if I needed one, to know that someone else loved me ...
I invited you and Mrs. T. to our wedding but you watched the boys so C and D could come. Thank you for that. I wish you'd been there to celebrate with us, but thank you for letting C come. That meant a lot to me, that he was there.
I had always talked about you and C with J, and we promised that if we retired and drove cross-country, on the motorcycle or by car, we'd stop in MO to see you and Mrs. T. I'm so sorry that I won't be able to spend time with you, but if the timing works, I'll stop by and see Mrs. T....
I know your life wasn't easy. I know you've had some health issues, especially these past few years. I'm so sorry for any pain or suffering you went through. But knowing you're with God now, that brings peace to my heart. Hearing from C that your children were with you, that it was easy, that brings comfort to those of us missing you.
We will miss you, Mr. T. Say hi to my dad, will you?!?
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Home Re-Do - in My Dreams...
Oh, my, someday, when I can do whatever I want to do in my house, decorating-wise, without having to explain to my husband "why" I want to do it, I'm going to do this: painted wood floors [For some reason although I was able to save a photo or two from her blog to my desktop, I am having trouble posting it here so please click through to her blog and look at her painted floor project.]
I LOVE IT!
Although most times my traditional decor leanings have been in line with J's, lately I find myself wanting to go either the cottage route (see painted floors above) or the neat and clean and more modern look of the Petersiks (Young House Love). Oh, my, all that white and gray with pops of color around the house!!! See here for an example of what I mean: Tea Time - and to top it all off? NO CLUTTER
It took YEARS to get color on my walls and now I sort of want to go white again? Go figure.
It must be the impending onset of menopause...
(That may ALSO be the reason I am itching to just throw out everything I own and start all over...)
I LOVE IT!
Although most times my traditional decor leanings have been in line with J's, lately I find myself wanting to go either the cottage route (see painted floors above) or the neat and clean and more modern look of the Petersiks (Young House Love). Oh, my, all that white and gray with pops of color around the house!!! See here for an example of what I mean: Tea Time - and to top it all off? NO CLUTTER
It took YEARS to get color on my walls and now I sort of want to go white again? Go figure.
It must be the impending onset of menopause...
(That may ALSO be the reason I am itching to just throw out everything I own and start all over...)
Monday, August 01, 2011
I'm Not Alone!!! Thanks, Kelly!!!
One of my favorite scrapping bloggers feels as I do about books vs. readers... Just thought I'd post a link to Kelly Purkey's post about her love of real books...
I especially love when she says: "Give me my books!!! I admittedly sleep with books in my bed and call me old fashioned but who wants to wake up face to face with a computer. Give me my books. Let me keep my bookstores."
I especially love when she says: "Give me my books!!! I admittedly sleep with books in my bed and call me old fashioned but who wants to wake up face to face with a computer. Give me my books. Let me keep my bookstores."
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Week in the Life - Thursday, July 28
The usual, up at 5:50am, ready for the 7:20am train Which was 22 minutes late. Without any announcements on the track. If it weren't for Eva's smartphone, we wouldn't have known. Although then I could have turned around and "worked" from home...
Spent 5 hours doing that damned 500+ line report for Grainger. No matter what, I just KNEW I'd wind up doing it...
Ate two sandwiches for lunch - no idea why. They were just so good... Then I had to eat dinner 'cause if I didn't, J wouldn't eat dinner and he had nothing all day. Think I'll be taking a Tagamet before I go to sleep!
Took some photos of theclock tower and the train station in Hoboken, Franklin Avenue in Nutley, the front porch of our house.
Tested Sue's chocolate chip cookies (she put too much baking powder or baking soda in them and she was afraid they tasted bad). Chatted with Shifra and her girls for a little while, and an old neighbor (the Dennises up the street, who moved to Florida years 9 years ago). She popped by to see the neighborhood...
Picked up some photos at Costco for the past few days of Week in the Life.
Got P's anniversary card today. It was a funny one!
Spent 5 hours doing that damned 500+ line report for Grainger. No matter what, I just KNEW I'd wind up doing it...
