MAGIC!
I had a "by BUS" ERRAND to do Today, since the WEATHER was "GOOD" and that there were NO "Scheduled"-Plans on the *CALENDAR*. IT was also My First opportunity to TEST-OUT My Recently-Acquired-Brand-New-*FREE* "PRESTO" BUS-TRANSIT-CARD!
The NEW BUS-"FARE-CARD"-SYSTEM was *supposed* to be Up & RUNNING Last Year..? However, AS usual whenever "CITY HALL" and the PUBLIC TRANSIT *and* THIRD-PARTIES get "together"... well... IT wasn't "pretty"...
Anyhoo, *STUFF* is supposively "FIXED" Now... And, **MANY** FREE CARDS - [otherwise, They go for $6.] - have been made Available. - I got THREE. For Myself, MOTHER, and any OTHER PERSON Who might be "Visiting"...
whatever... IT "WORKED"! - No prob. -- I actually even managed to go ROUND-TRIP on SIX BUSES with ONE-FARE and, had 20-Minutes REMAINING! - Though, RUNNING for Half of Them was INVOLVED!
Meanwhile, I do *miss* having a PAPER-TRANSFER-TICKET... As THAT had the EXPIRY *TIME* boldly Printed. BUT, with THIS Scanner-System, One must REMEMBER to *LOOK* at the TINY Screen *ON Entry* to see how *much* Time is LEFT! -- While, there's a HORDE of OTHER-PEOPLE-BEHIND-YOU-WAITING-TO-GET-ON!
And, that SCANNER is Positioned Low, too... hmm... SOME Inventive-COPING-Thoughts on how to get Past THAT have just come to Mind...
-- I'll let You know Later if They pan-out.
*************************************************************************
Showing posts with label City Hall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label City Hall. Show all posts
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
We *BEGIN* "YARD-SALE"-SEASON Tomorrow!!
THE *TRUE* "SIGN" OF SPRING!! -- oh! AND, that the WEATHER has been DEVOID of NASTINESS for Several Days in a Row, too! - [for the MOST part...]
The CROCI are also in Full-BLOOM! -- Although, Our TULIPS are just "Breaking-Ground"... Looks like THE-"NATIONAL-CAPITOL"-GUYS will be a tad *BUSY* This Week, Prepping and probably PERSUADING those "CITY"-TULIPS to *Begin*-BLOOMING *IN* Time for the Start of The CANADIAN TULIP FESTIVAL - [MAY 3 - 20] - OTTAWA's Annual *BIG* SPRING Event!
MEANWHILE, SISTER is still AT it Making Her WEDDING-WANDS...
hmm... We might have to Stick a FEW in the GARDEN to give the FLORA a much needed "CLUE"!!
Well... I have to *TRY* to UP "EARLIER" for Tomorrow's TOUR-de-THRIFT!!
*************************************************************
The CROCI are also in Full-BLOOM! -- Although, Our TULIPS are just "Breaking-Ground"... Looks like THE-"NATIONAL-CAPITOL"-GUYS will be a tad *BUSY* This Week, Prepping and probably PERSUADING those "CITY"-TULIPS to *Begin*-BLOOMING *IN* Time for the Start of The CANADIAN TULIP FESTIVAL - [MAY 3 - 20] - OTTAWA's Annual *BIG* SPRING Event!
MEANWHILE, SISTER is still AT it Making Her WEDDING-WANDS...
hmm... We might have to Stick a FEW in the GARDEN to give the FLORA a much needed "CLUE"!!
Well... I have to *TRY* to UP "EARLIER" for Tomorrow's TOUR-de-THRIFT!!
*************************************************************
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
It *Must* Be TUESDAY
GARBAGE PICKUP - CHECK.
"THE CITY" *DOING* ?Something? with Big Trucks - CHECK.
No One knows for sure WHAT is going on... Just LOTS of really ANNOYING NOISE!! -- Which had awoken Me at 7am Yesterday, when They were on the Street behind Us!
...Anyway. They appear to be Core-Drilling-Vacuuming a couple of Feet of Soil near the Curb... And, closeby, there're what looks like short Cylinders..? Wiring too, maybe..?
IT's a MYSTERY!
Meanwhile, there are 6 or 7 Trucks along the Road. They *haven't* Touched Our Lawn. Just RIPPING UP the Nasty-Newer-Neighbours-Nextdoor's... Ahh.. Our Municipal Tax Dollars AT Work!
