Shoe Tossing

Who knew that Shoe Tossing had its own entry in Wikipedia?

I sure didn't. Of course, I don't get out much. Today I was on the West Bank of the campus for a workshop. A workshop to tell me how to fill out my eight page job evaluation. Something to look forward to.
Anyway, it was a beautiful day out so I walked over to the East Bank after the wonderful workshop to pick up some lunch before returning to St Paul.

I love the shoe tree.
It was fun to discover the wikipedia entry, but it was hilarious to find the "Pagan Dismay" story on the Roadside America website. I quote:

"I took a pagan friend to visit the Shoe Tree,

thinking that her artistic spirit would appreciate urban art.

To my horror, she began crying about the "abuse" that the tree

experienced by mean people throwing their shoes into it.

It was the last time we did anything together".

[CS, 04/09/2008]

I also learned the word shoefiti.

Something new every day, I'm tellin' ya.

And then I hopped on the Connector and saw this lovely young woman with a charming patch on her bag:

Ahhh, spring!

The Ice Cream Cone

(I recently told my kids this story and they enjoyed it very much. I thought I had posted it before? It's funny no matter how many times you hear it, imho. Found it while cleaning email today.)

Only women of a certain era will fully appreciate this.... True story. (If you don't understand this, tell your mother, she'll get it!)

A Michigan woman and her family were vacationing in a small New England town where Paul Newman and his family often visited.

One Sunday morning, the woman got up early to take a long walk. After a brisk five-mile hike, she decided to treat herself to a double-dip chocolate ice cream cone.

She hopped in the car, drove to the center of the village and went straight to the combination bakery/ice cream parlor.

There was only one other patron in the store:

Paul Newman, sitting at the counter having a doughnut and coffee.

The woman's heart skipped a beat as her eyes made contact with those famous baby-blue eyes.

The actor nodded graciously and the star struck woman smiled demurely.

Pull yourself together! She chides herself. You're a happily married woman with three children, you're forty-five years old, not a teenager!

The clerk filled her order and she took the double-dip chocolate ice cream cone in one hand and her change in the other. Then she went out the door, avoiding even a glance in Paul Newman's direction.

When she reached her car, she realized that she had a handful of change but her other hand was empty.

Where's my ice cream cone? Did I leave it in the store? Back into the shop she went, expecting to see the cone still in the clerk's hand or in a holder on the counter or something! No ice cream cone was in sight.

With that, she happened to look over at Paul Newman.

His face broke into his familiar, warm,friendly grin and he said to the woman,

"You put it in your purse."

Mo Rocca Learns to Knit

Did you catch this segment yesterday morning?

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Great press for knitters - yeah!

London Remnants and Springing Forward

These are the salt and pepper shakers picked up in London to add to our collection:
And this postcard was found at the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms. Not only was the museum fantastic, I think the postcard is brilliant:
I received a pot of pansies today:

And a most generous gift inspired me to go to Bella Lana to purchase the close-out yarn deal of the season; something I stumbled upon a week or so ago. Because I can't help myself. Plus, I need more yarn (90% silk, 10% viscose in a berry color):
Boy-child is on spring break this week. I wonder if asking that he not only stay out of trouble but also that he get a job is too much? Girl-child is thriving with theatre related activities although there is a boy out there I'd like to pulverize because he's upset her.

I've read some great books recently: The Madonnas of Leningrad was a quick read, well constructed and interesting both personally and historically. The Year of the Flood was a good read too, in spite of it being a quirky apocalyptic look at the future. I now have to decide what to read next from a rather large stack I have in my bedroom.

The seaweed shawl is looking fantastic - over 75% done now. As soon as I get that and the button band done on the Circumnavigated Cardigan I will make another sweater, even if it's only a tank top...socks yes, but must. branch. out.

So much yarn, so many books, so little time...

Physical Therapy and a Sweater

I got rid of the splint this week

Now I have to go for physical therapy

Because that's how specialists work

MD: "Your broken bones are totally healed. You're free to go!"

Soxanne: "But I want full use of my thumb back!?!"

MD: "Of course! For that we have physical therapists. Here's a list"

Luckily I found one on the list that is on my bus route

Very, very handy

The hand therapist is a lovely young woman

I saw her this morning

She had on an amazing sweater

So I asked her the obvious: "Did you make your sweater?"

PT: "No, actually, I got it at the Goodwill!"

Soxanne: "No kidding!"

I had a hard time focusing on the physical therapy

Kept looking at the sweater and trying to analyze its structure

Gotta work on those range of motion exercises

Pay attention to the PT

So I can knit more

Maybe even a sweater

Spring Blahs?

Spring has sprung and I just had a vacation so why do I feel like this?

Warmth

Thanks to Mary Lou for the great find (although it's an ad for natural gas, not wool!)

London It Was

You all are good - or perhaps I'm the only one who was not so familiar with The Eye.




We did a quick trip and packed in as much sightseeing as humanly possible in what Homeland Security considered to be a suspiciously short trip over The Pond.

But that's how you have to roll when you're desperate for a vacation and traveling standby.

Not Mexico

Well, we didn't make it to Mexico City; after being bumped off three flights Sunday morning we returned home, made a list of places we'd like to go and checked the flight loads for a final decision. Monday we were off to the airport again.