Ate two sandwiches for lunch - no idea why. They were just so good... Then I had to eat dinner 'cause if I didn't, J wouldn't eat dinner and he had nothing all day. Think I'll be taking a Tagamet before I go to sleep!
Took some photos of theclock tower and the train station in Hoboken, Franklin Avenue in Nutley, the front porch of our house.
Tested Sue's chocolate chip cookies (she put too much baking powder or baking soda in them and she was afraid they tasted bad). Chatted with Shifra and her girls for a little while, and an old neighbor (the Dennises up the street, who moved to Florida years 9 years ago). She popped by to see the neighborhood...
Picked up some photos at Costco for the past few days of Week in the Life.
Got P's anniversary card today. It was a funny one!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Not that I'm late finding Pinterest, but I'm late posting my LOVE of Pinterest on my blog and linking you to my pages so you can see what floats my boat!!!
Enjoy!!! If you want an easy way to keep track of images off the internet that pique your interest (Pinterest!), click on "Send Me and Invitation" at the top of my main page.
Krys' Pinterest Pages
Enjoy!!! If you want an easy way to keep track of images off the internet that pique your interest (Pinterest!), click on "Send Me and Invitation" at the top of my main page.
Krys' Pinterest Pages
Week in the Life - July 25th,26th, and 27th
I'm doing Ali Edward's Week in the Life project this week, and I guess what I'll do, starting a couple of days late, is summarize my days here on the blog, so I have a record somewhere, just in case the jotting down thing doesn't work! (And I know it doesn't 'cause sometimes I forget to jot...) I'll go back and add photos when I'm on my laptop...
Monday, July 25th
Took the day off from work to spend it with J - it IS, after all, our 12th wedding anniversary! He got up at 7 to go to the gym; I slept in a little later than usual. Got into the shower at 7:30, watched some Good Morning, America, lounging around in bed. We opened our anniversary cards and then went to breakfast at the Corner Bakery Cafe (iced caramel latte and a slice of pumpkin bread for me, coffee and a banana for J).
By 10am we were in Hoboken to help Gen and Murray move some furniture from her mom's apt to their house. (Gen's mom passed away a couple of weeks ago and she has to have all her mom's stuff moved out of the senior housing apartment by Sunday.) Spent some time just talking with her about her loss and about dealing... So sad... By 1pm we were done so we were off to WalMart. Did a little shopping, didn't buy anything, though (THAT must be a first!). J asked about air conditioners; he's thinking about putting a new one in our bedroom; the small one takes too long to cool off the room. I think I'd rather put one on the first floor; we don't have a working one down there and it was pretty miserable last week when we had that heat wave. We went to the Olive Garden for "soup, salad, and breadsticks" (no cooking for me on our anniversary!). Back home where we both putzed around for a while, him in the basement and outside, me cleaning our room and the computer room. It's still in a shambles from the burst pipe - need to really put all that stuff back in the closet! Some cold salads for dinner; we were still full from lunch! Dropped $25 at Mom's for A - she finally realized she can make some gas money cleaning Babci's house for her, a deal I offered her last summer and she forgot about until last week! Went to my sister-in-law's house for our usual Monday dessert. We watched T's graduation video to see her give her speech, watched E take a few steps on her own (she's thisclose to walking by herself!), and then went home at 10pm, watched some TV and went to sleep. Happy Anniversary to us!!! One of the best moments of the day: E falling asleep in my arms - you can feel her little body just becoming heavier and heavier... Love the smell of a baby! Got the invitation for Ezra's bar mitzvah.
Tuesday, July 26th
Woke up at 4:30 to visit the bathroom (too much coffee the night before!) so played a couple of rounds of Words with Friends on my iTouch. Back to work - the usual: up at 5:50am, in the shower and getting ready to be on the 7:20 train to Hoboken. Took some tomatoes from our garden to snack on at work. A tractor trailer got stuck under the Delawanna bridge near the train station - just can't understand how this happens. You know how high your truck is - you know how high the bridge is. If the truck is higher than the bridge, don't drive under it! Seems easy to me... Played catch up all day at work - lots of phone calls and emails...
