Friday Randomness
Here we are again, Friday, full of random thoughts. The photo above is from the wall of a local coffee shop. Last Friday I walked to the post office to mail a gift, and stopped by for a latte and a scone. I like this little coffee shop, though I don’t stop by terribly often.
Ready for randomness? Let’s dive in.
One Thing a Day
Someone was collecting warm clothes to send to Ukraine, so Maya and I went through our closets to see what we had. I had been waiting for the weather to change before deciding what to do with some sweaters, so this was handy. Maya grabbed a bunch of jackets/blazers. She’s a lot smaller than me, but she had an oversized light jacket that I kept. I added some scarfs, and off they went.
Some other things I cleared out this week included some postcards that my mom had hung up, pretty scenes of life in California mostly. She probably had them on her office wall when she was working. So I sent some of those out this week. I threw away a bunch of dried up/old nail polish, and a few other things like that.
I don’t generally DNF books. Usually I pick books that are recommended by people/sources that I trust, or read a recommendation at a book store. This book is one that I found at a Little Free Library, and I thought it looked interesting. It was not, and I didn’t like the writing. I got perhaps a chapter or two in, and decided to get rid of it. Back to the LFL it went.
These Shoes are Not Made for Walking
I saw these shoes on the pedestrian bridge the other day while out for my morning walk. They look like they’re in pretty good shape, and also really painful. I would have left them behind too.
CBWC
Speaking of walking, I am of course participating in Elisabeth’s Cool Bloggers Walking Club. I walk most days anyway, but once or twice in the past I have considered taking a day off, and it being a CBWC month has gotten me out the door. Thank you Elisabeth! Here are some photos from my walks this week…
I’m afraid I’m not sure what this bumper sticker means. Does it mean just what it says? The person doesn’t like tattoos? Enough to buy a bumper sticker about it? Or is there more? Is this person actually a tattoo artist and this is their idea of a joke? It’s probably Crashmore, though typing that, I have no idea what Crashmore is beyond the quick internet search I did that pulled this up. If that’s the joke, wouldn’t it be funnier if they got the quote right? Maybe not? I’m old.
The first morning of CBWC, I passed by this doorway in our neighboring complex. Happy Birthday and Welcome Home, neighbor!
Yesterday was a rare rainy morning. We live close to a pedestrian bridge spanning a very busy street. This is looking down at the traffic going towards the freeway, and includes our closest Starbucks. This is about 2 blocks from our home.
A bit past the bridge is a regional trail, which is often busy with pedestrians, bicyclists, and (sadly) scooters and electronic bikes. I love the canopy of the oak trees leaning over the trail at the entrance. This was also yesterday, and the rainy morning was lovely, rare, and welcome. Alas, it cleared up after only a couple of hours and it may be quite a while before we get more.
Things I Have Recently Learned
I’ve learned a couple of things recently. First, from the Connections game on The New York Times, is that the word cataract can mean more than cloudy eyes.
The second thing I learned was that you can freeze celery. This is great news, because we don’t really like celery much, so we don’t snack on it, with peanut butter or hummus or cream cheese or plain. Occasionally if I have some laying around, I might put it in a smoothie. But mostly we use it for recipes. The last time we had a bunch laying around, I did a little internet search and found that you can freeze celery for recipes. I chopped it up finely, blanched it quickly, cooled it quickly in ice water, then let it dry out, and froze it. Perfect for the chicken soup I made this week, really nice to not have to buy more.
Postcards!
I’ve received some postcards over the past several weeks, but have been remiss in showing them. The postcards above are from Tobia, Jenny, Nicole, Birchie, and Elisabeth. I love receiving them, thank you!
Dreaming of France
Lastly, blog friend Tierney from Portmanteau Suitcase is currently spending a month in France. Tierney has participated in San’s NaBloPoMo a couple of times, which is how I ‘met’ her, though she sometimes goes months without posting. But I am loving seeing her beautiful pictures and descriptions of her trip. If you’re at all tempted by pictures of Paris, Burgundy, and Normandy (so far), pop on by and say hello. (The photo above is mine, hers are much better.)
32 Comments
AC
I had my eye exam this week. I continue to have a small cataract that is not growing much. I have heard cataracts being used in the other sense. I have thought of them as being more like rapids than falls. But that is just what is in my head.
J
Well, you’re ahead of me, I had never heard that usage at all.
I’m glad your cataract is growing slowly. My last eye exam I was told I have one that will require treatment in about 10 years if it keeps up its current pace. I assume that is slow? I don’t know how quickly they generally develop.
StephLove
I would be puzzled by that bumper sticker, too.
J
I’m glad I’m not alone!
nance
I love those signs at the coffee shop. When I first started teaching, I was only 21. Many of my students were just a few years younger than I was and much taller. I thought I had to be tough and present a sort of rough presence at first, even though that’s not who I am. I was afraid of being seen as an easy mark.
It didn’t take long for me to discard that and just be myself. I had mistakenly thought kindness would be perceived as weakness at my tough school. I should have known better; the kids could see that I wasn’t being my authentic self. That persona did not last long.
J
Your story reminds me of the Little House story, where Laura was younger and smaller than her oldest students. I’m glad that what was needed, in your case, was to be yourself. That’s so much easier than putting on protective armor, isn’t it?
The coffee shop has a whole wall of ‘kindness’ quotes/mottos. I couldn’t take picture of the whole thing without getting people in it.
Jenny
Really? I had no idea “cataract” had another meaning! I don’t think I’ve ever heard it used the second way- but now I want to. I”ll have to be on the lookout for how to insert a “cataract as large waterfall” reference.
