make like a tree

 Wham! This week went by fast, although I can't put my finger on anything in particular that made it so. Oh well, here we are, Saturday. Not complaining.

The semester is winding down at the college. Less than one month to go, and one of those weeks is fall break. I've had a few tutees jump ship from their math classes already, realizing they can't pass even if they pull wizardry on their finals. I'm a little mad at the advisors who allowed them to sign up for classes they clearly weren't ready for, but sink-or-swim seems to be the strategy.

We survived the first week back to standard time. It is now dark on my bicycle commute home, and I'm decked out with lights and reflectors again. There are three busy roads I must cross to get to and from the college, and I found a route that uses the lesser of the evils for all three crossings without being too much of a detour. 

A little photo dump from the week:

• One of my fellow paint-n-sippers shared some pics she took of our get together a couple of weeks ago. Here's a group photo:

Our artistic leader is 4th from the left, next to me, in case it's not obvious from her Best-In-Show painting.

• I came across a few deer during one of my early morning jog arounds this week

There were about five of them hanging around together, but the others went and hid in the trees as I got my phone out. These two seemingly couldn't care less. 

It's gotten chillier, and we've definitely had our first freeze, but still no snow for the season. Any day now. I avoid politics on the blog, but I gotta say, this government shut down is getting old. 

Rant over. 

 

paint, pumpkins, pedals

 I did a thing yesterday. I'd played around with painting in the past, but hadn't touched the stuff in a good long time. Yesterday, I did a Paint 'n' Sip with a few other ladies, something that had looked like fun, but I'd never done.

Seven of us plus our able instructor got together to create "a fall scene" in acryllic paint. The event was deemed a fundraiser for my PEO chapter, but was mainly an excuse to get together and goof around. Both purposes were served.

I brought my result home, and there it sits in the corner of my "office", between the dry erase markers and kleenex, for lack of any place else.

Maybe I'll touch it up and name it "Children of the Corn"

Speaking of evils, how did everyone fare with the amazon web service outage of Monday?

It's a bit concerning how dependent many of us are on our apps and cloud services, eh?

For me, it was a full-on first world problem as I had a haircut appointment on Monday, and found that my Pinterest wouldn't load. Pinterest held my hair reference photos! What to do?

Sigh of relief when the issue was corrected in time, but it was touch and go there, I tellya!

Also this week, I took in another bicycle. These things are wrecking my minimalist image. I have the lovely Violet, which I mainly take for relatively long joyrides, like this morning's beautiful fall ride. Then there's Daisy, my trusty single speed commuter. I also have Lily, the buxom mountain bike. 

Well, now I have the yet-to-be-named newbie-to-me. We bought her 10 plus years ago for Meego. He rode it through high school and then college, but hasn't ridden it much in recent years. 

With the temperatures getting cooler and days getting shorter, I was thinking it would be nice to have a little softer ride on the cooler, darker commutes. Violet and Daisy both have skinny tires and zero suspension. I rattle with every bump and crack. For grins, I asked Meego if he used that old bike much, and if not, could I buy it from him. 

Well, he brought it over, free of charge he says. I gave it a little spa treatment and have been enjoying her cushiness this past week.

That's her in her yet-to-be-named orangeness, parked alongside the zippy Daisy who takes a well deserved respite. And no, I won't name it Donald or Trump. 

Or will I?

since we've no place to go

Firstly, an update.  My friend's son, Jack - the runaway from my previous post - is back home.  I don't know how/where he was located or what caused  him to high-tail it in the first place, but bottom line, Jack's back.

His mom updated her facebook yesterday, grateful for all the support and help during their "nightmare week" and acknowledged needing time to process.  She's obviously relieved, and I'm relieved for her.  

Today is Groundhog day and also a snow day for much of the state.  School districts announced closures by early afternoon yesterday.  The university and college where I work followed a few hours later. We shoveled about a foot this morning, and it's still lightly snowing.  But it's fluffy stuff, not a back-breaking, heart-attack-inducing heavy spring stuff.  Gentle and rather pretty, really.