Caught up on some blog reading at lunch, and worked on a To Do list that includes prepping for Mom's b'day lunch on the 7th. Lunch was pasta with peas and bacon in a cream sauce - not too healthy, I know, but yummy! Of course I balanced my meal with a sugar-free raspberry iced tea! Then I promptly ruined it farther with free Ben & Jerry's ice cream! The B&J truck is apparently traveling the country and yesterday was Hoboken's day! They were promoting two new flavors: Americone (vanilla with caramel and chocolate-covered waffle cone pieces) and Late Night Snack (vanilla with caramel and chocolate-covered potato chips). When I told J about it, he knew IMMEDIATELY I was an Americone kind of girl! (He knows me so well!) J had to go in to work at the garage at 8am instead of at noon; someone ripped the sidewalls on 128 tires at the Comcast lot! Think they're annoyed at the new union regs? We had a cold Spicy Italian sub at Subway for dinner and went to see HP7.2 for the third time! (LOVE those free movie tickets on Tuesday nights! Thanks, Optimum!)
When we came outside, it had apparently rained; it smelled like a warm summer night's rain. According to Neen, it STORMED while we were in there, complete with lightning and thunder! And we missed it all! Both of us fell asleep quickly last night - we must have been tired!
Wednesday, July 27th
Up at the usual time, a delicious iced caramel latte from Chock full o'Nuts to start my day.
Catching up on my blogging (you're reading this, aren't you!?!?). Checked Amazon delivery notification: yay, my 2nd Project Life binder is being delivered! (Becky, mine is already too full for the one binder, so I ordered another! Thanks, Ali, for encouraging us to add extra pages!). Taking Mom to get our nails done tonight.
Here's a photo of the vitamins and supplements I take every night before I go to bed. I do feel better in a number of ways, so I guess they're working.
This is a new blouse that I bought at Dress Barn earlier this week. I also got it in maroon. I got two others at the same time, a black and white floral tank that looks awesome with my white shorts, and a ruffled floral top that I think flatters my shape, but at the same time makes me look a little boxier/shorter, not in a bad way.
Words with Friends: My name is Krys and I am a Words with Friends-aholic.
Dinner tonight was peppers and onions on a garlic pesto wrap - mmm, good!
Monday, July 25th
Took the day off from work to spend it with J - it IS, after all, our 12th wedding anniversary! He got up at 7 to go to the gym; I slept in a little later than usual. Got into the shower at 7:30, watched some Good Morning, America, lounging around in bed. We opened our anniversary cards and then went to breakfast at the Corner Bakery Cafe (iced caramel latte and a slice of pumpkin bread for me, coffee and a banana for J).
By 10am we were in Hoboken to help Gen and Murray move some furniture from her mom's apt to their house. (Gen's mom passed away a couple of weeks ago and she has to have all her mom's stuff moved out of the senior housing apartment by Sunday.) Spent some time just talking with her about her loss and about dealing... So sad... By 1pm we were done so we were off to WalMart. Did a little shopping, didn't buy anything, though (THAT must be a first!). J asked about air conditioners; he's thinking about putting a new one in our bedroom; the small one takes too long to cool off the room. I think I'd rather put one on the first floor; we don't have a working one down there and it was pretty miserable last week when we had that heat wave. We went to the Olive Garden for "soup, salad, and breadsticks" (no cooking for me on our anniversary!). Back home where we both putzed around for a while, him in the basement and outside, me cleaning our room and the computer room. It's still in a shambles from the burst pipe - need to really put all that stuff back in the closet! Some cold salads for dinner; we were still full from lunch! Dropped $25 at Mom's for A - she finally realized she can make some gas money cleaning Babci's house for her, a deal I offered her last summer and she forgot about until last week! Went to my sister-in-law's house for our usual Monday dessert. We watched T's graduation video to see her give her speech, watched E take a few steps on her own (she's thisclose to walking by herself!), and then went home at 10pm, watched some TV and went to sleep. Happy Anniversary to us!!! One of the best moments of the day: E falling asleep in my arms - you can feel her little body just becoming heavier and heavier... Love the smell of a baby! Got the invitation for Ezra's bar mitzvah.
