Friday creeps closer and I thought I was prepared for my presentation.  Then I was "invited" (read that as strongly encouraged) to "attend" a conference call to talk about the meeting on Friday.  I got to hear the presentations of the other three agencies and theirs all sound so much more involved and together.  I felt a little flustered and realized I'll have to spend tomorrow doing some more preparation.  It also sounded like they all had way more time to think about this and come up with something than I did.

Peter Kevin walked down to my office to wait while I finished the call and he remarked on the fact that my neck and face were red.  And this was just a rehearsal.  Sigh.  I think I may need some of my anti-anxiety meds before this thing on Friday.  The Director said to me today, "I owe you for this one".   She surely does.

On Sunday, Kate asked me if I wanted to go to the yarn store.  I thought about it for a hot minute and said "of course" and we went to Woolbearers, our favorite lys.  She bought some lovely sparkly yarn and I walked around and around.  I didn't really want to spend money but I found myself drawn back again and again to this "skein" of Crazy Zauberball.  Yes, the colors are actually that bright.  There were three color groups, pink/grey, blue/purple, and red/orange/green.  I went with the bright one thinking it would make amazingly colorful socks.

It's a bit splitty to work with and not terribly soft.  That's probably a good thing since soft yarn doesn't always last very long.

They won't be twins that's for sure.  And they'll probably only get worn with jeans, but that's ok.  I love these socks already.  And I'm grateful for the signature needles.  The very sharp stilletto tips make it easier to use this splitty yarn.  I am finding it very amusing.

I'm listening to The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley), a version of the King Arthur tale that focuses on the women.  It's read by Davina Porter who has a wonderful voice.  (She reads the Outlander books, too).  It is such a good telling of the story and so different from the many, many versions where the women are mostly background fixtures.  There's spinning.  The women are always pulling out a spindle and spinning.  It made me realize again how lucky I am that I do not have to provide all the fabric for all my family's clothes.  I like to spin but don't want to do it ALL the time.

We are going to go find a Christmas tree this weekend and Pk and I will do some of our shopping.  We usually shop once together and then the rest separately.  It seems like there's loads of time till Christmas but I know how fast that time will pass.  I haven't found my holiday spirit, yet.  It just hasn't clicked in my head that tomorrow is December.  I guess the fact that the temperature has been spring-like hasn't helped. 

 How warm is it?  Well, this is a forsythia bush that was outside of the yarn store.  They bloom in the Spring.  November is NOT spring around here.  The cold snap we had in October (with frost) and then the almost 70 degree temps this week must have confused it. It's more seasonable today with highs in the 50's (12.7C). 

Otherwise, we are doing well.  Pk is learning to get along with Siri but it's a rocky relationship.  He calls her names and she responds with "Peter, I will not respond to that kind of language".  It makes me laugh.  Technology is an entertaining thing.

How are you finding your holiday spirit? (that is if you've found it).  Is there a thing that does it for you?  I didn't put out the decorations the weekend after Thanksgiving like I usually do since it seemed a bit early.  Maybe this weekend.  Maybe I'll find my spirit tucked away inside those boxes.

I love a good sunset but a sunrise can be just as good (although I'd rather be asleep.....).  This is the sky that greeted us this morning as we left for work.  Just a hint of clouds and a sky full of blue and pink.

And we went back to work and started the week so I thought I'd share our Monday morning with you.  If it has to be Monday morning, at least it was a beautiful one.

Things to be thankful for 2.0

fall colors(even though most of the trees are naked now)

two days of doing as little as humanly possible (we have been lazy slugs for two days and I have loved every moment of it)

children who ask if you want to go somewhere with them (they want to spend time with me)

65 degree days in late November (that's 18.5 C and not normal for this late in fall but it's soooo nice to have the windows open and the fresh air coming in)

J D Robbs' Eve Dallas novels (a very guilty pleasure)

my new walkman that holds a charge for hours and hours and gives me such pleasure

french toast and bacon for breakfast

holding hands

new toilets that flush and don't leak

a job to return to tomorrow morning (although I may need to be reminded that I'm thankful at 6 am when the alarm goes off)

friends

my husband

a craft that allows me to be creative and make actual useful things at the same time


to be continued.........

