Tagging is Evil!

Just when I was content in my stupor, a certain Stephcuddles has tagged me. I should have known it was coming. I have been dropping meanie (but humorous) comments on her blog. I think I have accidentally indenture her to jumper making for her mum. Hey, its my job, I am an enabler. I wear the badge proudly lol.
1. Whats your staple meal (ie. what meal do you cook most often when you can't be bothered to be adventurous)?
   I'm ashamed to say it's the Bird Nest Breakfast. Wheat toast with the center torn out and replaced with an egg in a frying pan.  When it's set, sprinkle with sharp cheese and add bacon on the side.  It;s quick, it's filling and sometimes I add carrots to ease the guilt -smiles-
2. What do you want to be when you grow up?
   Happy!
3. What book are you reading at the moment? (if any)
   Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. An Oprah's book choice (which drew me in) A series of short stories around a certain theme. Just finished the first short story, holding my opinion for now.
4. How do you relax?
   TV playing, stereo blasting, Internet surfing and knitting. With a cup of coffee by my side and a cookie or twenty, err I mean two, yeah that's it.
5. What color are the interior walls of your home?
   White. My place is so small, so white seems to expand it nicely. However my kitchen is baby blue. I know it's an off color for a kitchen, but I like it.
6. What is your guiltiest pleasure?
   On line yarn shopping is at the top of my list. (someone help me please!) Followed closely by Biscoff cookies (drooling) I LOVE THEM!!
7. What time is bedtime and getting up time?
   On work days I get up between 4:35 and 5 am, and go to sleep between 10 and 11pm. (I'm so trying to change my ways on the sleep time, but I have issues; the Internet) On my days off, anytime. I try to get the sleep I need.
8. How long do you spend reading blogs (per day or per week)?
   I try to keep it to a few blogs. Most are very interesting and attention grabbing and if I had my choice I would read them all day. Another reason why I go to sleep so late.

I'm finished! Whew!


Very little progress on my gray shawl. In fact it's hibernating in a secret location where I kicked it. I need a little time away from it. It kept messing up and making me rip it back numerous times. I blame the shawl, it needed discipline, Ive acted. That'll teach the other UFOs (unfinished objects) to behave or a kicking is coming. Sorry, sometimes you have to take a firm hand with knitting! -smiles-

I have started a new shawl with lace weight yarn and for the first time, beads! It's looking good and I haven't had to rip back but once (saw where I had split the yarn and had to tink back) I don't know if you can see the beads, but they're in there! Hoping this one can be finished soon.

A Little Walk About

After work on Saturday, I decided to take my camera out and shoot a few pictures of my journey from work to downtown. I can't use a camera in work, so I have a few distance pictures ('cause I didn't think of this idea until I was at the trolley stop) Since I'm a snap-aholic. I've shot too many pictures to feature here but I thought I would do a few.

This is where I work (sorry it's the back end), the Postal Service. Sounds glorious until you work there, but hey it's a job and I'm glad I'm working. (at least that's what I keep telling myself 'cause crying is not an option)

The trolley stop and mini mall in the back ground. Notice the lovely array of colorful trash on the tracks? Courtesy of the Junior High Schools in the area. I don't believe I was ever as bad as these kids!

Thought I'd take an inside trolley shot. I did warn I was a snap-aholic! Not a bad shot without a flash.

The city has many little beautifying projects. The mosaic pictures to give a plain wall a little umph and to make the bikers lane a bit more pleasant.

Several of the schools paint the walls with designs and murals to combat urban graffiti.

This is the beginning of the downtown area. The train station is such a beautiful building. My camera doesn't do it justice.

Right across the street from the train station is the old post office building, where I used to work before the transfer to the newer building. I miss working downtown.

Inside of the train station.

Yep there's a pub inside the train station. Don't think it's very pub like, but I have nothing but movies to go by.

This statue is dedicated to the fallen soldiers who worked for the rail road. It's beautiful and intimidatingly large. I couldn't get a clear shot of the faces.

   The dedication plaque.    

But it's a haunting look. It's an angel lifting those who lost their lives to heaven.












On a lighter note, this shoe shine station has been in the train station since the beginning. Believe it or not, folks still get their shoes shine, men and women, and this shoe shine place is a family business. Amazing but I think it will not remain that way. The guy who shines is getting older and I haven't seen an apprentice yet.
Just a bit of my city and a bit of my afternoon. I have many more pictures, but that's for another day. This remains me of the movie "Baby's Day Off"?? I think that was the name. All I need now is three bumbling felons...smiles

LYS Are Evil, but JoAnns, Not So Much.

I have split days off, so on Wednesday (day off), I decided to visit Jo Ann's fabric store. If you sew, then this store is for you. If you knit, not so much. Their selections are limited, (yes, I've become a yarn snob), however I still buy yarn from there because I am a yarn addict and there's no cure. ( and if there was I'd probably run the other way!) I can sew a little, but not enough to be tempted to buy a sewing machine. They have lots of quilting stuff, but not into that either. If you're a dedicated scrapbooker, (yep was into that for a bit), you are in luck there too. Jo Ann's has lots of books, videos and classes you can take to scratch that crafting itch, but, it lacks that certain atmosphere that only Ma and Pa LYS (local yarn shops) can provide. Before my down slide into yarn snobbery, JoAnns was a golden beacon in a thrifty crafter's life. Now, eh, not so much. My downward spiral started with Hand Maiden Sea Silk and I've been falling  ever since.(check my pockets and all you'll find are bits of cream that was use to soothe George, Lincoln and Andrew's burns after a fast exit out of my pockets!) -smokin!-

The simple never ending shawl is beginning to tick me off. It's so simple that I keep making dumb mistakes and have to rip back. Thank The Yarns (catchy phrase??) that I use life lines. Without that spark of knowledge, inanimate objects would suffer mightily! 

Shawl of Misery at Jo Ann's

Going to try beading the next one.

I love pineapples...can you tell???

I never leave home without my backpack!

 

A closer look at Shawlzilla

My goal for the next few Wednesdays are to visit the local yarn shops (LYS) in my area and snap a few pics to show you what I mean about atmosphere and charm. I call them evil 'cause they make money disappear from your wallet and all you are left with are armfuls of beautiful yarn and some chips ('cause you spent your lunch money....again...sigh)

My Mini Holiday Is Over and All I Got Was Too Much Rest!

Hysterical but true. There can be such a thing as too much rest. My schedule is all messed up. I have always been more of a night person and my mini vacation has flipped me back to the dark side. I should be sleeping now, but instead I'm blogging. Before that I decided I needed to clean stuff. Why. because I got too much rest. Now everything is half done, half out, half clean, half piled up with no where to be. I have to be up like 5am and I am so not sleepy. I'm in deep, deep sheep chips -smiles-
The only good thing that came out of my night rummaging, is that I found more yarn for my shawl. I was so happy. It was like manna from heaven. I wanted a full shawl and now I can have that and its the same dye lot. The pain in the butt is going to be undoing the bind off, but I don't care, I have more yarn and my wrist and thumbs are doing better. Here's hoping that going back to work doesn't undo all the good that's been done!
Now for the shame on me part. I didn't do any baking like I hand intended. It was really humid this weekend, Mon&Tues and I do not have air conditioning at the moment. That may change very soon as I hate having to wring out my pillow. (now that's a visual)-smiles-
Now to make Steph Cuddles day -smiles- she has a lovely blog and really takes good and interesting pictures along with interesting tidbits of her day. One to check out.
Found my camera!!! Night rummaging sometimes pay off. Soon as that baby's charged up, I'm back with photos!