Tuesday, July 26th
Woke up at 4:30 to visit the bathroom (too much coffee the night before!) so played a couple of rounds of Words with Friends on my iTouch. Back to work - the usual: up at 5:50am, in the shower and getting ready to be on the 7:20 train to Hoboken. Took some tomatoes from our garden to snack on at work. A tractor trailer got stuck under the Delawanna bridge near the train station - just can't understand how this happens. You know how high your truck is - you know how high the bridge is. If the truck is higher than the bridge, don't drive under it! Seems easy to me... Played catch up all day at work - lots of phone calls and emails...
Caught up on some blog reading at lunch, and worked on a To Do list that includes prepping for Mom's b'day lunch on the 7th. Lunch was pasta with peas and bacon in a cream sauce - not too healthy, I know, but yummy! Of course I balanced my meal with a sugar-free raspberry iced tea! Then I promptly ruined it farther with free Ben & Jerry's ice cream! The B&J truck is apparently traveling the country and yesterday was Hoboken's day! They were promoting two new flavors: Americone (vanilla with caramel and chocolate-covered waffle cone pieces) and Late Night Snack (vanilla with caramel and chocolate-covered potato chips). When I told J about it, he knew IMMEDIATELY I was an Americone kind of girl! (He knows me so well!) J had to go in to work at the garage at 8am instead of at noon; someone ripped the sidewalls on 128 tires at the Comcast lot! Think they're annoyed at the new union regs? We had a cold Spicy Italian sub at Subway for dinner and went to see HP7.2 for the third time! (LOVE those free movie tickets on Tuesday nights! Thanks, Optimum!)
When we came outside, it had apparently rained; it smelled like a warm summer night's rain. According to Neen, it STORMED while we were in there, complete with lightning and thunder! And we missed it all! Both of us fell asleep quickly last night - we must have been tired!
Wednesday, July 27th
Up at the usual time, a delicious iced caramel latte from Chock full o'Nuts to start my day.
Catching up on my blogging (you're reading this, aren't you!?!?). Checked Amazon delivery notification: yay, my 2nd Project Life binder is being delivered! (Becky, mine is already too full for the one binder, so I ordered another! Thanks, Ali, for encouraging us to add extra pages!). Taking Mom to get our nails done tonight.
Here's a photo of the vitamins and supplements I take every night before I go to bed. I do feel better in a number of ways, so I guess they're working.
This is a new blouse that I bought at Dress Barn earlier this week. I also got it in maroon. I got two others at the same time, a black and white floral tank that looks awesome with my white shorts, and a ruffled floral top that I think flatters my shape, but at the same time makes me look a little boxier/shorter, not in a bad way.
Words with Friends: My name is Krys and I am a Words with Friends-aholic.
Dinner tonight was peppers and onions on a garlic pesto wrap - mmm, good!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Posting... Finally!
It's been a while... But I was traveling. To St. Louis for business, to Atlantic City for vacation, then to the lake for the rest of the week...
Timing is everything and I managed to time a last minute trip to STL around a surprise party for my best friend from college. I flew into STL in the morning, businessed as I had to, then checked into my hotel. It was 2 blocks away from historic downtown St. Charles, so I spent Friday night eating at The Mother-in-Law House Restaurant, and wandering along the MO River and into some stores that were still open. [Surprising to me was the fact that so many of the boutique-y stores closed before 8pm on a Friday night, while it was still light out and while tourists galore were still tourist-ing around town...
On Saturday, I went downtown again (a nice walk in some very hot and humid weather, although it didn't hold a candle to my current 101 degrees and 75-degree dewpoint) and decided at the last minute to go get my toes done for the party. I went into the Chamber of Commerce/Tourism Office and the closest pedicure to my hotel was $56. Yea, right. So I hopped in my 2011 red Impala and drove to the big intersection near the hotel (it was a bit too scary to walk!) and went into Walgreen's. I looked for a nice lady to accost and ask directions from and of course, the very nice lady I chose wasn't a local! But she pointed me to Zumbehl Road, two exits west of where I was, off Interstate 70, and said there were lots of malls there and she was sure I'd find something...