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day here.  It's been raining for three days now (mostly just steady light rain but there have been some downpours as well).  Our soil (misnomer there, we have mostly clay) has absorbed all it can absorb and we are now running the pump in the crawlspace.  It's nothing new.

It's supposed to be cold overnight and then sunny and crisp tomorrow.  Good parade weather.  Santa comes into town tomorrow at the end of the Thanksgiving Day parade.

Not having a television, we miss parades.  We don't actually miss them, we just don't get to see them.  If I really wanted to, I could go to Philadelphia and watch the parade but I'm thinking not.  We are going to the movies tomorrow to see the new Muppet Movie.  I loved the original one and saw the preview for this one and it looks like it might be good.  It could be a total bust but I'm willing to risk it.

The recent rains have washed most of the leaves off the trees.  Where just a few days ago were leaves of yellow and red are now wet brown branches.  Fall doesn't last long enough.

I baked cornbread for the stuffing, made fruit relish and baked mincemeat and pumpkin pies.  Tomorrow all I really have to do is make stuffing, put the turkey in the oven and cook potatoes and green beans (fresh green beans not that casserole with mushroom soup and french fried onions on top) and make gravy and whipped cream.  It's not that difficult since we eat at our regular time.  I know lots of people who eat early in the afternoon and therefore have to get up at the crack of dawn to put dinner in the oven.  I have until about 11 to get the bird aroastin'. 

Did I ever mention that I don't like to speak in front of a group?  No?  Well, I don't.  Although I have been told I do it well.  I get all flustered and turn red.  The Director of our agency asked me to speak at a meeting of all the agencies next Friday about our recovery committee initiatives.   I know this stuff inside and out but that doesn't make it easier.  I have a week to come up with a presentation that fortunately should only be 5-10 minutes long. 

Pk and I had lunch out today before we left the city to come home (we ate at More Than Just Ice Cream and it was delicious).  I saw the Asst Director there and she thanked me for giving the presentation and told me "you'll be great".  Now, I have been on the top of her shit list before so I get a little apprehensive when she says something nice to me.  There was a time when I lived on top of that list !  No pressure here.



I have so many things to be thankful for.  And I am mindful of how lucky I am.  I hope you all are having a good day and whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving or not, take a moment out of your day to be mindful of all the blessings we have.  As Roxie reminds me, "nobody's shooting at me" and that's just for starters. 

Happy Thanksgiving.

I haven't done a very good job of posting a photo a day in November.  Life kinda got in the way.  I had good intentions....

Last week was a busy one at work.  I had full clinics and as the holidays creep up on us (or rather rush at us at full speed) people get more anxious and need more reassurance and support.  I was tired when I got home from work at night. 

Our tree finally dropped most of its leaves.  We had a few days of rain and wind in the middle of the week and Thursday morning, this was what our front yard looked like.  They're crunchy right now and I love scuffing through them.

They also smell really good.

I spent some time this weekend trying to figure out a crochet pattern for one of my group members.  It wasn't difficult but I had an idea what I thought it should look like and it wasn't coming out right.  I finally realized that it was a v-stitch row and a dc row and it just repeated. 

This is yarn I spun myself and instead of making a baby blanket (which is what the woman wants to make), I cast on enough stitches for a scarf.  The yarn is polwarth/silk and I love the color.  And I always love knitting with my own handspun.  I figured I'd work it up and take it in next week.  We have a short week because of Thanksgiving this week so no group.  Pk and I are taking half days on Wednesday and going out for lunch.  Then we have Friday off so it's a nice sort week. 

Last Friday I attended a seminar on protecting oneself from the trauma we hear about from our clients.  It was a good seminar and I knit a good bit during it.  And for the first time, there was someone else there with knitting.  She was making a hat.  The women running the seminar didn't mind since the training was about dealing with stress and knitting is a good way to do that (unless of course you're involved in a complicated lace project which isn't working.....).  I have now finished 3 pairs of socks for the holidays and have a good start on the fourth.