Glad you got the postcard! I’ve also gotten lots of postcards I haven’t been showing on the blog lately. It’s fun that we have such a robust postcard-sending community!
Those shoes!!! I couldn’t walk two steps in them.
J
Those shoes would break my ankle. They were at the bottom of the pedestrian bridge, which is a bit steep, and I wondered if they were discarded before trying to cross, or after?
Elisabeth
I am so glad the postcard arrived…it will be the last mail from me for a while or until this postal dispute is over. HOW ARE WE IN THIS PROCESS AGAIN. And nearing Christmas, AGAIN. I don’t complain much because I realize it is literally life-impacting for small businesses or some people who get medical items in the mail. Argh.
Moving on. That is wonderful that you were able to clear out some unused clothes and know they are going to a place where they will be used, appreciated, and are needed. That’s wonderful.
I don’t DNF very much, but I do it more now than ever before. Life is simply too short for me to read a book that doesn’t “click.”
Happy walking. It really makes me so happy to know that sometimes the CBWC has been the needed motivation to get out for a walk.
J
Yes, your CBWC has gotten me out a couple of times when I would have stayed home, so thank you for that extra push!
I was so happy about the clothes. As I said, I hadn’t cleared them out before, because the weather was too warm and I wanted to wait until they might be more useful. This was perfect. And for it to happen when Maya was home and could clean out her overstuffed closet a bit? Even better.
I’m sorry about your postal strike, again. I hope there is a fair resolution SOON.
Birchie
Bravo to whoever ditched the shoes! The only mystery is how they were able to wear them long enough to get outside.
I don’t get the tattoo bumpersticker either. I guess I’m too old!
I’ve gotten a few postcards recently and it always brightens my day so much. I liked the California Bear card that you sent so much that I kept it on my desk underneath my monitor so that I can see it during the day.
J
That bumper sticker is a mystery to me. Thanks for confirming.
I wonder how those shoes got out of the store? Perhaps they were a gift…’Hey hon, put on these hooker shoes, let’s go for a hike on the trail!’
ccr in MA
No wonder someone ditched those shoes, wow! I love your photo from the bridge: looking through the metal, and the reflections on the wet street, so cool.
J
Thanks! I love when I’m out early enough on a rainy morning to see the reflections in the dark (or semi-dark) like this. We don’t get enough rain for it to be a common sight.
Margaret
That bumper sticker is a head scratcher–perhaps that’s its purpose? I too was puzzled by cataract in Connections. I learn quite a bit with my word games. Sometimes connections feels like it’s breaking my brain! We got some rain too and it was sorely needed. I walked yesterday and mowed the lawn and got over 12,000 steps. I haven’t been as good recently so that felt good!
J
I always think of the PNW as getting lots of rain. I know better, because my family lives in Portland, and they tell me when it’s been dry.
I also learn things from my word games sometimes!
DB Stewart
Life is too short to finish reading books that were obviously meant for someone else. Ditto niche bumper stickers, haha.
J
That’s the perfect description – books that were meant for someone else.
Suzanne
Those shoes!!!! That is a whole story right there in that photo. I love the vignette of the welcome home / happy bday picture, too.
Yes! Celery freezes great! If I need mirepoix for soup, I will almost always make double the amount and then freeze the half I don’t need. I just shove everything into a ziploc raw, though, and it works great for soups. (In case you wanted to make your celery freezing process a bit simpler.)
J
Thanks Suzanne, I’ll admit that I did wonder about having to blanch it!
Tierney
I love the bumper sticker! It should be mandatory in tattoo shops. It could help people from making mistakes. Like, if you thought tattoos were not a good idea, you might divert. But if you’re response was, “Hell yea, tattoos aren’t good. They’re great!” then youd know you were in the right place.
And thank you for the shoutout. I’m onto part two of my trip- solo travel! A few days behind in posting but hanging in there!
Tierney
Your, not you’re. Sheesh. Sorry, typing on my phone.
J
I hate when I make typos like that. Sometimes ones fingers are quicker than the brain!
J
LOL, I love that! ‘They’re great!’
Enjoy your solo travel portion, I’m sure it’s going to be amazing!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
I am so happy my card arrived. It is always a gamble and you never know how long it takes. I probably should get the christmas cards in the mail…
My rout along the river is a commute trail and a lot of people use it with their ebikes. It is ok though. The racing bicyclists are more annoying.
J
Especially overseas, one never knows how long it will take! I put a postcard in the mail to you this week, we’ll see how long it takes to get there.
Daria
That tatoo sticker…. LOL I just left a comment on Kyria’s post titles “never have I ever…” I’ve never gotten a tattoo! Scared of needles and scared of … what if I change my mind?… So I continue living with zero tattoos.
Daria
Oh, and Tierney’s posts are so beautiful. I went to France for a month this past summer and that wasn’t enough. We didn;t make it as far as Bordeaux or Normandy.. When I go back, I want to send more time in Dordogne (again) and part of Bordeaux, which is right next door.
J
I thought of you, and how you were there for a month! Tierney is spending part of her time with her husband, and when he goes home, she is staying behind to tour on her own. This sounds kind of ideal to me. Fun to share things, definitely, but also fun to have time alone where you don’t have to worry about someone else’s interests and schedule.
J
I’m a no on tattoos too. Never had any interest.
Stephany
I tried googling to figure out what the tattoo bumper sticker meant, but I am at a loss!
I had no idea that cataract had two meanings! I swear Connections gets me GOOD on some of those categories. TMYK!
J
That bumper sticker! So strange. You’re young enough to be my daughter (clearly, since I’m the same age as your mom) so it makes me feel a lot better that you don’t know it either! Also, as you have and enjoy tattoos, I thought MAYBE you would know.