Whenever i am at the Botanical Gardens, i am just inspired to snap a few pictures.


Pond Scum


An Orchid's beautiful flower


Can he smell them?


Coffee


Hard to capture the feeling of sitting in here....


Yet it just makes me want to go in there more!


I heart succulents!


This fish was nibbling that plant

I texted a co-worker to ask if i started at 5pm (as scheduled) or 3pm.

An hour or so later, i got a call asking if i could do an ot shift, which i declined, then asked that co-worker when i start work and was told 5pm.

Within an hour, i got a call from the co-worker i had texted. She asked if i could come in at 3pm, due to a situation with an individual and i said i could.

Then, she let me know that a fellow co-worker who had recently been diagnosed with cancer died. He was a good guy. He found out he was sick when he was on vacation, or that is when he started to feel ill and wasn't able to go camping like he had wanted. Then, testing. Then, the results. Then, the surgery. Then, within a couple of weeks, he died. Start to finish, this all happened in a matter of 4 months, max.

I remember going to a Sabres game at work last winter. Found out last minute i was going. Along with us, several other staff and someone who once worked on our unit, but got transferred out. He and i had some good laughs that night. Watching the drunk girls try to pick up drunk guys, by dancing in the hallways. I did a pretty decent drunk girl imitation, and i will never forget him saying, "Lee, you're alright". An understated kinda guy.

Not long afterwards, he was transferred back to our unit. Everyone, including myself was happy to see him back. He will be missed greatly. 26-2 Campus Team will not be the same without him. RIP

We left on Thursday the 4th.

After sitting in the car for so long, we thought walking would be good, so we headed to the zoo before it closed for the day. A bit chilly, but i found it refreshing and i loved the walk. Most of the non-human animals were sick of the humans, and decided to hide, but it was so neat to see the giraffes at eye level. They can be seen from a window while they are indoors....

Then, we checked into our hotel in Independence.

Next, we thought we would grab some dinner. We looked through the tourist mags and found a place we thought would be great. Melt Bar and Grilled, a place that specializes in grilled cheese and beer! When we got there, we found out the wait would be an hour to an hour in a half, so we left, thinking we would try to come back for lunch another day.

We ended up at a chain, Qdoba a place we had eaten before in our travels. Their Mexican Gumbo was sooOOoo good, and yes, vegetarian!

Friday, we took a quick swim in the indoor pool, then headed into the city to go the market. The West Side Market. Best damn market i have ever been to, and Hamilton has (had?) a great Farmer's Market. This one beats all. The main part is in an old, but clean building....



Fresh, beautiful produce at good or great prices. You would have loved the seafood, (e:Paul). The meats looked like good quality. The ethnic and prepared foods were heavenly. (e:Uncutsaniflush) got himself a sausage with kraut and i got a crepe with pears, caramel, walnuts and dark chocolate. I even braved the balcony to get the pictures (and spill chocolate all over myself!). This guy was nice, but his co-worker must be french since he was very rude!



Wandering the neighbourhood, we happened upon the Great Lakes Brewing Gift Shop and pub. Got a 6 pack of... gee, i don't remember, something that you can only get there.

Then, out to University Circle. We went to the Cleveland Botanical Gardens and the Cleveland Museum of Art,



The latter was huge and we were there for a couple of hours... and i think we breezed through the 1916 building and the older collections.

We had heard the news, we heard the big snow was coming. Although the news that the heaviest snow falls would be to the south of us, we decided to have a night in. We headed to the Giant Eagle for supplies, grabbed a pizza and back to the hotel room for the night.

Saturday was a bit more low key. Breakfast, a swim, then off to Melt Bar and Grilled for lunch.

Unlike Thursday night's 60 to 90 minute anticipated wait, this time, less than an hour after opening their doors, we had to wait about 40 minutes. And, sadly, it was not worth the wait. Service was ok, grilled cheese had way to much bread. I got the simple grilled cheese, their "Kindergarten", but they use that thick texas toast stuff. I understand it for the bacon egg cheese giant sandwich, but for a simple, basic grilled cheese, it's just way too much bread. So, for a place that brags on grilled cheese, it kinda sucked.

