…but it’s a dreary November day at my house, rainy and not-cold but not-warm, either. I’ve watched all my Netflix movies, gone for a chilly walk, and am now settling in with a book.
What’s your favorite rainy day activity? Movies? Books? Baking? Eating?
Dating Jesus 
Right now the skies are clear and blue, the temperature is 70, and I just finished taking my dog out for a good walk.
Montgomery, Alabama, does have its advantages.
Of course, it also helps to have a daughter who works for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the National Weather Service.
Can she make it pretty here, too?
Not a favorite activity, but a necessary one and when better than on a rainy day: sorting through some old clothes to find the “wo, I forgot about this, can’t wait to wear it again” and separate it from the stuff that I won’t wear but is really good and can be given away and the stuff that should have been made into dust-rags years ago.
Also trying to psych myself up for the long dark drive to an event for which I’ve long had a ticket.
I prefer staying at home on cold, rainy days. I need to head out tonight to celebrate someone’s birthday, but I’d really rather curl up with a blanket and book or movie.
Have fun and bring us back a piece of cake! I just got back. It’s miserable.
As usual, once out, I was happy to be there. I enjoyed conversations about recruiting soccer pros from around the world (with a coach that does that), raising chickens (a few people did that & I’m thinking that might be pretty cool), the kids, and pizza. All in all, it was worth going out in this miserable weather. On the ride home, I looked forward to returning to a warm house. By mistake, we got into a wrong lane and got off in the city. At the U-turn to get back on the highway, we passed a guy, out in the rain & cold, holding a piece of cardboard with “Homeless Vet Please Help” on it. We whipped around too fast to do anything. All I could do was feel sad for him and think that I’ll try to do something (advocate) for him from home. I bet he’s still standing there with no real help.
Which exit? There are a few people — men and women — who stand at my old exit, the one I took when I lived at my old house. It’s heart-breaking but never did I stop without someone (besides me, I mean) rolling down his/her window to share some money.
I always pack a bunch of singles when I go to NYC. I hate to see someone’s grandmother begging. And that was long before the current crisis.
Same here. In Hartford, CT, too. And then I get to hear my friends tell me, “They’re just going to go buy beer with that,” to which I steal a line from a comedian whose name I can’t remember and say, “Hey! I was going to go buy beer with that, too!” The thing is, you just don’t know where that money is going and once you give it away, you just don’t need to worry about it. I’m not equipped to know who’s faking.
I think it was exit 46 (on I-84E). It was a left exit, I know because we in the left lane and then it suddenly became an exit ramp. We’ve been through there a million times. Maybe the rain through us off.
I know that exit, I think…
“Can she make it pretty here, too?”
Probably so, but not at this time of year. The first snowfall will be nice for you.
In Alabama,”SNOW” is a four-letter word. We actually had two “snowfalls” last winter. Something like 1/2 inch fell each time. Just enough to make miniature snow-persons.
BTW, in Alabama “liberal” is also a four letter word.
Has “progressive” made it down your way yet?
Progressive? Yup, there are a few of us.
http://www.leftinalabama.com
Our house was the second in the neighborhood to have an Obama sign. It got stolen.
To be replaced by a McCain sign? Or did they just make off with it? That’s just ignit.
The day after the election, a friend and I were walking my dog, and we were passing the house of our local state legislature.
I presume he had been watching the news reports, because suddenly he rushed out of his house, went to the flagpole in his front yard, hauled down Old Glory, crumpled it up and started back into his house.
He realized that we had seen his behavior and attempted to wave at us. No, not on that glorious day. We just shooed him away.
And that’s plumb tacky.
“Legislator,” not “legislature.”
Sadly, I read right past it and read “legislator.” We’re either on the same brain pattern, or neither of us can speel, one.
Don’t feel bad, Jay. My Obama sign was stolen off our lawn in CT on election day. I hope it was someone who was so happy they couldn’t contain themselves. Wish I had it back.
That’s probably it. Someone wanted to hang it in their den, with pride.
About that Legislator–
At election time, he gets all his neighbors to post large signs, and of course at his own home he posts several extra large signs.
All his neighbors, that is, except one directly across the street. That house posts a large sign supporting his opponent.
That is one brave man.
I admire that man. Bless him and his house. I just wandered into my new library (we moved recently) and applied for a library card and the woman behind the desk asked why we chose the town we chose, and I started talking about the ethnic makeup and our state rep (I like his extremely progressive politics) and she stopped me and said that of course there are people who don’t like the representative, to which I replied, “God bless America.” That kind of stopped her. I don’t think my accent helped much, either. But yeah. God bless America. No offense.
“To be replaced by a McCain sign? Or did they just make off with it? That’s just ignit.”
Interestingly enough, there were few, if any, McCain signs up. Most yard signs were for down-ticket races such as state representative, city council members or judges.
Yes, in Alabama we elect judges, which is a reprehensible practice. And some counties actually elect school superintendents!