While our driveway is clear, I wouldn't be able to get much further in the car, however.  I could make it to the street where I would surely bottom out.  I might go out for an adventure trek to see how the main roads are looking.  

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Okay, I ventured out.  Magnum tagged along to get outta the house too.  Not much more snow has fallen since this morning.

I meant for him to get the evergreen trees with their lovely flocking at this spot.  Instead, he mainly got the convenience store, but okay.  Trust me on the trees.

At this point I noticed there is hula hooping for the next 1000 feet?

I'd mainly wanted to venture out to see how clear the sidewalks are.  Back to work tomorrow and I typically walk since it's under two miles.  City crews are really good at cleaning the bike paths, but as luck would have it, my bicycling route to work is all residential streets and bike lanes on the main roads - the most neglected when it snows.  But I enjoy the walk, so it's nice that work is so close by.

And thankfully, looks like the snow blowers did their thing on the main sidewalk I take to and from work.

Speaking of clearing paths, our snow shoveling includes taking to the yard so the dogs can romp and do their biz.  Penny in particular would get swallowed up in this foot of fluff.

Stay warm!

a cure for the cold

This morning, I headed into the great white unknown.  Weather people said we got 12.2 inches of snow.  Important to carry out to that first decimal place so we can say, "OVER a foot!"




I've been using public transit off and on all winter.  I've mentioned here that I'm not a fan of contributing to traffic congestion.  It's one of the reasons I commute on my bicycle and plan living/working locations accordingly.



Yes, I have a car.  Yes, I have a driver's license.  I just don't particularly like driving in order to transport only myself if not necessary.  Plus, riding a bike is so much more fun.  On days when it's not, there is a very convenient bus route to/from my hospital job.






As I suspected once the lockdown order was given, ridership has gone way down, so I wasn't worried about being trapped on a bus with a bunch of breathing humans and vice versa.  This being a college town, the public buses are quite popular, and a good portion of the regulars were students.  All the schools and colleges are closed now, and I don't think there's ever been a time since when there were more than 4 riders on the bus.  Plus the buses are so clean! Grocery shopping causes more angst than riding the bus.

So anyway, there I was on the bus this morning.  I was the ONLY patron.  The driver was a trainee, possibly driving her first real route.  There was also a supervisory person riding along and offering encouragement.

It just felt kinda surreal.  There we were, three ladies on a big old bus, lumbering down the road in all it's frosty snow-covered glory with hardly any other apparent souls in the world.

As we approached my stop, I felt rather silly pulling the signal cord.  Like I should simply state, "This is my stop up next".  But I played along and pulled the cord.  We three acknowledged our appreciation for each other and wished each other health and safety.

I entered the hospital, met as always in the new normal - the nurse standing by to take temperatures.  The whole day, so far, felt like a dystopian novel.  I usually turn down the temp check, lying to them by saying I'd checked mine already.  But they've often joked that I'm taking their jobs away, so I decided to go full on dystopia and get the temperature swipe.

Nothing.

She looked at the readout and gave a little laugh.  Like, "PffffffT", then determined that my skin temperature was too cold to register.  She fanned my face for a while, strangely seeming to cool me down, then swiped again.

98.3 F and holding.

Later, in the kitchen, someone delivered a gift from Starbucks for everyone on staff.  We're a relatively small hospital, currently with reduced staffing, so this was ample:

Coffee and danish varieties all around - speaking of taking away our jobs...

But seriously, it was a much appreciated gift.  Each bag had some positive affirmations written on it.  Some might find that sappy, but it was with warm fuzzies as our small crew of four stood reading the bags...

...right before we snatched first dibs on one of the pastry bags before they headed out to the floors.

raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

You know how, when you're laid up sick in bed, and you're all, "Oh man, I'll not take being unsick for granted again", and then you're healthy again for a few days and finding other stuff to whine about? 

Well, NOT ME!  I'm happy to be back among the living, and it's all good.