In the End, Those CYLINDERS were Attached to The BLUE WIRES and Buried into the Holes-In-The-Trench...
hmm... I have to Wonder... Is THIS *HOW* STREET-LIGHTS are Grown..?
************************************************************
"THE CITY" *DOING* ?Something? with Big Trucks - CHECK.
No One knows for sure WHAT is going on... Just LOTS of really ANNOYING NOISE!! -- Which had awoken Me at 7am Yesterday, when They were on the Street behind Us!
...Anyway. They appear to be Core-Drilling-Vacuuming a couple of Feet of Soil near the Curb... And, closeby, there're what looks like short Cylinders..? Wiring too, maybe..?
IT's a MYSTERY!
Meanwhile, there are 6 or 7 Trucks along the Road. They *haven't* Touched Our Lawn. Just RIPPING UP the Nasty-Newer-Neighbours-Nextdoor's... Ahh.. Our Municipal Tax Dollars AT Work!
In the End, Those CYLINDERS were Attached to The BLUE WIRES and Buried into the Holes-In-The-Trench...
hmm... I have to Wonder... Is THIS *HOW* STREET-LIGHTS are Grown..?
************************************************************
Monday, April 11, 2011
"Crafty" City Budget Solutions... and Other Ideas
REMEMBER SATURDAY - [SEE 09APR POST] - and Our Shop-fari through CRATER COUNTRY?
Well, the Night *before*, I came across THIS --->
...And when, I surveyed said POTHOLE PRAIRE, I *Concluded*
that it was going to take a pretty BIG Flock of PRE-YARN to fill Those Puppies!!
Here's "YARN-BOMBING" Artisan JULIANA SANTACRUZ HERRERA's take on Urban Infrastructural Repair in PARIS.
http://www.lostateminor.com/2011/03/24/yarn-meets-potholes-a-different-kind-of-street-art/#more-55715#more-55715
http://www.lostateminor.com/2011/03/30/pavement-crack-art-by-oakoak/
Meanwhile, I think HERRERA and "OaKoAk" should be on CITY COUNCILS *Everywhere*!
What a WONDROUS WAY to combine Roadway and Building Maintenance COSTS with ARTS Funding!
Of course, NOT to be *outdone* by The FRENCH, The GERMANS have ventured into Their own Brand of Urban Decor....
http://www.lostateminor.com/2011/04/08/yarn-bombing-foot-warmers-for-street-signs/
And THEN, We have the PRE-YARN "Reaching out..." with Their *Message* regarding RECYCLING.
http://www.lostateminor.com/2011/04/05/sheep-sculptures-with-rotary-telephone-heads/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soooo.... TODAY's Weather was "breathtaking"... On and off SUNLIGHT. HOT - for this Time of Year - TEMPS. It went up to 23C! And, with what started out as a Swift, BALMY BREEZE, later turned into an even STRONGER, GUSTING *Clear-Sky* WIND STORM... sorta...
Whatever... it was considerably *better* than Last Night's almost-Record RAINFALL and THUNDER-STORM! ...sorta...
*****************************************************
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Another "Decor" Mag in-the-Mail Day!! -- And, Am I *THERE* Yet?!
YAY!! - SEPTEMBER issue of "COUNTRY LIVING"...
Okay, before I get into "what's" in this new issue, I have to make some General commentary here. The is an American publication and as such, different advertising and whatnot apply. Overall, this is not a bad magazine, *however*, it could stand to lose the half dozen pages dedicated to their "Pharmaceutical" Sponsors! --- Seriously, Guys, THIS is a "Decor Mag", not **JAMA**!! [Journal of the American Medical Association]
Anyhoo.. what I *really* DO enjoy about the Magazine - besides, it's primary content - was the awesome deal I got on the Subscription! Even with the currency exchange rate at the time, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to sign up for 2 years. And, instead of receiving the issues via the Publisher's "Canadian" outlet [would be cheaper for them, I would imagine?], they nevertheless, keep sending it to me from the States... Which, BTW, **costs** them nearly $4. EVERY issue in Postage!!
If someone in "Accounting" over there ever bothered to "DO the MATH", they would discover that AFTER what I've paid them, They are in the hole for the cost of magazine itself AND almost HALF of the postage!!! --- And People wonder how that whole Mortgage Meltdown thing got started...
