This month has totally gotten away from me. (It didn't help that last week I got a little obsessive about a work project and stayed at my desk for 11, 10, 11, and then 12 hours before enjoying a day off.)
I did manage to do a few things. I baked a lot on the weekend(s) for myself and the various departments.
Cookies and cakes good colleagues do make.
This is a very easy vegan-esque cake to whip up to enjoy at night, the only problem being is that baking in this pan makes it very easy to see that eating three slices ends up being a quarter of the cake. That's a bit too much in one sitting.
St. Patrick's Day required thematic cookies. I made lots of batches of Irish Soda bread cookies (so yummy but add more [3/4cup] buttermilk than this
recipe asks for), and these sugar cookies with white chocolate frosting and magic kisses from the leprechauns were perfect for dunking in milk or tea.
One late night Cynthia and I ended up at McDonald's before heading home. I usually crave a chocolate Frosty and fries from Wendy's but that's the wrong franchise. Instead I had my first
Shamrock Shake with a side of fries and the new
fish bites. I joked that Shamrock Shake really needed to be topped by the Girl Scout's Thin Mints, and Cynthia fished some out of her bag.
I recommend dipping either the fries OR the Thin Mints in the Shake. I do not recommend a Thin Mint fry sandwich washed down with a Shake. Trust me.
On the commuting front, I have only managed to walk to the train station once this month. I've either been working too late, or it rained/snowed. The one time I did, I saw a burning bush. Traditionally, that's usually a sign from above. In this case, it's a message to watch out for things falling from above.
The transit system is really stretching to get our attention on not breaking the rules regarding common decency, like not littering, playing our music too loudly, or smoking.
Look more closely. That's a Lord of the Rings inspired warning. No Elf Harps. No Wizard/Hobbit smoking, and no Gollum littering. I don't know if this is a sanctioned sticker, or a spoof. But I like it.
On other trains, people are catching on to the art graffiti movement called "Vandal Eyes" where they put googly eyes on various things. Sitting on this pelican is weird enough, but someone vandaleyes'd this with a lash-bedecked mean-one-eyed-glare. Don't sit on me. An I have yet to see someone sit there.
The pelican spooked the rest of the train hardware -- so much. See? Startled lock is startled.
(No vandal eyes required.)
Just when it looked like spring was almost within reach, we got snowed on. AGAIN. (We may be snowed on again TONIGHT too.) There is something to be said about commuting late during a snowstorm. Everything seems ... more ... lonely, lovely, calm, clean, muffled, moody, etc.
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| Making a different kind of snowy tracks. |
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| Fordham platform is forlorn. |
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By the end of the week, the grey days, lack of sun, and long long hours were starting to get to me. Luckily, Kari's slightly belated birthday package was waiting for me at the P.O. Box. And it was worth the wait for hand-written birthday wishes from the girls, chocolate, jewelry, yarn, a t-shirt ... and my first pair of hand-knit socks by Ms. Kari herself. (THANKS KREW!)
Thankfully, I had to take a day off to get my taxes done, and I always use it as an excuse to head back up to Westchester County to see my Caramoor crew. The sun decided to celebrate with me. My shadow finally made an appearance.
I even saw trees in bloom. Granted they were wall stencils/appliques in a gym nursery, but LEAVES! GREEN! COLOR! BIRDS! NATURE! I'll take spring anywhere I can get it.
The rest of this weekend has been dedicated to crafts therapy. I just didn't feel like baking, (it happens), and needed to rest my eyes from staring at the computer screen. (My eyes are actually starting to twitch working on this post - eye strain from last week's long hours.)
As previously mentioned, my little neighbor girl and I have been doing guerrilla art decoration/competitions for various holidays. My snowflakes have been attacked by shamrocks, so I had to add Welsh and Scottish flags to my door to compete with the Irish natives down next door. Now that St. Patrick's Day is over, I figured it was time for Easter decorations. I spent yesterday coloring in Easter egg graphics and slipping blank pages under the neighbors' doors. Challenge laid down. Now we wait. l: the Irish and r: the signs that the seasons are still mixing.
I thought I had crayons stashed away, but no. I still managed with highlights, sharpies, and other markers. This one is a red Sharpie and a dying red marker that I kept licking.
My Irish/Ukrainian egg homage: 2 colors of highlighter and 1 Sharpie.
Happy Early Easter!
I also spent time doing other art therapy, which you'll see a little later on - thanks to Christine!
Thank goodness for the camera on the iTouch. Without it, I would almost have no record of where the month went.
