Hodgepodge

Boulder awoke to snow falling yesterday.  I walked over to the bakery and grabbed a fresh, warm bagel, and decided, on the walk back, to pay attention to my "bad" knee.  My left knee is always swollen, and causes me pain about 95% of the time.  Having lived in Boulder for a little over 10 years, now, I thought about how my knee felt as I walked back home from the store.  I decided that my knee was "telling me" that we'd get about 5 inches of snow.  When I turned on the television upon my return to the apartment, the forecaster was saying Boulder would get "possibly 1 to 3 inches" of snow.  We got a little over 5 inches in total.  Now I'll have to continue checking out my knee's feelings about snow and see how accurate they are....
   I was excited to receive the Public Library's newsletter this morning, because it stated that our library will be re-opening on February 12, and that, as of 2 March, it will be open at 9 a.m. Monday through Thursday.  I've missed being able to wander through the stacks and choose books to read at random - and I have longed for the library to be open at an earlier hour - I'd prefer 7 a.m., since I'm an early riser, but even an hour earlier is better than nothing.  I haven't had access to the Main Library's entire collection (no one else has, either) since September, when  a "make over" began.  I can't wait to see some old, familiar tomes again!
  I know I've mentioned that I began reading Preston & Child's Special Agent Pendergast novels again, and I'm about half-way through The Wheel of Darkness.  I'll have to request the next three books in the series today.  I have two new books on hand - the first two in a series by Herbie Belcher, The Faerie Wars and The Purple Emperor.  They were highly recommended, and I'm looking forward to starting a new series.
   I'm currently waiting to see if Rosie's parents want me to walk her today.  It's supposed to get up near 60 degrees this afternoon, but there is a thick and slick coating of ice on the roads and sidewalks this morning.  As Rosie has hip and back problems, I don't want to take her out and have her fall on the ice and hurt herself.  I'll walk Lucy at 11:30, as usual, as she has no restrictions.
   I found out that I was wrong about the networks programming  masters.  The Blacklist, on NBC, will be airing at 8; How To Get Away With Murder, on ABC, will air at 9.  The last episode of HTGAWM will air on February  19, which is the night that History Channel begins showing Vikings.  Hopefully, I won't find too many conflicts - other than Grand Jury duty, which means being on call every Thursday night.
   Forbes Magazine released a frightening report on the 30th of January - ordinary children, aged 7 to 16, read 4.7 books per year.  I have never been able to read enough!  We were only allowed to check out 10 children's books on each visit to the Public Library when I was a child.  Mom and Dad took us every Saturday morning to get new books - and I was usually through reading "my" books by Monday night.  Very quickly, my folks made certain that I always checked out books that would hold my interest, and that I would read several times, before our return to the library.  I know that a lot of people think that I'm odd and/or old-fashioned.  I prefer to read more than anything else - watch television, watch cinema, go to the theater, or listen to music.  I simply can't conceive of reading only five books in one year.  Reading is the spice of life; it can take you to the past, the future, and any place an author can conjure with words.

Crowded Shopping

Beatrice and I decided that since it was December 6, a Saturday, with the Ferguson/New York protest happening, and some college championship football games being played, it would be "safe" to do some Christmas shopping and looking downtown.  We thought it wouldn't be too crowded.  Bea called me at 9:20 and said she'd be down in a few minutes; her knock on my door came at 11:35 - by that time I knew the shops would be swarming with people...  We had indifferent service at IHOP, and I admit that I tipped accordingly.  The restaurant was not very busy, and our server was very inattentive.
   Then we went to World Market for stocking stuffer shopping.  They were packed, even though it wasn't the 1/2 price sales day.  But we were both able to find some neat items.  Then we went to Red Letter Books, Liberty Puzzles, and the Peppercorn (on the Pearl Street Mall), and picked up a few more things.  I had hoped to go to two more used book stores, but the Peppercorn had been so crowded that we decided not to do so.  There were also quite a few street performers out on the Mall - a small chorale group singing songs, a quartet dressed in Edwardian clothes singing carols, and a group of mimes and jugglers, and a saxophone soloist who was very good.  After that, we headed for the public library, where Bea returned a book, and I searched the very limited selection of books available.  (The library is undergoing renovation, and the adult fiction, mystery, and science fiction/fantasy collections are not available until mid-January - I'm going nuts!)
  I took Bea into the Home Goods store on the way home, just because I wanted her to see their Christmas display items for sale - I had seen wooden, resin, plastic, and tin figures that were much taller than me last week when I visited.  I had been most impressed with a huge tin rocking horse, whose saddle seat was at my eye level.  All of the large items had been sold - and my descriptions were a poor substitute...  Oh, well.  Such is the world of capitalism!
  It's another grey, cloudy day, even though it began with clear skies and bright sunshine.  Lovey is curled up on the foot of my bed, and Nedi has gone to sleep in the cat carrier on top of my dresser.  It's become his favorite place to sleep, lately - and it always gives me a start when I walk by and see green eyes peering out of the side perforations.  I had hoped that Mizzou would be able to upset Alabama yesterday, and that Florida State would lose - No such luck.  I would have been a nice shake-up in the college bowl standings.
  I hope your Sunday is quiet and peaceful.  Tomorrow is back-to-work day. (Ugh!)

Chincoteague Island, Virginia Photos

These photos were taken by my friend, Deb Iddings Noll, when she visited Chincoteague and Assateague Islands for the CVFC Spring Round-Up....

A typical Chincoteague Island home, built in 1890