Pk spent most of today with Emily.  He brought me a souvenir.
It's a 22 caliber shell from the gun he used to shoot.  They spent some time at a shooting range.  He enjoyed it.  Shooting the gun was fun but mostly spending time with Emily was the fun.  I have never held a gun and don't have any desire to do so.  If the zombies come, I'll have to take my chances and stand behind someone who can shoot.

I made fruit relish today and moved the turkey from the freezer into the refrigerator.  It takes up so much room.  Right now we are involved in "creative shelving" to make everything fit. I'll make cornbread and pies on Wednesday night.  This year it's pumpkin and mincemeat.  El and Pk love mincemeat (they're the only ones) and I've been promising them.  I also made sure we got a large bottle of rum for the hot buttered rum for desert with our pies. 

I like to cook so Thanksgiving is a perfect holiday for me.  It's all about the food and the family.  We are not having any company.  Kate and Patrick are going to his mom's and Em is fixing dinner for Jim's family.  It will be just Pk, Elanor and myself.  I didn't even invite my cousin.  I think the idea of just a quiet meal feels good. 

I have a lot to be thankful for.

I didn't get to the computer yesterday because I spend most of the day on my back.  I was having a dizzy spell and the meds took all morning to work.  I was able to sit up and walk around noon.  It wasn't the way I wanted to spend the day but the best laid plans.......

So, I'll share two photos today to make up for yesterday.  Here's the first one I took as I left work today.  It's 8th street on the corner of 8th and Locust.  If you look down the street, you can see the holiday lights. 

They put them up and turned them on right after Daylight Savings Time ended.  It's a bit early for my tastes but I'm sure the city has it's reasons.

And then today when I got home and there was a box on the front step.  Pk said "pants" since he's waiting for some pants we ordered him.  I said "No, it's my Christmas knitting package from the Unique Sheep".

I forgot that I ordered this in July.  It's a limited color and a special pattern.  The yarn is merino/tencel and is one of their 4 skein series.  The shawl pattern that came with it is pretty and looks like it'll be interesting.

There was also a skein of red/green cotton and a pattern for a wash cloth, some Frankinsense &
Myrrh scented soap and some tea (plus a clear needle sizer and some bells).

It was a nice surprise.  I look forward to playing with it but the socks have to come first.

Today was a busy day here. 

It didn't start out to be.....

Do you know how toilets work?  I don't have exact knowledge but I do know that there is a  wax seal that keeps water from leaking out at the bottom.  Our toilet has been feeling like it was not seated correctly and occasionally there would be water on the floor.  So we had to replace the seal.

6 hours and five trips to the diy store later, Pk is finally finishing up.  When he took the old toilet off, he discovered we needed a new flange as well as a seal.  That was trip number 2 (the wax seal was trip 1).  Then when it came time to bolt the toilet back into place, the bolts weren't long enough.  Two trips later (#3&4), Pk picked up the bottom of the toilet and a corner broke off in his hand. 

It's an old fixture but we thought it would be ok since it was just a corner of the bowl support and didn't look important. 

It was important.  After everything was put back together, Pk flushed, we held our breath and water came shooting out from where the small bit broke off.

Trip # 5 was back to the store to buy a new toilet.  He is putting the new seat on and getting ready to turn the water back on.  Cross your fingers.....

In the meantime, he found a recipe for Mac and Cheese that he wanted to try in the 2012 edition of The Old Farmer's Almanac.  We buy one every year (and this year they say we'll have normal temps this winter but it will be snowy) and enjoy reading it.  This one had a recipe for mac and cheese with blue cheese and bacon.  It's in the oven now and smells heavenly. 

I think I hear a toilet flushing.  I did! It works!  Thank goodness.  We once again have a working toilet.  You don't realize how important they are until you don't have one.