I read somewhere that was the case in a lot of states, that people were fighting the local fights with their signs, not so much the big ones. And I can’t imagine the hair-pullings that would transpire if we elected judges or superintendents. I think there’s be blood in the streets, actually.
Coming into tis thread a little late it’s fun to read all the comments at once and see how the topic got from rainy days to yard signs!
I spent yesterday wrangling furniture around, trying to make my apartment look a little more homey and a little less like a Residence Inn. I was going to go to a play later on in the evening, but it was still pouring–not just rain, but a full blown nor’easter–so I stayed home and enjoyed the new furniture arrangement.
I do that once in a blue moon, decide things could go somewhere else, and I move furniture around, maybe change a curtain or two. Again, once in a blue moon but it’s sure cheaper than buying new stuff — which I actually can’t afford to do anyway. Can we come by and see?
Absolutely you can come by and see it! But not today–this afternoon I’m going to the Music Hall to hear the Portsmouth Symphony play: Bernstein · Overture to Candide, Barber · Adagio for Strings
Harris · Symphony No. 3, Dvořák · Cello Concerto Mihai Marica, cello. I just hope no one feels the need to bring their guns and knives.
Wow! You’re getting CULT-ahed! Go, Sharon! This afternoon, I’m going to sit on my behind and see if I can watch it grow.
When we were first married we had an apartment in NYC. One day the New Wife decided that the furniture needed re-arranging.
We huffed and we puffed and moved everything around, at her direction. Finally she said, “Now it’s perfect!”
Lo and behold, the furniture had been completely moved around the room and ended up exactly where it had been before!
At least we got some exercise.
And you, as New Husband? Did you point out that fact to her? Weigh your answer carefully, Bro. Jay.
I’m pretty good at visualizing in 2D, but with furniture, I really have to see it to know whether it’s going to work. That’s why I didn’t do this last weekend, when my boyfriend was here. He just doesn’t have the patience to move things around inch by inch, and then put them back again when the arrangement doesn’t work the first time.
That’s me. I think it has something to do with spatial awareness. In my defense, I’m good at math. I’m just not skilled a visu-al-ization.
My giving has always been to institutions, except for the very rare “street-meeting.” I just haven’t thought about keeping singles available, and yet I work at keeping quarters in my car for parking meters. Thank you for the nudge. And I love “*I* was going to buy beer with that, too!”
I stole that. I have to be honest. I wish I could remember from whom.
Yeah, you mentioned you got it elsewhere. I’m glad you remembered it.
Did I mention I didn’t make that up? Sorry. Just want to be clear. HAHAHA and ha again.
“you just don’t know where that money is going and once you give it away, you just don’t need to worry about it. I’m not equipped to know who’s faking.”
My thoughts exactly.
Takes the pressure off. I work in an area in Hartford where frequently on my way to my car, I meet someone who asks for help. As I am leaving my highly-paid and glamorous job (I just laughed so hard after typing that that I peed myself), I hardly have the heart to say no. My dad taught me that. If I have it, I’ll share it. When I don’t have any more to share, I won’t share any more.
I’m very, very proud of our Boston terrier this morning.
We walked by the Legislator’s house and she left a “campaign contribution” on the curbstone.
Normally she poops in the street, but not this time. Turned around and made her deposit where it will be noticed.
Yup. We’ve got some progressives around here.
Um — don’t you clean up after your dog?
Hey! Smart pet tricks! Nah, I kid. But hey!
Whaffo? This is Alabama.
No such thing as clean up after your dog, although living in a Historical District, I would have to get permission to paint my front door a different color.
http://www.oca.org
So? You could start a trend.
Oops! Wrong link.
Old Cloverdale Association, not Orthodox Church in America.
http://www.oldcloverdale.org
“So? You could start a trend”
Of picking up dog poop? Or painting the front door?
I do my part by using turn signals while driving. Native Alabamians don”t know what that little lever on the left side of the steering column is for.
Or, the Attorney General forbids its use, or something.
Since picking up dog poop is the only activity on that list that’s not prohibited by law, you could start with that.
Live free or die, man! No one picks up dog poop here in New Hampshire, either, least of all along the sea wall where dozens and dozens and dozens of people walk every day.
I have the sense that in my own Connecticut neighborhood, not only do people not pick up their dog’s crap, some of them squat and leave their own. That, or we have some hellaciously large dogs who stalk my yard at night…
Well, it seems phenomenally inconsiderate to me. We’ve all stepped in it and found that to be just the littlest bit unpleasant, why not at least take care of one’s own dog. My sister sets such a good example that I wouldn’t dare take her dog out, say, and not clean up after it, up there in Portland ME.
“Live free or die, man! No one picks up dog poop here in New Hampshire, either, least of all along the sea wall where dozens and dozens and dozens of people walk every day.”
That’s the spirit! Show your rebellious side!
By the rude bridge that arched the flood, and all that.