So I went. I found boats, tons of boats parked in the parking lot outside a sporting goods store! They looked so odd in the parking lot; there were more boats than cars! I found a spa/salon who charged $46, but that included a $5 bottle of polish (so I wound up with a stocking stuffer for Mom!). They could take me within 45 minutes and of course I wanted to go back and shower and get ready for the party, so I caved.
To kill 45 minutes I went to the St. Louis Bread Factory, aka Panera Bread in the rest of the world. Apparently the "St. Louis Bread Factory" store name didn't cut it outside of St. Louis... Had a delicious strawberry and poppyseed salad and a large iced tea. Then I went and got probably the worst pedicure of my life for one of the highest costs I've ever paid, but they were cut and clean and polished, even if not as well as I get done here in NJ! I also popped into this knitting store in honor of my middle sister and my mom - they're going to be opening a website and an online store soon...
I got ready, went to C's house, and he was being treated to a day'o'bowling by his 3 sons, since the bowling alley was way more air conditioned than the golf course (their original plan was a day'o'golf!). He came in and was suitably surprised, especially when he saw his ex-roommate T and T's wife, who had come from Kansas City. He commented about the distance, that he couldn't believe they came! Then C's wife said something about them not winning the longest distance travelled award, and she pointed at me.
C was FLOORED! He couldn't believe I had come to MO for his party! He ate dinner with T and J and me, and the three of us stayed the latest, after the rest of the party left. I was the last to leave, at a little after 11pm; his youngest son was falling asleep in the living room! We could have talked all night, but didn't. I wanted to get a shot of the family before I left, so I asked them to pose for me. I couldn't get them to look at me; well, DANNA couldn't get them all organized and in place so I just took a shot. The flash got their attention and they IMMEDIATELY turned to the camera and smiled!
They invited me over for breakfast the next morning but I had to get to the airport so I couldn't. It was so nice to see him - and apparently he, too, feels 6 years is too long between visits. I only wish J had come with me...
Then on Monday, J and I left for AC. He had to be there for a credit union seminar, and spouses always tag along. I lost a little, then broke even, but I prefer to come out ahead. It just didn't work this time; the slots were against me! I sat on the balcony outside their meeting room for a few hours and got a nice sunburntan. We had a nice dinner at Casa de Napoli in the Showboat Casino and Hotel and then came home on Wednesday.
We hung around Clifton for a day or so, then went to see Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows, Part 2 in Real-D! It was awesome! My favorite one ever! (We just went to see it a 2nd time this past Tuesday, for free, courtesy of Optimum Triple Play's benefits card.)
This weekend we went to the lake; there's central air there, so staying home where only my bedroom has a small air conditioner is not really an option. I would have to shop in the mall, or sit in B&N for hours...
Speaking of B&N, which leads me to think of Borders... How sad. 10K+ employees are losing their jobs. 10K! In one shot. Not 10 here, 20 there, a few hundred in our building when my company closed down... 10K! I've never been a Borders fan; I didn't like the way their stores were arranged. I feel as though in recent years they looked more at book "stuff" than at "books." At least that was my feeling in-store... I know someone who got their start in a Borders store, worked their way up to shift manager, or store manager (I forget), but then came to work at SDC and we became friends and I know she's hurting over the people she knows from her years there losing their jobs... Do you realize that with the exception of a handful of independents (compared to years ago, and they're going the way of the wind, too, these days), B&N is all that's left?
We spend hours in B&N a week NOW. Guess it will be a bit more crowded soon...
P.S. I gave mom the polish as soon as I got home! And the TSA officer thought my toes looked GREAT when she body scanned me in the airport...
Timing is everything and I managed to time a last minute trip to STL around a surprise party for my best friend from college. I flew into STL in the morning, businessed as I had to, then checked into my hotel. It was 2 blocks away from historic downtown St. Charles, so I spent Friday night eating at The Mother-in-Law House Restaurant, and wandering along the MO River and into some stores that were still open. [Surprising to me was the fact that so many of the boutique-y stores closed before 8pm on a Friday night, while it was still light out and while tourists galore were still tourist-ing around town...