And just because I needed a nice, soothing photo after all this, here's a photo of the trees on our street.  The tree in front of our house is turning yellow but these are spectacular. 

Because the angle of the sun is low, as it goes down it highlights each tree.  It's like each one gets its turn in the spotlight.  I sat in the chair in the living room and watched .  It's so beautiful.

So, that was our day.  It started out with a simple repair that turned into a majordaylong job.  Poor Pk has spent all day on his knees in front of the toilet and he didn't even get to enjoy getting drunk first!

Today's photo is a close up of a crocheted basket weave stitch.  I have no idea how this is done.  One of my group members is making a blanket for herself and looked up on youtube how to do this.  She has already made two scarves and wants me to teach her to make socks.  I'm going to donate some sock needles and a skein of fngering weight yarn to the cause and get her started. 

We're having a good time deciphering crochet patterns.  It's been a long time for me and I have to read them aloud and then we play with the yarn and hooks until we get it. 

I love the way this looks and am so proud of the fact that she wanted to learn a new stitch and is now in the process of teaching it to others.  Best part of the knitting/crochet group?  The way the members help each other.  It's so cool to see someone else put down their project and offer help. 

Fiber folks.  They're the best no matter how experienced they are.

This is the train station on Friday November 4th at about 7 am.  It was actually darker than this (my camera picks up ambient light and magnifies it).  You can see that the lights in the parking lot are still on.  This is Daylight Savings Time.







Fast forward to Monday, November 7th and the view changes.


This is the same shot at about the same time.  Look at how much lighter it is.  This is what I've been waiting for.  I hate getting up for work in the dark.  It's so hard.

Now, it's dark when the alarm goes off but by the time we leave the house, it's light and it feels like daytime. 

What a difference an hour makes.

Btw, Em gave me a gift card for Signature needles for my birthday.  Since I had to pay for shipping for one pair, I ordered a second pair as well.  And let me tell you, they are every bit as good as they are touted to be.  They are sharp and easy to use and not too slippery. 

I think I might be in love.

The cold weather we had two weeks ago has finally brought us some fall color!

I walk about a block and a half each day from work down Locust St to the train.  Today, I was halfway down the stairs to the train station (underground) when I turned around and went back to take a photo of this tree. 

I stopped and took the photo even though there were two people standing right there and they were watching me.  I commented on the beauty of the tree and they agreed.

This was about 3:40 in the afternoon.   And you know what kind of tree that is?  If you said Locust, you'd be correct.  I didn't know but I just looked it up on Google and discovered that Locust St has Locust trees. 

The building is part of Wills Eye Hospital where they do amazing things to save people's sight.  The area I work in is densely populated with hospitals and doctors.  You can't swing a stick without hitting a doctor's office.

This is the view out my bedroom window at the end of the day.  The sun hits the gold leaves and makes everything look hazy and surreal.

I love fall.  I love the cold mornings and the warmish afternoons and even the early darkness.  It means it's time to cuddle inside and have food like stew and chicken and dumplings.  It's cinnamon scented candles and chrysanthemums. 

And it's such a short period of time.  Very soon our trees will be bare and brown and the sky will be a deep deep blue and it will be cold. 

Thank goodness for warm woolen socks!

Look who greeted us as we got home today.  We pulled into the driveway and were walking up the front walk, talking and making our usual noise.  And there he/she was.  Just standing there.

Our front yard can only loosely be called a "lawn".  Yes, we have some grass but most of it is crab grass and lots and lots of clover.  The rabbits love it.   He/she stood there while I pulled out the camera and took the shot.  I couldn't get too close.  As soon as I moved closer, he loped off toward the back yard.  And that's when we got to see his/her bright white tail.

Our neighborhood has been overrun by rabbits in the past.  They were so bold they would run down the sidewalks.  It was funny to see.  Even when our cats were alive, the rabbits were not that afraid. 

