For My Canadian Friend(s)... Toronto

Unfortunately, my Canadian friend has dialup and will not be able to view this for a while... but hopefully soon. I also must declare my complete ignorance of where Toronto is in comparison to my friend's home. But at least I'm admitting it. And to those Canadians who hate us Yanks... sorry 'bout that. We're not all assholes. Most, but not all. I'm just not sure which category I'm in, though.

Nothing Much Going On

 
I've been watching a work crew preparing the lot next door for grass. This is going to be one expensive lawn by the time they are through. Looks like they might also be putting in a sprinkler system. Seems like a lot of work to just put in some grass for a year or two... but clearly, what do I know. Nothing, thats what.

Its Rose Festival week and the weather is typical... showers and clouds. The Grand Floral Parade will be this Saturday. I hope its not raining then and that its cloudy. Cloudy is better than sunburns and heat strokes, ya know.

I'm having a blah day.

ohmygosh... and I can't forget Phoebe

So Glad You're Here

Luv her gritty voice. Macy Gray.

Yesterday

 
 
 
I was puttering around yesterday when a friend called and invited me over for a visit.... so I went. It is good to get out and interact with others. It helps keep things in perspective. It helps keep your thinking balanced.

We played Upwards, the word game. I won by one point. That doesn't happen often (winning), but enough to keep it interesting.

While Waiting for the Mask to Dry

 
No, not my mask. (Its so tattered one couldn't really call it a mask any longer.) I'm waiting for the masking fluid to dry so I can begin painting a picture. I'm dawdling because the next step is where it gets screwed up, ya know. The actual painting part of the process.

Any hoo... (don't ya jus gag at hearing that... 'any hoo') the above picture is of a cloud. No, really. Its a cloud I saw in '02 and it looked like an angel flying across the sky. And look... I bet thats the huge book of trespasses she has in her hand. Of course, for communication reasons, I doodled on it so others would be able to see what I saw. I was hoping at the time that it was a sign from the Universe that wonderous things were going to happen... but apparently not. Its that or the Universe is working on government time like they did with New Orleans.

Its a beautiful day so far. Thats because its sunshining and I'm not out in the heat. Its going to get close to 90 degrees. By Sunday evening we should be getting some rain and cooler weather. Its actually unusual for us to be having nice days right now because our Rose Festival week-long celebration started. Normally its cold, wet, and terribly muddy at the fun center. Tonight is the Star Light parade and next Saturday will be the Rose Festival parade (which is the second largest in the nation, or so I've heard.) I don't attend any of these activities. I did my bit when a youngster and I'm done with it now. Besides... I don't like crowds.

I think I've dawdled enough... got to go now. Wish me luck with the painting. "I DO believe in miracles. I DO believe in miracles." (I can't remember which movie those lines are from.)

Does This Happen In Your Neighborhood?

I'm getting kind of tired of seeing "guys" urinate anywhere they happen to be standing. Doesn't matter if its in the middle of the day or the middle of the night. I suppose I should be grateful that they at least turn towards a fence or wall. So far, anyway. But whatever you do, don't let your babies play in the grass.

Sand Painting (nicer with sound on)

Blue Moon

 
Thanks to a 'heads up' from a friend who pointed out that tonight was a Blue Moon. Remember that song "Blue Moon.... you saw me standing alone..." If you do remember it, man are you old!!

I didn't learn what a blue moon was until several years ago, which means it took me way way too long to find out. For those who might just be whipper-snappers and not know yet, a blue moon occurs when there is a full moon for the second time within a month.

And speaking of 'whipper-snappers'.... if you've never been called this then you are probably waaaay too young to be reading some crusty ole crone's blog. The term whipper-snapper came from young inexperienced cowboys getting a hold of a bull-whip and making it snap... over and over and over again. Thus, whipper-snapper means a smarty-pants youngster.

I can remember my grandmother calling me it a few times, but she did it with a smile on her face.

And clod-hoppers. Know what that means?