Whatever I had, I'm not sure if it was the flu or what.  It knocked me off the earth for a couple of days, but then I got better relatively quickly, so who knows?  But I figure I should count my blessings.  Here are Five Most Recent Favorite Things (in no particular order):

My commute.  
Y'all remember a few years back I actually consulted a bit with a life coach?  Part of that process involved me finding my passions or something like that.  I remember going to a site and answering several questions which then ranked things that I'm passionate about.  Apparently. 

Turns out, one of my biggest passions is efficiency.  I don't like waste.  Of anything:  money, things, talent, time... In fact, that's probably why I consulted with a life coach in the first place "I'm spinning my wheels here, times-a-wasting!"

Anyhoo, this is why my work commute is an important deciding factor for me.  And if I can commute on my bicycle or walk, well then! Fun transportation is not a waste! Currently, I can do either.  My job is about a 30-minute walk or 20-minute bike ride from my house 😊😊


My parka.
On the commute note, it's quite cold this week.  Doesn't bother me none!
About 18 years ago, I got a nice parka from Cabela's.  I was preggars with Meego and liked to go for daily waddles.  When I got too big for my own jacket, I started wearing Magnum's.  He got me the Cabela's parka - complete with adjustable waist - saying I "deserved it", which really probably meant, "stop wearing my jacket".
I can't believe I still have it, but it's the warmest thing ever!


My coworkers.
They're a fun bunch.  We manage to avoid a lot of drama we hear about from other kitchens.  We do have one guy who works with us too.  Joe.  Nice guy.  He doesn't say a whole lot, but I've concluded that it's not because he's shy.  It's just a smart tactic he's figured out.


Watching the Olympics.
It's hard to not get caught up in the Olympic spirit.  And if you're riding the couch with the flu, it doesn't take much effort. Today, I was feeling a bit sad that they'll be over in a few days.  But then, if they were on all the time, they wouldn't be special.


My Kindle.
Chaco talked me into getting one a few months ago.  I still like to read physical books, but I can just download them to my Kindle easily and quickly from the library and carry them around without all that bulk.  Damn efficient. 

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Linking up with Mama Kat for the prompt:
4. List your five most recent favorite things

hump day

On Wednesdays, I have a late class.  It's dark when I get out, so I don't ride my bicycle.  The Metro doesn't go to my neck of the woods at that time either, so I'm into option 3:  The Shuttle Lot.

It's not all bad.  It's the university's response to all the parking troubles.  The shuttle buses run all day long from about 7 in the morning to 10 or so at night.  There are big free parking lots at the bottom of the hill, then it's about a 2-mile shuttle ride to campus.

And the shuttles themselves are comfy enough vehicles, like airport shuttles.  There's always music playing on the shuttles - like elevators - except it's not necessarily elevator music.  I think it's iheartradio or spotify or something similar that is up to the driver's discretion.

There's this one olderish driver.  Physically, he looks much like Wilford Brimley, that "diabeadis" guy?  I don't know anything else about him other than he seems to like '80s disco music.  It's what's always playing whenever I ride one of his shuttles.  BeeGees, Diana Ross, Commodores... Homecoming dance music from my era.

It's all right, I can deal with it.  I wonder what the young 'uns think of it though.  This afternoon, I really began to wonder.

I was on Wilford's shuttle and the disco tunes are steaming happily.  We pulled out of the lot just as Donna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby" kicks in.  The long version.

I swear, we were at the longest red light EVER, right at the point that Donna starts orgasming her way through Love to Love You Baby, the long version.

Often, these shuttles can be rather boisterous.  Side conversations going on.  People talking on cell phones.  Good eavesdropping opportunities.  But not this time.  I swear, does NO ONE have something to drown out Donna Summer's ecstasy?!  This feels AWKWARD!  I was thinking.

*oooooh* And why?  Why does Wilford have *aaaaaaaah*  Love to Love You The Long Version on his *squeeeeaaaaal* shuttle playlist??  *mmmhmmmmm!*  

 Who knew college kids could be so quiet?
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the weirdos on the bus go round and round

Yeesh, another week it's been of the Great White North.  It's starting to abate, though, so I went out for a grocery run with Ellie Mae this morning.  She was not really in the mood, had a bit of trouble turning over.