So, WHEN my Subscription expires, late NEXT Year... Let's hope that the Magazine is still solvent and that no one has done an "audit"....!
Now, back to our Current Issue...
As to the rest of the Day.... SHOCK of Shocks!! It was ONLY 23C today and also, FELT like 23C!! We *finally* had a cold front come through last night.
ALL of which I'm VERY grateful for, as I had to take Buses to Downtown! NOT something that I enjoy doing when the Temps are over 30C... And then, there's the 5K or so of WALKING that I HAD to do!!
It started out "healthy" enough - you know, instead of waiting in the sun for 10 minutes for the Local Bus, thought that I'd get some "exercise" in and WALK [20 minutes] to the Mall and get my bus into Town from the Transit Station there. Hey, I even broke the journey up a tad by running into a former co-worker in the parking lot that I was cutting across.
Got to The Mall... did a quick check of "Factory Ends" source Store -- *still* nothing new!! Then, off to the Transit Station.
The ELEVATORS are in the middle of being RE-Serviced... However, THANK-YOU-MR.-OTIS, the *one* that I NEEDED, was operational!! [bad knees - walking is fine, stairs really are a pain!] And, oh, look! My Bus was just coming up!
I get Downtown to the RIDEAU CENTRE Mall to do some quick perusing... Picked up a cardigan thing at THE GAP that was sooo on sale, that I just HAD to get it! Then, off onto the next bus further into the Urban Depths of The Core...
So. It's been over a month since I'd been this way. The "Location" of the CONSTRUCTION was *NEW*... Hence, the STOP, was a - long - half block up. Hmmm.... Do I backtrack the distance and go up the other block to my next stop? OR, continue to the corner, then WALK, [a One-Way street that flows in the opposite direction, so, NO bus route going my way!] the 8 blocks or so to my "appointment"...?
Oh, what the DIFF! GO FOR IT!!
An Hour Later - on the way home...
My FIRST mistake - NOT, staying on the bus and sticking to my usual route! Which, would have taken me to the front of the RC Mall, where I'd have to go through again to get to the Transit "Bridge". INSTEAD, I got off sooner to switch over to the shorter route, where there is a Stop close by...
Remember the Construction...? WELL, apparently, it was ALSO on the parallel street!! OH! LOOK! **NO** Stop!! I-HAVE-TO-*WALK*-3-VERY-*LONG*-BLOCKS-TO-THE-*NEXT*-STOP!!!
And, %$#&$@# CITY HALL *wants* to build a Transit TUNNEL through HERE!! With only 2 [maybe 3] stops and BTW, did we forget about the 6-story deep *escalator*...? Remind me to bring extra bread crumbs WHEN that's all built, so that I don't starve!
The remainder of my odyssey home is somewhat of a blur...
Got off at my local Mall - did another pilgrimage check at "Factory Ends" Store. Dropped by one of the others to chat with a "Customer"... Hmmm... still Time left on the Bus Transfer... Headed to one of the Stops along the route Home. Checked the schedule... Decisions... Wait 10, or WALK for 18...?
So. The FEET have been UP for a while now...! Once I post this, I suppose I should get back to doing some actual CROCHETING, huh?
I am **SO** going to be FEELING it Tomorrow!!
********************************************
Okay, before I get into "what's" in this new issue, I have to make some General commentary here. The is an American publication and as such, different advertising and whatnot apply. Overall, this is not a bad magazine, *however*, it could stand to lose the half dozen pages dedicated to their "Pharmaceutical" Sponsors! --- Seriously, Guys, THIS is a "Decor Mag", not **JAMA**!! [Journal of the American Medical Association]
Anyhoo.. what I *really* DO enjoy about the Magazine - besides, it's primary content - was the awesome deal I got on the Subscription! Even with the currency exchange rate at the time, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to sign up for 2 years. And, instead of receiving the issues via the Publisher's "Canadian" outlet [would be cheaper for them, I would imagine?], they nevertheless, keep sending it to me from the States... Which, BTW, **costs** them nearly $4. EVERY issue in Postage!!
If someone in "Accounting" over there ever bothered to "DO the MATH", they would discover that AFTER what I've paid them, They are in the hole for the cost of magazine itself AND almost HALF of the postage!!! --- And People wonder how that whole Mortgage Meltdown thing got started...