Then the raptors moved into the area.  Hawks and vultures.  The rabbit and woodchuck populations dwindled.  I haven't seen a rabbit grazing out front in the open in a long time.  This one sat perfectly still like he/she was posing.  I haven't seen the woodchucks in a good long while.  They may have gotten eaten or just moved on to safer areas.

Today is election day here.  It's an "off" year.  No major elections, no governor or senator or even congressman.  Just some local officials and the mayor of Somerdale (who is running unopposed).   I spread my votes among both parties (I'm an registered Independent) because I don't like the idea of one party having all the power.  I WANT them to discuss and even have arguments sometimes.  That's how we learn how strongly people feel about things.

Otherwise today was an odd day.  Productive, but odd.  I very often work straight through lunch because I take breaks during the morning.  Today I worked all morning and decided to take my lunch hour.  I pulled out the headphones (I'm listening to a zombie story--I put aside Game of Thrones for now, learning that there are two more books to come just depressed me for some reason.  I want it to come to an end) and some knitting and was having a peaceful time when someone knocked on the door and asked for help.  One of my clients who was having problems with social security.  I couldn't say no, so there went my lunch hour.  She needed a letter which we wrote together and then got signed by the doctor and she was on her way.  I was on the way to clinic. 

Maybe tomorrow. 

Peter Kevin took today's photo on Friday on the way home.  It's always interesting to ride in the front seat of the train across from the driver.  It's a totally different view of our ride.

This is the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.  You can see the Delaware River and that's Camden in the distance there.  The bridge has four stone supports.  Two on the Pennsylvania side and two on the New Jersey side.  There's also a walkway.  This is the only bridge you can walk or ride a bike across.  The tracks immediately in front of you are for the PATCO line, the train we take into work each day.

I'm reluctant to take photos of the trains/bridges.  After the bombings in 2001, people look at you strangely if you are taking photos of a transportation device.  And there are posters inside the trains talking about "watching out for each other" or is it "watching each other?".  No, we're not paranoid, why do you ask?

This is the inside of the train.  It's right after we've gotten on and you can see that it's still fairly empty.  We are on the second stop going toward Philadelphia.  Usually, we are able to get a seat together in the morning, it's still the beginning of the morning rush hour. 

The train ride takes about 20-25 minutes and is noisy even though it's electric and should be quiet.  The power might be quiet but the cars and the train itself is over 30 years old and not as quiet as it used to be.  People are quiet in the morning.  Some are still asleep and there is often a woman putting on her makeup (although how they do that in a moving train is beyond me).  This is the easiest way for us to get to Philadelphia and is cheaper than driving/parking and dealing with all the traffic. 

I remember when the train first opened and my grandparents took us for a ride into Philadelphia for lunch.  We were so excited!  A train on a bridge! 

And today, I still like to watch the river go by and see the sun coming up on the buildings. 

Welcome to Monday November 7th.

November 6th

Today's photo is a finished object.  This summer I joined the Unique Sheep's tea/yarn club.  Three months of yarn and tea.  I got a lovely lavender colored cashmere/merino yarn and some Marquise Grey (lavendar flavored) tea.  I got some lovely chai tea and some yarn dyed with light beige and yellow/beige silk/merino yarn.

And in September I got this.  It's a cotton/bamboo blend and one of their unique color changing skeins.  You can see how it started with the bright green and purple and ended with dark purple and brownish colors.  Four tiny skeins.

I crocheted this mostly during my group at work.  I wasn't sure what I would do with this blend.  I was sure it wouldn't make good socks and decided I'd use it for a scarf.  I must have ripped parts of it out a dozen times as I got used to the pattern (and using a hook!). 

It's an interesting thing.  I'm not sure quite what to do with it.  I have to weave in the ends which may be difficult since there is no wool in it and the ends are likely to slip out.  I think I'll get some dark thread and sew the ends in place.  I don't know if I'll even block it out since I like the texture of the piece and the feel of it.  It's drapey and soft, the kind of thing you would wear with some plain colors or to spice up a white shirt.

