Monday This and That

Good morning everyone.  How was your weekend?  Let's see.  What's been going on?  

On Friday they started work with the heavy equipment at 6:40 am. You'd better believe I was on the phone calling 311 with a complaint. They are NOT allowed to begin until 7 am. Only a 20 minute difference, but I'm not letting them get away with anything. Not a happy camper here, and I'm keeping watch on them. On weekends they can work from 8-5 (read their permit) but they didn't show up.  Good.  I wrote an angry letter to the building department and the Community Board.  Residents should have at least two days of peace and quiet, especially when they working within one foot of someone's bedroom window.   Of course, they won't do anything about it.  They don't care.  Money talks after all.

Made this on Friday in jewelry class.

Saturday I slept til 8 am (late for me), got up, had breakfast, made a couple pair of earrings and went right back to sleep for another 4 hours.  I really needed it.

Sunday I got up and headed to the bank and did some shopping.  Later hubby and I went to Kohl's to get some new pillows, sheets, and a comforter.   Afterwards we had a delicious dinner at my favorite restaurant--Olive Garden.  My eyes were bigger than my stomach.

Linguini, meat sauce, meatballs, and sausages.  Brought over half of it home.

Have a wonderful day.

Friday Roundup

The end of another busy week.  Twas a rough one health wise.  Suffered from my allergies terribly.  My own fault.  Figured I wasn't going out on Saturday so skipped my allergy pill and by mid-afternoon had a full-fledged allergy attack.  Slept an hour or two.  I was exhausted Monday evening but my sciatica acted up, and no matter how I lay I had pain.  Another tossing and turning night.

Had our Wellness Group Monday.  There are two people who only want to talk about themselves.  Whatever the subject, they change it to their own personal problems.  I spoke to the facilitator afterwards and told her that I'm thinking of dropping out.  One time we were going to talk about pain and one of them said, "Oh I don't want to talk about that" and last week the topic was pollution and health.  

Well, neither of the self talkers were there.  The facilitator asked those of us who were there if we wanted group sessions or did we want a group to learn something.  Every one of us raised our hand that we wanted to learn something.  So one group a month will be for those who want to talk about themselves and the other three those of us who want to learn. They also announced they are going to concentrate more on nutrition.  About time. And bring the cooking group back.  You know I have been waiting for that.   

Got my fall personal body scents in the mail this week.  Loving every one of them.  Time to pack what's left of the summer away.

Graduated from computer class yesterday.

 My teacher.

Had first practice for the singing show in the afternoon. So far no lines for me since I'm a late comer and script already written out.  I do sing in the chorus, though.  That's good enough for me.  There will be two shows the third week of November and the proceeds go to wounded warriors.  

Have a wonderful weekend.

Thursday Odds and Ends

My family.  

One of my favorite chickpea salad.

This is how they sell fish in my neighborhood.  I'm surprised there is not an outbreak of food poisoning.

Me in one of Easter outfits.  Always dressed from head to toe.

Will be here before we know it.

Me during flu season.

With Figi's gone I don't know where I am going to get my cakes this Christmas.  Chocolate mint, German Chocolate, and Tiramasu.  These were the best....and I always bought myself some breakfast treats as well.  Little loaves of different kinds of bread and small jars of jelly.  Don't know why after all this time they stopped selling food stuff, but I have used them for years.  Now I guess I will have to try Swiss Colony.

Early fall in the park.

One of my little fairy settings.

Pretty little fairy.

Great for shoulder pain.

Yummy.  Shepherd's pie.

A cook's delight.  Sauces and spices as far as the eye can see.

Monday Morning This and That

Monday morning arrived very quickly this week.  Had a busy time this weekend.  Packed away a few summer items, got out more fall, made a gift for my computer teacher.  This week is graduation, and she has been so nice I want to give her something.  Can't believe how quickly this ten weeks passed by.

When I came home on Friday I stopped to get a closer look at the building permit. Shocked to see that it says EIGHT STORIES. That's two stories higher than the one in the picture above. You can just imagine how tall that building is going to be. When I get angry I cry, and I came in shaking and in tears. Called the Community Board and spoke to a woman who is going to try to help me find out what's going on. Permits are up, but I can't find any filings in the building department other than the one for demolition of the two houses in 2017. Nothing since. 

Are they phony permits? Makes me wonder. Then again maybe they haven't been listed yet....although they should be. Plus I think members of the community should be notified of things like this that change the face of the entire community and take away the quality of life of individuals who have lived there for years. If all this is true, and they are allowed to build that high, there will be 8 families in my building who will be affected. 

This photo  shows just how close it is going to be to me. The bottom window is my bedroom. Again this picture from my kitchen.