Night Lights

 
 
 
I was trying to capture some 'night' photos yesterday displaying the lights of the night. Considering my basic, inexpensive camera, it didn't do too badly. The one photo is of the neon sign of the cleaners across the street as seen through the trees.

Liars

You know what really gets my goat... those automated telemarketing calls that try to make you think its someone you've done business with or something.

"Hello. This is a courtsy call from YOUR financial department....."
"It is IMPERATIVE that you call us."

Liars, plain and simple. I bet they catch a lot of elderly people with those lies. With sincere concern I say "I hope their karma catches up to them quickly."

Craft in America

Craft in America is a program on public television. I caught most of it yesterday evening and thoroughly enjoyed the program. Fortunately OPB (Oregon Public Broadcasting) does a lot of repeating of programs so I'm hoping to watch it again this Sunday. (Or if I'm awake at 2am Friday, I can see it then, too.)

Even though I'm not personally into crafting, the program is great and it certainly brings out an appreciation of those who do do crafting. (Basket weaving, quilting, glass blowing, jewelry making, pot throwing.... you name it.)

A google search should bring up some information about when you can see it in your neck of the woods.

"OUCH!!"

 
 
My car was involved in a 'scrape and run'. She was the scrapee and the runner was, well, you insert the descriptive words... I'm trying to take the high road. Besides, there's nothing else I can do.

I went to the store this morning and didn't notice the 'gaping wound' until I came out of the store and was walking towards the car. ("poor baby... momma's here.") Based on the forensics, it didn't happen in the store parking lot. If it did, the other vehicle would have had to have been all up on the sidewalk and into the plants.... so no... didn't happen there.

Evidence based on the placement of said wound points to someone trying to pull forward into a parking space instead of pulling forward and then backing into the space in front of my apartments.

And I don't have a clue as to when it happened. My car has been parked for over a week. Lots of people have come and gone during that time, many of them just visitors. The one consolation is that the other car has got to have one BIG ASS scrape on its right side.

Poor baby. Oh, and the car, too.

Another Hot Day is Expected

I began stirring around 3:30am opening up both windows in an attempt to attract some of that coolness. ('both windows'.... yes, my apt. is that small.) There wasn't much of a breeze, but a little and I'm grateful for that.

I cooked dinner around 5am so that it would be done while I could still have the windows open. The success of this plan depends entirely on how much nibbling I can refrain from doing while the food sits on the counter calling to me. Burp. (gasp) oh... excuse me.

The Traveling Goddess had some problems getting all (four items) the weekly art up on her blog but she finally resolved the situation. The current project can be seen here. (There are several entries/posts so the link here is to the home page. You may have to scroll down to see the paintings.)

If anyone wants to join in, I'm sure it will be fine. Even lurkers. You can leave a comment here or at the Goddess' blog letting us know.

Oh... and to those currently doing it, who wants to pick the next subject matter(s)?? Its your turn.

Blue on Blue

 
 
I like how these photos, taken at twilight, look so blue. The only thing I did with the photos was to crop and resize them. The blue came with the photographs.

Update on apt. G:
I can't remember where the saga left off, but "Larry" the drug dealer is gone and its been a lot more quiet around here. There is still some residue traffic in the middle of the night but that should be over with soon.

The tenant has been gone for the last two days. I saw her leave with a couple of her street friends and a small suitcase. I'm assuming its to let the place 'cool off', as it were. This morning there was a 24 hr. notice to vacate put on her door. The 24 hr notice doesn't mean she'll be out of here in 24 hrs, but its the first step needed in the eviction process. The length of time it takes depends on what the tenant does.

Apparently she had someone co-sign for her to get the apt. and they had excellent credit and references. The property management people have been putting pressure on the co-signer, as well. If this person is evicted via a court order then it goes on the co-signer's record as well. And people with good references do not want their record tarnished.

On a new subject, we're having 'a hot time in the ole town'. Its gonna be hot hot hot for the next couple of days. Unofficially it was 91 degrees at noon... but this was measured on a roof top downtown (lots of cement to reflect the heat).

