Recycling

You never know what you'll miss when you're gone, and I really miss reycling. I am so used to recycling everything that can be recycled, and not having that available makes me sad. It just doesn't even seem to be on the radar here, at least not where I am. I feel especially bad seeing aluminum cans in the trash. That really should never be, since it takes so much energy to manufacture a new can compared to how much it takes to re-make one from a recycled can. As a country, we're so very wasteful, in ways that can't continue. Off of soapbox.

Of course I miss Nora and Aaron,too. I miss Nora's observations on life and the way Aaron's face lights up when he sees his people. I wonder if he's crawling yet - he is so close. Steph comes home from her training today, and I hope he's waited. You're in for a treat tomorrow, Grandma Janice.

Yesterday was cold, 49 degrees. Who would have thought? I was glad I had a fleece jacket in my truck. It was there just because I was too lazy to take it out, and I was so happy I had it.

Today is the last full day of training, and we'll be done tomorrow at 1. So much information, my brain is overflowing. I hope I can get back to being creative after these technican things.

I'm looking forward to stopping at one of the nurseries on the way home to admire the flowers. Maybe I'll take another look at the lake, too.

Long Day Yesterday

Yesterday was a long day, and I'm looking forward to a better one today. Yesterday's training was particularly difficult for me and I was glad to check everything back in at the end of the day. Today's traiining is much more familiar to me, and I'm looking forward to learning a few new things.

I'm reminded once again about the different ways that people learn. I like manuals, pictures, and words. Writing it down. Having someone show me how to do something technical without that backup is a struggle for me. Sometimes I wish it wasn't that way, but there it is. It's especially difficult when there are lefts and rights involved. There were times yesterday when I felt pretty stupid, everybody else seemed to be doing ok. At the end of the day, they showed us a website with tutorials, and I knew I'd be fine. Seeing the pictures, having some time to ponder how it all works, makes all the difference for me.

On the way out for dinner, I did get up to see Lake Erie, which turned out to be much closer than I thought. No wonder it took so long to get here. I enjoyed seeing the lake, loved the vastness of it. Left to my own devices, I'd be happy to spend the day just looking at it. A couple of people and I went to Round Robin for dinner, which turned out to be a hamburger place with Round Robin himself (herself?) in attendance on Tuesdays. Picture when I get home.

I took a nice walk, then when I got back to my hotel, which is so nice, there was no water in my room. I got another room, another trip back to the office because the key didn't work, and finally got everything moved by 10:30. Ugh, I'm hoping for an earlier evening tonight.

Really nice upgrade, though. I have a fireplace and a balcony, two bedrooms and two bathrooms, one in a loft. I chose the upstairs one, just because I could. There are three tv's, with cable, I'm sure, but I'm so in the habit of not watching tv that I haven't turned on the tv since I've been here.

More of a treat for me is having a daily newspaper. I don't like to get delivery because sometimes I'm gone or don't have time to read the paper, but I also don't like to make a trip out for a paper unless I'm out anyway.

When I was out, I got a new book, Loving Frank, about Frank Lloyd Wright and one of his lovers. It started out good, and I'm hoping for lots of reading time tonight.

Internet Not Working

I've tried without success to access the internet from my computer at my motel. I even got long distance tech support from Mike without luck.

What does this mean for us? It means no pictures. And yesterday, would you believe, I did postcards for every day this week. I might be kind of sick with that, but they were easy ones with hand dyes. Guess I'll be ahead of the game when I get back on Saturday. I stopped at Steph and Mike's on my way out of town yesterday and had pictures of Aaron and Nora that I was hoping to put on too.

I had dinner tonight at a nice Mexican restaurant - pretty appropriate for May 5. And a lovely brownie and ice cream dessert at the Cheesecake Factory. It was a nice end to a long day of training. And of course there were pictures.

Spring Flowers

Today's postcard

Spring flowers -

Lilacs from Helen (thanks, Helen)

The rest are phlox, so pretty. I have a spot in my front yard where I'll be planting some. Neighbor Maureen's yard -

Neighbor Tonya's yard -

Cincinnati Mennonite Fellowship Church -

I'm leaving today for a week's training. I'm hoping to have internet access and continue blogging while I'm gone.

Family First Saturday - May

Today's postcard

This was Family First Saturday at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Nora, Steph and I met Helen there.

The art projects are always the favorite. This time, there were paper people to decorate.

Then there was a fish kite to make.

There were free Fidgit Widgets for the kids, and choosing a color was serious business.

We spent a little time at the quilt exhibit, and of course Nora headed for the magnet board where she could do her own quilt. Later, when we were considering what to do next, Nora said that she wanted to build another quilt. You go, little girl.

And last, a stop at Graeter's on the way home.

Friday Fill-Ins - New for Me

Today's postcard

I always enjoy Deb's Friday Fill-Ins and decided to try it myself. You can find more Friday Fill-Ins here.

Friday Fill-In # 70.

1. Two of my favorite ingredients in a drink are Diet Coke and Diet Coke. Love the stuff. I could drink it all day (but I don't.)

2. George W. Bush often amazes me. Not in a good way.

3. You can keep doing that forever, the dog is absent. I am happily without pets of any kind.

4. California rolls and soy sauce. Mix them together and you have a heavenly treat.

5. If I had a yard with a garden, I would love to grow herbs. I do have a yard, so far with only three empty beds, but I do have rosemary, sage, and Derby mint ready to go in. Rosemary is my favorite. I want to be making focacia again by the end of the summer. And don't worry, I'll keep the mint in its own pot so it won't take over everything. This particular variety has huge leaves.

6. A grilled cheese sandwich is best au naturel. Let's not be messing it up.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a snack and bed, tomorrow I'm looking forward to going with Nora to Family First Saturday at the Cincinnati Art Museum, and Sunday, I want to plant those herbs.

Take It Further Challenge for May

Today's postcard

Sharon B has posted the Take It Further Challenge for May and it sounds SO difficult. It's "what do you call yourself and why?" She is referring to whether you call yourself an artist, a crafter, an art maker, etc. That would be really, really hard to get into a quilt, so, at first thought, I'm considering working with the color palette instead of the topic. It's very beautiful - blue, pink, indigo, beige, purple - colors I know I'd enjoy.

Whenever I think of myself as an artist, I feel just a little bit like a fraud. I make art, true, but I have no formal training. The term "crafter" seems to lack seriousness of purpose and seems to me to imply staying in the lines. Yeah, I definitely think I'm going with the color palette (unless of course I change my mind.) I'll be watching to see what others do with the topic.