I'm on my way to the kitchen to make some popcorn and we're going to watch Inception (Leonardo DiCaprio's movie).  I work with someone who doesn't like butter.  We've been discussing it and don't understand it at all.  Butter is why we eat popcorn after all!

It's potato/leek soup and grilled sandwiches for dinner and then the weekend is over already.  We gained an hour today but it got lost in the shuffle somewhere. 

As promised, a photo of Cake!

We had dinner at a local Italian restaurant tonight.  The girls and their significant others and my brother and his family were there. 

I had such a good pizza.  It's roasted red peppers, chicken, basil and garlic.  It's so tasty.  We sat around and ate and talked and laughed.  Maggie (my niece) made me a card that had a zombie inside wearing a tshirt that said Number 1 knitter on it. 

It was a wonderful evening.  Kate gave me a knitpicks gift certificate (with which I bought some Harmony needle tips and some fixed circulars) and Emily gave me a gift certificate for Signature needles.  I ordered a set of sock needles (actually, I spend some of my own money and bought 2 sets!).  I can't wait for them to get here.  I've heard such good things about them.

Tomorrow we have to go grocery shopping and to the home repair store to get a new toilet seal.  Exciting?  Oh yes.  The seal is old and needs to be replaced.

And there is still cake left over for tomorrow.......

 

November 4th

I got up this morning and went to work for half a day.  The donuts were a stunning success (duh).  I spent over an hour on the phone with an individual who has been having a terrible week and then and hour and a half in meetings. 

Not much else got done.  The morning flew by and Pk and I met at the train station at 12:45.  We were off on our adventure. 

I don't know if I've told you how much I like dansko shoes.  They are so well made and they're comfortable to my back and legs.  Pk heard that there was an outlet store and suggested I might like some new shoes for my birthday.

Now, I don't know what you think of when you hear "outlet store" but I don't think of a store that looks like this

Shoes as far as the eye can see!  And they're all sorted by size so there's no digging through piles of shoes trying to find the ones you want.

I found three pairs, two pair of suede clog style (one black and one a wine color) and a pair of mary jane style with straps. 

They're beautiful.  And about half of what they cost in the store.  I got three pairs of shoes for less than what two pairs would have cost in the retail stores.

We got home and had some dinner and then Pk took me to the electronic store to replace my mp3 player.  My old one still works but after 3 years of hard usage, the battery doesn't hold a charge like it used to.  I can still get a few hours out of it on a charge but those bars drop off pretty quick. 

I spent tonight loading some of my favorite music and downloading some books from the library.  I can't transfer the last Song of Ice and Fire book because technically it's expired.  I'll have to listen to it on the old player.  No real problem.

And it looks like Mr. Martin is writing at least 2 more in his series so it will be at least 7 books.  I hope he doesn't make it one of those endless sagas.  I'd like things to come to a head and then there to be an ending.  I'm enjoying them but I can't see myself listening to them forever.

So, that's the photos for today.  54 years ago today I was born.  I have a good life.  I am so very grateful for it and for all the people in it.

See you tomorrow with a photo of cake! (Pk told the waitress at the diner that it was my birthday and she brought me a huge piece of strawberry shortcake.  I shared it with Elanor) 

November 3rd

This is what our mornings look like.  That's the view out my front windshield as Pk is scraping the frost off.  We had a "hard frost" on Sunday night and the car has been frosted over every morning since.  I have been wearing my mittens in the morning.  I have arthritis in my hands and they need the warmth.

I used to go out to bring in the newspaper and I'd start the car so it was warm when I left and the frost would have melted off.  We no longer get a newspaper (we stopped it when I realized we were only reading the comics sections most days and it was all going right into the recycling bin) and it's actually illegal to let a car idle in NJ.  I've seen the signs outside of convenience stores and I assume it's true for cars idling anywhere.  So, now we come out to a cold car and scrape and brush and clean off the windows ourselves.

Our small rally didn't make the news last night.  The Occupy Philadelphia (just like Occupy Wall Street and others) folks were impeding traffic in center city and got arrested.  They got all the press.  We can't compete with them.  I wonder if they'll stay outside here when the winter comes.  It gets pretty cold at night. 