Woke up to this on Saturday.  They haven't started work yet, but this really shows how close this 8 story building will be.

Finally made it to the Farmer's Market.  Not much there.

But I did get some juicy beefsteak tomatoes from Jersey.  Yummy.  Let me tell you though.  If I didn't have  vouchers I couldn't buy from here.  So expensive.  3 tomatoes and 2 sweet potatoes for $6.70.  

Off to the center today. Have a wonderful day.

Saturday Quote

The garden still is green
      And green the trees around,
      But the winds are roaring overhead
      And branches strew the ground.
And to-day on the garden pool
      Floating an autumn leaf;
      How rush the seasons, rush the years,
      And, O, how life is brief!

Richard Watson Gilder

Friday Roundup

Ah, Friday.  This has been a VERY busy week, and I am so looking forward to a little downtime. Monday was the picnic.  If there weren't so many lines to stand in, it would have been a really fun day.  But the lines--first the line to get in, then the line for drinks, then the line for food, and finally the line for dessert.  Gosh I think we spent over half of our time standing in one line or another.

Tuesday was a much better experience.  The Barn Dance Party, and I had so much fun.  When I was young and still in New Jersey every weekend we went up to this place called Happy Time Barn.  Along with the regular jitterbug of the day, we also did square dancing.  I loved it and haven't done it in almost 50 years.  Thrilled that my back held up for it.

My friend from jewelry class.  She brought me a hat to wear as well, but my head was too small for any of them.  

This is the other side of the room.  I think it shows the ugly paint job very well.

Judy and Maureen.

Lunch was awesome.  Boneless beef short ribs so tender you could cut them with a fork, macaroni and cheese, and seasoned green beans.  Dessert was spumoni ice cream.  Yummy.

My friend Marie with the sunglasses.  She is 89 years old.  I love her.

Came home yesterday and found them working in the lot next door again. Don't know if they had a complaint because it was definitely a rat trap, or they are planning on starting to build. Well, they were working there yesterday, too. Not digging holes, but working there. There are no new permits aside from the demolition permit. I checked online and it still says demolition only so it appears they don't have a permit to build. But I am still going to skip out on jewelry making today and head home to make some phone calls to clarify things. Hoping there is no permit. I've been dreading this.

I'd been hoping to move before a building went up and blocked all my daylight and air, but now I lose my SCRIE (rent freeze)  if I move into affordable housing so it's darned if you do and darned if you don't. Sigh.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Thursday Odds and Ends

I love this little angel.  She came with wreathes for every season so she never has to be put away.

One of my favorite desserts.  This year, though, I haven't had much luck with strawberries.  Either they weren't sweet enough or they were overripe on the bottom.  Would be nice if they didn't come prepackaged and you could see this before you buy.

My great great grandmother, Constance Mary Hazel, from Norfolk, England.  So sorry I never got to meet her.  Oh, she was alive when I was born, but mom would not let me have any contact with dad's family, and to put it bluntly, he was sort of a wimp when it came to her orders.  So sad.

Union retiree Christmas party.  Sorry to say I would not go again.  When I heard it was going to be held at an upscale hotel in the city, I expected a nice dinner.  What we got was disgustingly cooked piece of chicken and icky salad.  I ended up getting sick from it.

One of the workers from the senior center.  She is so nice.  If I am going to be late for any reason all I have to do is call and she'll sign me in and hold my card for me.

Two of my uncles--dad's twin and his brother.

Hubby and I.

The beginnings of fall at Brooklyn college.

Love these wax melts.

My uncle George, my oldest son, my aunt Dot (mom's sister), and my daughter.

 My two little singing animals from work--White Boy (because he sang White Boy) and Officer Ron.  I gave each of my co-workers a stuffed animal to remember me by.

 My beautiful dream catcher.

Tuesday Ramble

Morning all.  Had a wonderful time yesterday although the music was a bit loud for my taste.  Was afraid my tinnitus would be ringing off the hook, but thankfully it didn't really effect it.  

A couple of friends from the center.  The man with the long hair and sunglasses is in my computer class.  The older man is in my art class.

Huge hot dog and so yummy.  They also had chicken and salad, but I have them all the time.  Wanted something different.

The guy with the dark shirt is the councilman and in the red shirt our senator.

 My friends Dorothy and Harvey.

Carmen and Christine.

Came home yesterday to find them digging in the lot next door. I looked online to see if a permit was issued to build.  Nothing listed.  Will check for permits when I leave tomorrow morning.  I've been dreading this.  If they build I lose all my light and fresh air.  The new building will block everything. 

Today we have the month party.  The month's them is Barn Dancing.  Haven't done that in over 40 years, not since I left New Jersey.    Should be a fun day.  Have a good one.