Can anyone guess where we went?

Today's Random Photos

More tulips (for sale at the grocery store).
New haircuts.
University Avenue building.
University Avenue sculpture.
Hope to return toward the end of the week with good pictures from Mexico, D.F.

Random Stuff

Spring is upon us.
It is not dark out at 5:00 in the evening any more.
Boy-child did his 3D puzzle.
Girl-child knits.
The shawl progresses.

International Day of Awesomeness

A banner morning for e-mail - Who knew there was an International Day of Awesomeness?
No one's perfect, but everyone can be awesome

And check this out - worth the four minutes:

On Travel

So I see this woman at the bus stop and she has on a wonderful scarf and a conversation ensues, something like this:

Soxanne: Nice scarf!

The Woman With the Great Scarf: Thank you!

S: Did you get it around here?

TWWtGS: No, it's from Mexico. My daughter bought it for me there.

S: Oh, terrific, I'm headed there next week! I can look for something like it.

TWWtGS: Oh, what fun! Where are you going in Mexico?

S: Mexico City.

TWWtGS: (A look of horror on her face) Ugh! Are you going on business?!?

S: No, my daughter wants to see Frida Kahlo's house so we're going for a few days to visit the museum and Teotihuacan and what ever else we can fit in.

TWWtGS: (Long pause. Not sure how to describe the facial expression. Astonishment? Fearful fascination? Incredulity?) Oh. Isn't it .... ?

S: Big. Yes, it's a big city. And dirty. Very crowded. Lots to see.

The conversation didn't go very well after that. I guess she's been to a Mexican beach at some point. Does that count as having been to Mexico? I mean, can she tell people she's traveled to Mexico if she's been to Ixtapa or someplace like that?

I don't think we'll be chatting on the bus much in the future. I mean, what if I slipped up and told her I've driven to Mexico. More than once. Or that I know someone who rode a bike to Ushuaia.

Maybe this is why not many people talk to me on the bus.

I should have kept the iPod earphones in and kept my mouth shut.

Except now I know to look for scarves in Mexico.

Because I could use another scarf.

Off-Year Politics

For those of you unfamiliar with grass-roots politics ...

Yesterday was the DFL Senate District Convention for my area. Non-presidential years are always interesting because the really local, really regular activists are out in force.

This was the gauntlet one had to pass through, picking up literature along the way, in order to get in the building:
Chaos reigns inside:
Call to order in one minute:
I had the most delightful experience sitting next to a woman who had never participated before. She was so enthusiastic, so fresh, so excited. She actually had a binder with all the literature people had been sending her since caucus.

I felt so jaded and cynical.

While I was there as an undecided with the hope of trimming down of the number of candidates, I was very tempted to join the Bakk-Choi sub-caucus:

Seriously, what's the chance that a name combination like that will ever bubble to the surface again?

"I am not a member of any organized party —

I am a Democrat"

~ Will Rogers

TGIF

Human Relations

How about this one?

Your result for

Human Relations Test...

31 TO 40 POINTS:

You earned 37 points on this test!

You have scored under between 31 to 40 points on this quiz that means :

Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest... Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over it if that trust is ever broken.

Take Human Relations Test at HelloQuizzy

Daemon

(Sue, are you up to a quiz? I know you like them. This one's long but fun.)

Your result for The Golden Compass Daemon Test...

Independent Soul.

You are calm and logical, but not unemotional. You are an introvert, at heart, preferring to read alone than be subjected to the crush and noise of a big party or bar. You have a few friends and family, whose presence you welcome - to a point. Even they can wear on your nerves eventually, and you need to retreat back into your personal space for a while so you can recharge. Your energy comes in bursts, after which you need a long nap or a couple of evenings at home to recuperate.

You are comfortable with yourself, and reasonably confident. You want the friendship and goodwill of others, but you are not willing to sacrifice your principles in order to get it. If your close friends need something that you can provide, however, you will be the first to offer it.

You are a good and sympathetic listener, and are aware of your friend's emotional states. With your very close friends, you will open up, but rarely - you don't like to burden people with your problems. At the same time, though, you are honest and are not willing to alter the truth for the sake of convenience. Among strangers you are reserved, and may resort to making jokes to disguise your true feelings.

While you are not afraid of conflict, you do not seek it, either. When you are hurt or insulted, you feel that you have a choice to make. You can choose to take the up on it and defend yourself, or you can let it pass. Your decision may depend on how well you know the person, how personally you take the insult, or simply what mood you are in that day. Your friends may not always know how you are going to react, for that reason. Whatever you reaction, though, you will be logical, rational and unnervingly accurate: a measured strike.

Your daemon's form would represent your calm, introverted nature, your cool logic, and your impatience with crowds of people. He or she would probably whisper ironic comments in your ear, give logical advice and try to hide his or her soft side from everyone, even you.

Suggested forms:

Peregrine Falcon, Snowy Owl, Snow Leopard, Siberian Tiger, Osprey.

Take The Golden Compass Daemon Test at HelloQuizzy

Hard to decide which would be cooler - cat or raptor...

Spring Break

Spring break is only two weeks away. Girl-child has wanted to see Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul for years, so we're going to Mexico, D.F. for a few days.

In celebration I received this in the mail the other day:
Yes, that's right. We're going to Mexico but not the beach.