On Saturday, I went downtown again (a nice walk in some very hot and humid weather, although it didn't hold a candle to my current 101 degrees and 75-degree dewpoint) and decided at the last minute to go get my toes done for the party. I went into the Chamber of Commerce/Tourism Office and the closest pedicure to my hotel was $56. Yea, right. So I hopped in my 2011 red Impala and drove to the big intersection near the hotel (it was a bit too scary to walk!) and went into Walgreen's. I looked for a nice lady to accost and ask directions from and of course, the very nice lady I chose wasn't a local! But she pointed me to Zumbehl Road, two exits west of where I was, off Interstate 70, and said there were lots of malls there and she was sure I'd find something...
So I went. I found boats, tons of boats parked in the parking lot outside a sporting goods store! They looked so odd in the parking lot; there were more boats than cars! I found a spa/salon who charged $46, but that included a $5 bottle of polish (so I wound up with a stocking stuffer for Mom!). They could take me within 45 minutes and of course I wanted to go back and shower and get ready for the party, so I caved.
To kill 45 minutes I went to the St. Louis Bread Factory, aka Panera Bread in the rest of the world. Apparently the "St. Louis Bread Factory" store name didn't cut it outside of St. Louis... Had a delicious strawberry and poppyseed salad and a large iced tea. Then I went and got probably the worst pedicure of my life for one of the highest costs I've ever paid, but they were cut and clean and polished, even if not as well as I get done here in NJ! I also popped into this knitting store in honor of my middle sister and my mom - they're going to be opening a website and an online store soon...
I got ready, went to C's house, and he was being treated to a day'o'bowling by his 3 sons, since the bowling alley was way more air conditioned than the golf course (their original plan was a day'o'golf!). He came in and was suitably surprised, especially when he saw his ex-roommate T and T's wife, who had come from Kansas City. He commented about the distance, that he couldn't believe they came! Then C's wife said something about them not winning the longest distance travelled award, and she pointed at me.
C was FLOORED! He couldn't believe I had come to MO for his party! He ate dinner with T and J and me, and the three of us stayed the latest, after the rest of the party left. I was the last to leave, at a little after 11pm; his youngest son was falling asleep in the living room! We could have talked all night, but didn't. I wanted to get a shot of the family before I left, so I asked them to pose for me. I couldn't get them to look at me; well, DANNA couldn't get them all organized and in place so I just took a shot. The flash got their attention and they IMMEDIATELY turned to the camera and smiled!
They invited me over for breakfast the next morning but I had to get to the airport so I couldn't. It was so nice to see him - and apparently he, too, feels 6 years is too long between visits. I only wish J had come with me...
Then on Monday, J and I left for AC. He had to be there for a credit union seminar, and spouses always tag along. I lost a little, then broke even, but I prefer to come out ahead. It just didn't work this time; the slots were against me! I sat on the balcony outside their meeting room for a few hours and got a nice sun
We hung around Clifton for a day or so, then went to see Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows, Part 2 in Real-D! It was awesome! My favorite one ever! (We just went to see it a 2nd time this past Tuesday, for free, courtesy of Optimum Triple Play's benefits card.)
This weekend we went to the lake; there's central air there, so staying home where only my bedroom has a small air conditioner is not really an option. I would have to shop in the mall, or sit in B&N for hours...
Speaking of B&N, which leads me to think of Borders... How sad. 10K+ employees are losing their jobs. 10K! In one shot. Not 10 here, 20 there, a few hundred in our building when my company closed down... 10K! I've never been a Borders fan; I didn't like the way their stores were arranged. I feel as though in recent years they looked more at book "stuff" than at "books." At least that was my feeling in-store... I know someone who got their start in a Borders store, worked their way up to shift manager, or store manager (I forget), but then came to work at SDC and we became friends and I know she's hurting over the people she knows from her years there losing their jobs... Do you realize that with the exception of a handful of independents (compared to years ago, and they're going the way of the wind, too, these days), B&N is all that's left?
We spend hours in B&N a week NOW. Guess it will be a bit more crowded soon...
P.S. I gave mom the polish as soon as I got home! And the TSA officer thought my toes looked GREAT when she body scanned me in the airport...
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