The early snow storm a few weeks ago notwithstanding...

Whenever my mom decides to visit us for the weekend, the weather turns bad. It's been a little while, but the last time she was here it was warm and sunny and pleasant for at least a week before she arrived. Then, bam, cooler weather! She doesn't like cold weather. Why she lives in Canada, then, is beyond us, but she does.

So, on behalf of BossMom... sorry for the bad/windy/rainy/cold weather this weekend.

She's supposed to be busy for a while and may not be able to visit before the xmas holidays... so we might be safe for a while!

Thanks (e:Uncutsaniflush) for the help and eye. Thanks, too, of course, to (e:Paul) for all of your help -- adding the bats, your touches here and there... and liking it enough to not change much at all! I almost gave up on it a few times, the non-computer geek that i am!

Should i start on Hanukkah and Christmas themes now?

As i mentioned in (e:LeeTee,232) the end of the era of me having to walk to get a morning paper is over. Sad thing is the beginning of the new era of me just going to the front porch to get the paper is off to a bit of a bumpy start. No paper at 9:15am. So i called. Was on hold for about 5 minutes. Was told a manager would deliver one.

And as i type this, (e:Uncutsaniflush) says the paper has arrived...

I hope i don't have to call the Buffalo News every morning!

I won second second place ("no third place awards here!") at Gay Bingo last night for wearing this..



... and got a bag full of candy and some other fun Halloween toys. Didn't win anything at bingo, though.

My lovely husband, (e:Uncutsaniflush) likes reading the morning newspaper while he drinks his morning coffee.

Back before we were married, he came to visit me in Hamilton from Knoxville and i ordered the morning paper to come while he was there so he could have a paper in the morning.

It was delivered to his, then our, home in Knoxville in the mornings and i would sometimes grab a section take my own coffee and have a cig on the deck and read the funnies.

When we moved to Buffalo, we were bummed out to find that we could not have a morning paper delivered. An afternoon paper, maybe. Back then we were living in the Mayflower on Summer and Linwood, so we thought it might be apartment building related, since a key is needed to operate the elevator there.

Since i smoked, going to the corner of Summer and Main to get a paper every morning was an excuse to have a cigarette.

Back in May of 2005 when we bought this house, we enquired if we could receive a morning paper delivery. Nope. Still no daily morning delivery in our area. For the 'burbs, yes.

We could, however, get a weekly Sunday paper delivery. So, we signed up for that.

I quit smoking since the days when going out in all kinds of weather to get a paper was a thinly veiled excuse for a fag.

Most mornings, i get out there and walk to a store to get a paper. Sometimes, i tell (e:Uncutsaniflush) i just don't feel like doing it, but most often, it was me. Just my way of being sweet to a husband that deserves all kinds of sweetness.

Today was the last day i would go to fetch the morning paper. We hope. Morning deliveries start Monday (yes, we called them to order... i did it a couple of weeks ago!) and we already have Sundays all lined up.

I wonder if i will miss it? Nah... not for a couple of years, at least.

Trees

Here's what the opposite side of our street looks like right now, after the neighbours cleaned out the tree branches from their yard... piles talller than i am!



Squirrels

I wonder how our wild friends fared during the storm. All those birds and squirrels without homes...



Books

Today, i decided to sort through the books in the attic that came with the house....



We found some interesting, old and dusty books.

This one had the oldest copyright



A lot had these dates for copyright



I think some of them were purchased many years later used... they still had the penciled price on the first page.

Others, on the other hand, were definately purchased shortly after they were published.





This book looked unassuming...




Until i saw it was signed by the author



This one facinated me... i love England.





They were very dusty...



.. but now we know what's in there and they are sorted out.

This morning, i got to try out my new wellies and attempt to get a newspaper. I tried a couple of closer places before i got to Wilson Farms on Grant and Forrest and was told they are only doing home deliveries. Huh? They can't make it to a store, but they can go from house to house? I don't think so.

But i digress....

I took the camera with me. And, from what i can see from the pics of other (e:peeps) like (e:Jenks,257) or (e:Paul,4679) or (e:Chicoschica,16) our 'hood didn't do too badly.

This is Forest and Dewitt




This is Bird near Grant




This is the tree at the post office at Grant near Bird that has a great tree me and Ava and Nolan used to play under... Thank goodness it is partly there still!!



As (e:Uncutsaniflush,260) mentioned, we have half assed power. But, he is brilliant and figured out how we can have heat. And with extention cords, we can run things like computers and microwaves...

Here is the reason we have half assed power...

... just after it snowed...



... from the porch mid cleanup...



... from the street this morning...



... and from the other side.



Here is the reason we worry about safety and loosing our power.



No one seems to care about the downed lines. I worry about their safety AND about us loosing the half assed power we have. I called the Mayor's Hotline thingie today. They told me to call 911 who told me to call someone else. We were, at best, put on a wait list...

Not always fun or funny when emotions catch up with me. I try to be the brave soldier, but, hell, maybe my mom was right that i am just too sensitive and care too much.

Today has been better.

Painting for a coupla hours last night helped. Buying some more watercolours, a palette and a canvas today also helped.

Seeing the elephants and the new baby giraffee at the zoo helped some more.

Finding out that (e:Paul) then (e:Matthew) and (e:Terry) were asking about me when (e:Uncutsaniflush) was at 24 last night was nice to hear, too. You guys are swell. You were right, (e:Terry) .. sure do hope you haven't felt the same even a bit.

Mostly, knowing (e:Uncutsaniflush) is willing to bring me the stars and the moon if i need it always helps. More than i know at the time.

i feel that way today. overwhelmingly.

Doing my best to get over the crappy Friday i had. (e:Leetee,226)

Fortunately, i have a supportive and wonderful husband who brings up my sprits just when i need them. Thanks again for the lovely orange tulips, Sweeties.

Saturday we did some estate sales. On the way to one of them, we not only missed the road we were supposed to turn down, but the sign. Our alternate route led us right by the infamous Salvation Army As Is. So, we wandered in. Wow, is all i have to say.

Since i had a job working for them many many years ago, i never thought i would buy anything from them again.

At the SallyAnne in the Hammer, i worked for them filling requisites for people who lost everything in fires. I really thought it would be something that would make me feel like i was helping so much. Finding and giving people basics like coats and shoes as they stand in front of me shivering in robes and p.j.'s, often with soot smudges is humbling.

Sadly, the officers in that location were selfish pricks and kept the best donations for their personal residences. I haven't been in a Salvation Army location or given them any money since then. (e:Uncutsaniflush) tells me that he has never heard of anythign like that in any US location.

But i digress...

I've heard so many interesting stories from people who have gone into that Salvation Army As Is.....

We left $2 poorer. I now have a green vinyl space age 60's kitchen chair for my studio. I can paint sitting on my ass now.. without worrying about getting paint on a nice or expensive chair. Woohoo...

Today, we went for a nice drive. We ended up following 78 all the way up to Lake Ontario at Olcott Beach. Nice little place. Cute little shops. Almost bought a purse at a vintage shop... and a necklace at a Celtic shop.

Gorgeous day for a drive. Excellent company.

Listened to CFNY (i don't give a shit what they are trying to call themselves these days. Pah! 102.1 The Edge!? They will always been CFNY to me) most of the drive and their reruns of The Ongoing History of New Music, which are always entertaining. Makes me feel like sitting 'round the radio like it was 60 years ago... but i never have the patience to sit still that long. Being in a car, passengering (since i don't drive) is a good reason to listen to a radio show.

We stopped a park by the water, sat on a bench. looking at the water.

This is what we saw...


Have a Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, Ya'll!