Since I hardly never ever drive, and since Magnum usually drives the civic to work, I'm not sure of the last time Ellie Mae had to do anything.  Cold starts after several days of sitting in the frozen garage are apparently not her strong suit.



But, we got 'er done.  And in the meantime, my bicycles are probably getting square tires while sitting around waiting to be put in the game.

Meego relished two snow days in a row before going back to the grind today.  College closes for no one, however, and I fully agree with that.  It hasn't been so bad that we can't get where we need to go, but we don't need to be freezing school children.

So it was back on the Metro line for most of this week for me.  One day during the in-bound trip, the driver pulled over to pick up a couple of citizens.  We heard him say, "Can't bring that machete on the bus".

And I'm thinking, "Did he say 'machete'?"

A short conversation, which I couldn't really hear over the blasting heaters, ensued.  Then the bus was once again in motion.

With that, the guy in front of me asked, "Did you say 'machete'?"

"Yeah, guy had a machete.  Says right there on the side of the bus, he can't bring it".

I can't say as I've ever seen a "NO MACHETES"  notice on the side of the bus, but it's not like I've looked for one.

I bet he'd just bought the thing and was just going to take it home to do some bushwacking.  And after the bus left him there, he probably stuffed it into his backpack, or went and got a big bag to carry it in, then got on the next bus.

That's how I get my machete on the bus.

I betcha.

Is it spring yet?
.

I won't treat you like you're typical

Baby, it's COLD outside!

The last few days, the meteorology people around town have been all a-twitter about this Siberian storm front headed our way.  It's here!

My weatherbug shows the temperature as one whole degree F.  Wind is 20mph.  That equates to a windchill of freaking cold.

So it was back on the bus for me this morning.  I arrived at the bus stop in all my bundled glory to find a large grocery bag full of a variety of snack bars sitting on the bus bench.  Was that left there intentionally or by accident?  I like to think that someone purposely left it there for bus rider freebies.  Still, I didn't take one - candy from strangers and all that.

Once on the bus, a woman I've ridden with before sat bundled.  She's also a student at the university - computer science.  Last time I rode it was snowing and she was singing "Let it Snow" at the bus driver's request.  

She actually has a very good singing voice.  When I first climbed aboard and heard it, I thought it was the music streaming through the bus radio.  

"You're not going to sing to us this morning?", I asked her

She covered her face, a little embarrassed, and said, "Well, the weather outside IS frightful...", but didn't break into further song.

Instead, we went into a more geeky conversation - she all computer science, me all engineer turned math teacher.  It occurred to her at one point that "Next March, we'll be able to celebrate a whole pi month instead of just pi day!"  Simple nerd pleasures, I can hardly wait.

For the ride home, I glanced out toward the bus stop from a windowed area in the University Center.  A woman in a motorized wheelchair was also there.

"Are you waiting for the 9 bus?", she asked me

"Yes, is that the one you're waiting for?"  

"Yeah, except I don't want to go out there because it's snowing and I'm in a wheelchair with no gloves and things are about to get real with this weather", she perceived.

I made sure the driver waited for her as things had gotten "real" since the morning.  It's snowing harder now, and sticking to everything.  I've shoveled the driveway, but you wouldn't know it.

I think the changes in atmospheric pressure are making the animals stranger than usual too.  My plecostomus, Jansen, has stopped his usual cleaning routine.  I got him a couple three months ago when it seemed that the fallout from the fishtank apocalypse had passed.  He went right to work and scrubbed that place clean.  But now, all he does is hang out with his fins up on the heater.  Drinking beers.  

My aquarium thermometer shows happy temperature, and I'll note that I keep the thermometer at the opposite end of the tank from the heater.  Yet it's as if Jansen's gone on a one-fish union strike.  The algae is getting the upper hand.  

Then there's the cat:

What does he think that is?  A heat sink?

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