People watching

Otherwise known as....sitting on a bench and being judgmental. OK, my exercise teacher heard that on the radio but it is oh so true. Especially when you are down at the boardwalk, as I was a few days ago. I drew a picture of a woman I saw, but it was too complimentary. For two days now I have drawn a picture. Today, what? I wanted to draw an Amish person but I'd have to do it from memory or with them scurrying by. Had a not-very-satisfying breakfast at the Amish Market in Vineland. Frankly, I think they lost a lot of the "counter character" by moving upstairs. And my favorite waitress was not there.

Weather is disgusting out. Extremely windy and cold. At least it is sunny but you wouldn't want to spend any time out there.

Hanging out where I used to work. Can overhear them dealing with one of the many relabeling, totally redoing projects we used to do interminably. I guess it fills up the time and keeps you guessing. One thing about working, it gives you daily access to some "friends". Don't have that now. That is why I am always OUT and ABOUT. Feeling a bit self-righteous as have already completed my exercise and my Internet chores and it is only noon. The rest of the day is FREE (?). Signed up for a class tonight for which I have to drive 1/2 hour. Think I can handle it. Am LOVING this light longer stuff with the time change! Taking a class on making a memory box. Casting about for my artistic (or not) bent. Here is what I like the idea of....photography, beach glass jewelry, pottery, drawing, pastels, collage.

Getting behinder

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Books by the bed at home - eleven.  Have taken to reading every time I wake up in the night.
Also binged on cereal and fruit last night.  I shouldn't really have cereal in the house, especially the kind I like to buy even though I know I shouldn't.  I buy one healthy cereal and one "fun" (sugary) cereal.  Have "neighbor anxiety" which makes it difficult to sleep.

Yelled at the neighbor kids again yesterday.  The barking dog threw me over the edge and I rushed out in a frenzy of discontent.  Would I have the nerve to do something so rude and aggressive if they weren't defenseless foreigners?  They actually went and told their mother (who we NEVER see) and came over and rang my doorbell.  So I went out and next door and halfway up the steps and talked to A.  She feels we are harassing her by calling the authorities to come and investigate dog situation (I am not the only one who is calling).  I feel she has no concept of being a good neighbor.  When it came down to it, she says she is allowed to have a dog and dogs bark.  P., the pitbull,  barks many times a day and not in a nice way.  She also tears stuff up and spreads it all over their yard and mine and deposits unmentionables on my property.  I gathered up such and placed it on their porch.  I really should be nicer to the kids and may wait a week before taking further action.  I really want them to leave.  Also, a couple of guys were seen arriving with suitcases yesterday.

I did finish two books yesterday.

Book review: The complete potter, by Steve Mattison.  A good overview of making pots.  Each page includes one or two topics/methods with beautiful photos of procedures and finished pieces, giving credit to the potter and explanations of the pieces.  This book is available at the Vineland Public Library (738 Mat)

Book review:  The sweet life in Paris, by David Lebovitz. Started reading this BEFORE I went to Paris in May and was determined to finish it.  According to David, only 20% of Americans have passports and we are used to foreigners on our turf and not so good at dealing with them when they are on their own turf.  "The unspoken rule if you plan to live here - but equally good to adopt even if you're just coming for a visit - is knowing that you're going to be judged on how you look and how you present yourself.  Yes, even if you're just dumping your garbage."  I guess I should have mentioned that David is a chef from New York who moved to Paris.  The book includes several great recipes such as floating island (made by Julia Child and my grandmother) and Gateau Breton (made only one day a week at a bakery near the Pont Neuf where I lived after college).  I didn't copy the recipe for Ile flotant on page 28 because it looks really complicated and takes up three pages and I don't cook.  When people ask him how long it took him to become fluent in French, he points out that even the FRENCH are not fluent in French.  "One of the first words I learned in French class was raleur, which means 'someone who complains'.  Maybe it's la grisaille, the dull, gray skies that hang over Paris, causing la morosite ambiente, the all-encompassing gloom that blankets the city at times."
I learned a lot of good words in this books, like that there is a name for the prized crusty end of a baguette.  It is called le quignon.  This is a valuable introduction to life in Paris and equally fun after you have been there.  I borrowed this book from a friend.

 

 

I heard the patter of tiny feet

My nephew's feet are not so tiny any more. He wears size ten. But I heard someone walking around so I thought I had better get up. Don't want to miss Christmas. It is 8 AM and he is the only one up.

We had a white Christmas. Well it snowed for awhile last night! We drove around looking for the luminaries which they put out all over Glen Ridge, New Jersey. Interesting and beautiful Christmas Eve custom. The more people you can talk into doing it, the more lovely it is. Take a white paper bag, fill it with two trowels full of sand. There should be enough sand to get a white teac candle to stand up. Place the bags every three feet in the street or on the curb or the grass. Light the tea candle when darkness falls. The lights will burn for hours, even in the snow!

Learned about another interesting Holiday custom last night.  In Oaxaca, Mexico, they have a festival called Noche de Rábanos (Night of the radishes), held on the 23rd of December.  This is one of the rare sculptures where you can actually identify a radish.  And these radishes are GIGANTIC.

Too much sun

I can't believe I just had to move my whole computer set up due to TOO MUCH SUN. I am constantly harping about my NEED for sun and warmth and then I had too much of it. It is hard to use the computer when there are a lot of reflections. Was reviewing my journal from the summertime and I had to laugh because I wrote that I needed to think about a vacation to somewhere COOLER. Now all I can think about is my need for a vacation to somewhere WARMER. The eternal malcontent, that's me!

So excited that I learned how to share a video yesterday. I kind of miss being FORCED to learn things in the workplace. It is tempting to fall behind when left to my own devices. The other day I couldn't even remember how to make a Word document single spaced. To be fair, I couldn't remember that even when I was working.

Wish I had access to my wreath I made from book pages. Now it is hanging in the Lummis Library in Greenwich. Today I was telling someone about it and wished I had at least a PICTURE to show. I was pleased that one of the fellas down there admired it enough to want to hang it up. I must add CRAFTS to my list of things to do at home.