I meant to upload some photos for this post but I forgot.  The memory is just not what it used to be.  It seems that if I don't write something down, I don't remember it.  I carry a colorful notebook around with me at work to take notes and write messages to myself.  It helps (it saves my sanity most days).  I figured I can write the words and add the photos when I get home tonight.  If I remember......

Friday nights's dinner date was wonderful.  We met after work at a bar called The Standing O (for ovation, Broad St is The Avenue of the Arts and there are several theaters).  The bar is attached to the lobby of a Hilton hotel with an interesting art/light fixture hanging from the ceiling.  Fiber optics are a wonderful thing and I can watch them change color for a long time.  (easily amused). 

We sat in the bar for about an hour talking and watching the lobby fill up with young folks who looked like they were in town for a competition of some sort.  You know the rifles that a marching band/drum corps uses?  Well, they had some of those but no instruments in sight so probably not a marching band.  Maybe a drum corps? 

We walked across the street to the restaurant and were seated in the section served by one of my clients.  I knew she worked there but figured the odds were good she might be off.  I was afraid of awkwardness but there was none.  We had a delicious meal of arugula/apple salad, (Pk had salmon) and then amazingly tender filet mignon in a slightly sweet sauce and banana creme brulee. 

The food was good but the company was better.  There was flirting and silliness and lots of laughter.  We sat there for about 2 hours and watched the place slowly fill up and get busy.  By the time all the tables were full, we were done.  We walked back to the train and went home.

Saturday was chore day and we got the shopping done and had time to get some crafting in.  I finished Elanor's January socks so one down, eleven more to go.  I also worked on my mittens and an alpaca scarf I'm making for me.  Fortunately, it's been a bit too warm for either of them so I have time.  I'm afraid we'll get hit with a blast of honest to god winter in February.  Some of our heaviest snows were in Feb.

We watched two movies this weekend.  First was Cowboys and Aliens.  If it had been a serious film, it might have been ok.  If it had been campy, it might have been entertaining.  But despite the Names (and both stars seemed to be phoning in their roles), it was awful. 

Sunday, Pk spent some time out in the workshop.  I used my swift for the first time.  It works great.  It's got a bit of a squeak which Pk intends to fix.  He likes it when my spinning wheel squeaks.  He says he finds it comforting to hear me spinning wherever he is.  But, he doesn't want the swift to squeak.  I think all it takes is a bit of wax.

We popped some pop corn and watched RED.  It's such a good movie.  Great cast, good writing, good acting and a wonderfully plausible/implausible story.  I like seeing older actors doing their thing on the screen.  They bring a depth to a character that isn't always possible when the actor is still young.  We whiled away the afternoon laughing and munching buttery corn goodness.

And back to work and to a state inspection.  I've turned in my "perfect" charts (ones that have all the appropriate documents with all the correct signatures and dates on them) and there's nothing else to do but my job.  I know we do good work but having to produce perfect paperwork makes everyone nervous.  In two weeks, we are inspected by the people who pay us to provide service.  THAT one is nerve wracking since if the documentation is not perfect, they want money back.  No one wants to give money back.

I finished The Hunger Games.  I guess I'd say I liked them but they were a bit preachy.  Kind of like Starship Troopers by Heinlein.   And I agree with what most everyone else said.  The first one was good but the other two were a bit thin.    The Hunger Games had a lot of politics in it as well.  I'll have to ask my niece what she thought.  I'd be interested to see if kids pick up on the same themes.  Like Game of Thrones, you don't want to get attached to any characters since a lot of them die.

Well, as you can see, I remembered to add the photos.  I forgot to take one of El's January socks.  Her Feb socks are started.  She admired some red/white/blue yarn so I've cast on to make her a pair of socks that looks like blueberries, strawberries and cream.  The colors are deep and rich and these will be nice socks.  I'll keep working on the scarf and mittens,  you know, in case we get to have some actual cold weather.