Monday Medley

 
Since today is a holiday I'm not sure about what to do with the art project we began with The Traveling Goddess. I know she's been really really busy and it is a holiday for the United States...

But I decided to go ahead and post my entry. Disclaimer... my art stuff is for fun and for me. Don't judge me too harshly because lord knows I don't know what I'm doing. That being said....

The thing for this past week was do something in yellow using an S/s and the number 7.

The yellow is obvious, the S can be seen in the background (several of them) and the number 7 is used for the seeds in the center of the sunflower.

If anyone wants to post theirs on their blog let me know (via comments here) and I will add a hot link to this post. These may still appear altogether on The Traveling Goddess' blog a little later. I'm just not sure.

Stolen Bike?

 
Went outside and spied a bike sitting against a telephone pole. An abandoned (stolen and abandoned) bike? Its now been there a couple of hours. It was left there sometime between 3:45am and 7:45am this morning. I'll wait a bit longer to see if it sprouts wings and flies, then notify the police.

I suppose it could be part of a sting operation. It could be part of anything.

I believe its time for citizens to stand up and take note of things going on in their neighborhood. Police can't read minds, usually, and there's just too much crime even if its petty crime.

On the other hand I may be getting too suspicious and jaded. Perhaps I need to close my blinds and when I step out for the cigarette turn my head towards the wall so I can't see anything.

Speaking of crimes, the neighbor who I often smoke with said she was robbed Saturday night/Sunday morning. She works at a convenience store on the other side of town and it was robbed... but I gotta say it sounds just a tiny bit weird. I'm just saying.

She explained it thusly: Apparently she left the back door unlocked after taking cardboard out to the dumpster (or wherever they put it) and a guy in a ski mask came into the backroom of the store. Now how handy was that!! There are no video cameras back there. He waited until she went back there and scared the crap out of her.... told her to get the money out of the till and all the lottery tickets and bring them to him. He didn't leave the backroom so he wasn't on the survailence camera. And she complied.

She also failed to have the emergency silent alarm thingy that she could have pushed and she failed to even think about the emergency silent alarm button close to the till.

Now this is the woman who gets up into any and everybodies face shooting her mouth off. But maybe she does that only when she knows there are others around. Anyway, this guy didn't show or indicate he had a gun. I know people can freeze in scary situation, but my first thought was if he stayed in the backroom and hadn't shown a gun, hell, just run for the door.

Convenience store robberies happen all the time and what she's saying is plausible. But weird. All I can say is 'I don't know because I wasn't there.'

Bikes Sprouting Like Weeds

 
 
 
We seem to be growing bikes around here. They're springing up like weeds!

I just stepped outside and saw a bike with helmet laying on the dirt of the lot next door. WTF? Its just laying there... not doing anything, ya know.

Next time I look (within a minute) I see a guy walking right up next to the fence... his pant leg still rolled up. He stood at the end of the fence for a while. Long enough for me to grab my camera and get it to start working. (both my camera and myself take a few moments to start working after a rest.) I stepped outside and took a picture. I don't know if he saw me or not, but I don't care.

Did he start to abandon it... or did he just set it down for a minute while he walked around looking guilty?

He then walked to the corner of the lot and stood facing the telephone pole. ?? When he turned, he was holding something in his hand... yellowish in color. A phone? I don't know. He walked slowly down our street and then into the lot to get the bike. He put on the helmet and rode off.

Was he trying to dump a bike or did he just set his bike down for a moment so he could walk around a lot full of dirt? Weird. And I'm getting paranoid, I think. Oh wait... there's a woman walking down the sidewalk pushing a stroller with a baby in it. I gotta go.

"Hey you... you pushing that stroller. Hold up. Is that really your baby or have you kidnapped it?!"

An Interview

Look for his other videos to see him in action. Fun to watch.

A Quiet Night

It was a quiet night. I am aware of only one person going to apt G, but no one answered and he left.

When mired down in craziness one has a tendency to forget what normal feels like. It feels good. Very good.