So, WHEN my Subscription expires, late NEXT Year... Let's hope that the Magazine is still solvent and that no one has done an "audit"....!
Now, back to our Current Issue...
- The Cover appears to have a nicely done Blue&White Hook Rug, that goes quite well with the matching china Jug on the table. Hmm... apparently, the rug is from TARGET! Wow, who knew?!
- P.29-30 - Interesting "World Map" transfer thing on the front of that Dresser. And I'm also liking the Lamp on the next page.
- P.53 - The Soap Dispenser Mason Jar looks to be a simple DIY if you're looking for something to do.
- P.56 - Checkout the wickedly cool Double Paint-roller! Sure cures that PAINT vs. WALLPAPER issue!
- P.58 - Cutlery Afterlife... Clever, although, I wouldn't recommend it in homes with young children or the accident prone. Especially, those candlesticks!
- P.85 - Oooo... I've just gotten a "Colour-Combo" Moment!! I have Yarn in those shades - or close enough to...
- P.97 - LED Holiday Lights in a bottle... Very FIREFLY! I *like* this. Have to remember to mention this idea to my Sister - She *LIVES* to set up Dining and Party "vignettes"!
- P.99 - Lovely use of Floral Wallpaper scraps -- IF, you can FIND any this nice!
As to the rest of the Day.... SHOCK of Shocks!! It was ONLY 23C today and also, FELT like 23C!! We *finally* had a cold front come through last night.
ALL of which I'm VERY grateful for, as I had to take Buses to Downtown! NOT something that I enjoy doing when the Temps are over 30C... And then, there's the 5K or so of WALKING that I HAD to do!!
It started out "healthy" enough - you know, instead of waiting in the sun for 10 minutes for the Local Bus, thought that I'd get some "exercise" in and WALK [20 minutes] to the Mall and get my bus into Town from the Transit Station there. Hey, I even broke the journey up a tad by running into a former co-worker in the parking lot that I was cutting across.
Got to The Mall... did a quick check of "Factory Ends" source Store -- *still* nothing new!! Then, off to the Transit Station.
The ELEVATORS are in the middle of being RE-Serviced... However, THANK-YOU-MR.-OTIS, the *one* that I NEEDED, was operational!! [bad knees - walking is fine, stairs really are a pain!] And, oh, look! My Bus was just coming up!
I get Downtown to the RIDEAU CENTRE Mall to do some quick perusing... Picked up a cardigan thing at THE GAP that was sooo on sale, that I just HAD to get it! Then, off onto the next bus further into the Urban Depths of The Core...
So. It's been over a month since I'd been this way. The "Location" of the CONSTRUCTION was *NEW*... Hence, the STOP, was a - long - half block up. Hmmm.... Do I backtrack the distance and go up the other block to my next stop? OR, continue to the corner, then WALK, [a One-Way street that flows in the opposite direction, so, NO bus route going my way!] the 8 blocks or so to my "appointment"...?
Oh, what the DIFF! GO FOR IT!!
An Hour Later - on the way home...
My FIRST mistake - NOT, staying on the bus and sticking to my usual route! Which, would have taken me to the front of the RC Mall, where I'd have to go through again to get to the Transit "Bridge". INSTEAD, I got off sooner to switch over to the shorter route, where there is a Stop close by...
Remember the Construction...? WELL, apparently, it was ALSO on the parallel street!! OH! LOOK! **NO** Stop!! I-HAVE-TO-*WALK*-3-VERY-*LONG*-BLOCKS-TO-THE-*NEXT*-STOP!!!
And, %$#&$@# CITY HALL *wants* to build a Transit TUNNEL through HERE!! With only 2 [maybe 3] stops and BTW, did we forget about the 6-story deep *escalator*...? Remind me to bring extra bread crumbs WHEN that's all built, so that I don't starve!
The remainder of my odyssey home is somewhat of a blur...
Got off at my local Mall - did another pilgrimage check at "Factory Ends" Store. Dropped by one of the others to chat with a "Customer"... Hmmm... still Time left on the Bus Transfer... Headed to one of the Stops along the route Home. Checked the schedule... Decisions... Wait 10, or WALK for 18...?
So. The FEET have been UP for a while now...! Once I post this, I suppose I should get back to doing some actual CROCHETING, huh?