Then, on to the History Museum... which had some very interesting cultural exhibits, some of which brought a tear to my eye.

We decided to drive through the city and take the long way home. After some initial wrong turns, we got ourselves in the right direction. Almost immediately, we began to head uphilll and drove through Little Italy, a cool small strip of Italian shops and restaurants. Then, up into Shaker Heights, a very upscale looking 'burb, then down south through so many different neighbourhoods, from country to upscale to upper middle class, to low income and back again. Very interesting drive.

For dinner that night, we went to Tommy's in Cleveland Heights' Coventry Village. Only had to wait about 15 - 20 minutes... Food was good, not great, and very veggie friendly. I had the Rebel Falafel. Neighbourhood was very cool. Loved the toy shop 2 doors down, Big Fun. My friend Mark would have stayed all night.

The next morning, we had to leave. I don't want to get back to real life and return to work....

Last night, at 10pm, i started my vacation. This one is so needed.... but complaining about work is not what i want this to be about.

(e:Uncutsaniflush) are thinking a few days elsewhere will be in order. We are thinking of continuing the theme of least likely places to go on holidays, following Detroit last May with Cleveland in February. There's some logic there, isn't there? I mean, we did move to Buffalo...

I think i am going to join the JCC so i can swim. I kinda hate exercising, but i love to swim, so, it makes sense to do what i like to get the ole heart pumping, right? Plus, they have a promo going on, and i might as well take advantage. Only one small issue....

I got my nose pierced about 2 hours ago, and they tell you not to swim for a couple of months. Opps. But, i can still go as long as i don't dunk my face, or nose.

Today, i decided to take advantage of a coupon i got in the mail and go shopping for bras. It really is torture. Or at least used to be for me. I know they say you really should get yourself measured regularly, but i have a brand and style i like, so i think i am just gonna keep doing what i did this time -- bring a tag into the store (in this case, Lane Bryant) with the name and size and ask what colours they have. This time, they have new ones with lace, so i got a bright pink and orange one. And a purple one. And 3 black ones and a beige one. Hey, buy 1, get one 50% off, plus a coupon for $25 off if you spend $75. Plus i got one of their charge cards and got another 15% off (yeah, i will like only use it once, maybe twice and then pay it all off!) Plus, i got some panties... i am a sucker for anything orange!!!

Then, while we were in the mall, we walked around. And ended up in DSW. And i saw a pair of chucks for cheaper than at the outlet store. And i have a $10 off coupon for joining their rewards program thingie a year or so ago. So, (e:Uncutsaniflush) got me a pair of sparkly lowcut chucks as an early birthday pressie!



Which makes me totally spoiled since he already got me this obnoxiously bright green backpack purse i bonded with at Marshals yesterday.



And when i got home from work and decided to put all my stuff into it, there was a wrapped pressie inside -- the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs cd i wanted! Wow... and yay!

Then, this morning, i opened up the wooden box i keep all my hair brushes and bibs and bobs for my hair so i can get a brush, and there is ANOTHER wrapped pressie! Another cd, this time an old Death Cab for Cutie i should have gotten when it came out.

I'm so spoiled!!

Yesterday, i got a call from my mom while i was driving to work. Her calling at that time of the day.... well, i just got the feeling it was bad news. My first thought was my Nana. She is in a nursing home, and pretty much given up and "waiting for the good lord to take" her. Unless you have "a coke" at the end of that straw, she ain't eating or drinking it.

When i pulled into the parking lot at work, i listened to my mom's message. They had just gotten home from the vet after having had to put their dog, Ralphie, to sleep. Poor old dog. He hadn't been doing well lately, either. My dad, not surprisingly, is not taking this very well at all... in fact, i am surprised he agreed to put him to sleep.

I have been saying for about 10 years now that my parents have been staying together for the dog. They sure as hell would not have stayed together for us kids.... but, i wish they hadn't. In fact, i hope they can be there for each other when they are sad, but that so not very likely. I just hope they finally decide they do not make each other happy... and know they no longer have to stay together for the sake Ralph.

Here's a pic of the little mop, doing one of his favorite things: laying on my dad while my dad's feet are up on his lazyboy.

RIP lil bro....