The knit group had 6 consumers and 3 staff members today.  Another new person came in to learn to crochet.  I was giving her my "find some yarn you love" speech and telling her it should be fun  when one of my coworkers commented that I made a good teacher.  Thing is, I AM a good teacher.  I believe good teachers are born not made.  I've had some really great teachers and some notso great ones.  Training is the least of it.

The new woman decided to crochet a scarf and asked me what pattern she should use.  I said "it's up to you" and they all laughed.  Seems I say that a lot.  For some of our consumers, the idea of making their own decisions and making something their own way is foreign.  There is also a paucity of imagination.  I bring in yarn catalogs so they can see colors and ranges of weights and some patterns.  They are often bowled over by the colors!  All they're used to is what they can find at the local Walmart or Joann's or Michael's.   Giving them a WEBS catalog is like when Dorothy opens the door in the Wizard of Oz and everything is is color!  I love sharing this.

Tomorrow Pk and I are taking a half day off.  He's taking me to a Dansko outlet to get some new shoes for my birthday.  And then out to lunch/dinner.  Saturday the girls and my brother's family are joining us for dinner and cake.  Mmmmm.  I love birthday cake.  I'm taking the good donuts to work tomorrow morning to share with my coworkers.  They're good people and deserve a treat, too.

Happy Nov 3rd!

November 2

Today's photo is brought to you by Visions for Equality.

When I got into work this morning, I had a voicemail telling me that there would be a march/rally in support of the Pennsylvania Adult Protection Act.

In PA, if you're a child with disabilities or an elderly person, there is a system in place to protect you.  If you are between the ages of 19 and 59 there is nothing.  The Adult Protection Law is supposed to protect adults with disabilities but it's not funded.  Visions was rallying and marching to make the governor sit up and take notice and appropriate some funds to pay for a hotline (for a start). 

I went with a group from work and we met in the People's Plaza in downtown Philadelphia.  That stone there in the bottom right of the photo has the first ammendment of the constitution on it. 

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

We were exercising our First Amendment rights today and peaceably assembling and speaking our minds.  It was a first for most of our group and they had a hard time getting into the chanting.  But they loved getting a t shirt (with a red slash through the word "abuse") and being part of the crowd.  There were about 100 people there and two local news cameras.

One of the guys said "was this fun?".  I said "no, but it made me feel good inside, how about you?"  He felt pretty good, too.  It was a gorgeous sunny day.  Warm but not hot and it felt good to step out of my little world and help stand up for a cause I believe in.

Welcome to my November 2.

Happy November 1st.  It was dark this morning.  Not just dark but DARK.  As in the street lights were still on when we left the house.  It's a bit cloudy today so that contributed to the gloom but the end of Daylight Savings Time can't come fast enough for me.

I have been thinking about November and have decided I want to do a series of photos (probably one each day) that show what the world around me looks like.  I carry my camera with me in my purse but I don't pull it out as often as I would like to.  Sometimes I'm just conscious of looking silly taking a photo of an ordinary thing but I'll try to get past that.  The posts will have to be done at home since my work computer won't allow me to upload photos. 

For today, I present My Neighbor's Trees.  It looks like one large tree but in reality, it's two beautiful trees. Seen from our house, they blend together.  They've finally started to blaze with color.  It's been slow to change around here this year.  The weather has been uneven and very wet.  And then it snowed over the weekend and we had a hard frost on Sunday night.  We expected the trees to lose most of their leaves before changing colors.  I'm glad to be wrong.  We had a glorious day today after the clouds burned off.  You can see that the grass is still green and lush after all the rain. 

We had a good Candy Swap with my brother's children.  Pk managed to give away more candy than he got (our real purpose!) and everyone had a good time.  My niece's friend is a fiber artist.  Her mother bought an old spinning wheel and they are making it work.  We spoke about fiber and spinning and knitting. 

So, here it is November and hopefully I'll show you a bit more of my world in the next 30 days.