I am **SO** going to be FEELING it Tomorrow!!
********************************************
Monday, July 19, 2010
"X" Marks the Ash
Ahhh, the Benevolent Bounty of Bureaucracy!
TRANSLATION: If you want anything done by "The City" - talk DIRECTLY to your Council Person!
So. Let us go back in Time, shall we...
Now when was it? Last month...? Whatever. It was at this "Community" Family Day event held in the parking lot of the nearby shopping mall, sponsored by the local Councilor Guy... Free hot dogs, pony rides [pony poo...], blow-up things for kids to jump on [including a shiny fire truck! With strapping Firemen!], a handful of business sponsor reps [*not* giving out a lot of free stuff like they used to!], and the obligatory earwax-melting-a-mile-away speakers of the Bandstand.
Oh, yeah, and let's not forget the poor local STAR WARS chapter of FanBoys all decked out in their STORMTROOPER gear in the 30C heat! Luckily, there was a good stiff breeze and clouds.
Anyhoo, short-story long... Elderly Mother & I spot the afore-mentioned Councilor and eventually get the opportunity to "chat" with him...
Our neighbourhood has this not so little Ash Tree Borer problem...
NOTE: I do NOT possess the "Botany" Gene. I hate gardening. I HATE BUGS!!! - I just want to make that point clear for any future reference.
Right. So, there's this tree bug problem with the "City" planted trees. Most of which, *except* of course, "ours", were cut down last Fall - you know, *after* the leaves were off and raked... We *WANTED* ours CUT!! We have more than enough trees in our front yard and this one just sheds crappy seeds and stuff... And then, just to add in a bit of pseudo-your-tax-dollars-at-work, They plant these other pitiful tree saplings next to the stumps.
Keep in mind here - [1] we don't have a stump; [2] Charlie Brown Tree gets embedded into the 6 feet or so space between a rather nice lilac bush and the non-stump by; [3] one poor guy, whilst 4 of his buddies look on, into hard clayish soil underpinned with shale about 3 feet down; [4] did I mention it was late Fall?; [5] NO one bothered to *ask* us if we even wanted it! - until AFTER the mine shaft was excavated!!
Now, back to the captive Councilor... Mother reiterated the above and politely "requested" - in that disarming "I'm a Senior and a great-grandmother and I don't take no crap" kind of way - that said Tree, be dealt with at the earliest opportunity...
Gotta give the C-Guy points here. He quickly whipped out his Note pad and took down our name and address - as well as my card! Apparently, there happened to be some upcoming meeting concerning said horticultural dilema...
Present Day. Well, earlier this morning - BEFORE - I got up anyway.
Mother tells me that a big X was splattered on The TREE by City Guys!! Execution Day though, is still up in the air. But, at least it's a start...
BTW, the neighbours to the left - with the only other dead tree besides us - didn't get an X! But, they're new and haven't figured it out yet, that to get anything done, you have to get someone over 70 to get on City Hall's case!
Meanwhile... I realize that none of Today's Entry was even remotely related to anything crochet-ish, though perhap a tad "yarnful"... Then again, the Wood Paneling was a tree once. It's a bit of a stretch, I know, but there really wasn't anything note-worthy going on today. Well, except maybe the weather being a bit cooler... sorta...
If I remember, and/or get a chance, I'll snap a shot of The X tomorrow and post it! Maybe...
Okay... Enough with the tree-huggy crap.. I *really* should just stick to crocheting...
********
TRANSLATION: If you want anything done by "The City" - talk DIRECTLY to your Council Person!
So. Let us go back in Time, shall we...
Now when was it? Last month...? Whatever. It was at this "Community" Family Day event held in the parking lot of the nearby shopping mall, sponsored by the local Councilor Guy... Free hot dogs, pony rides [pony poo...], blow-up things for kids to jump on [including a shiny fire truck! With strapping Firemen!], a handful of business sponsor reps [*not* giving out a lot of free stuff like they used to!], and the obligatory earwax-melting-a-mile-away speakers of the Bandstand.
Oh, yeah, and let's not forget the poor local STAR WARS chapter of FanBoys all decked out in their STORMTROOPER gear in the 30C heat! Luckily, there was a good stiff breeze and clouds.
Anyhoo, short-story long... Elderly Mother & I spot the afore-mentioned Councilor and eventually get the opportunity to "chat" with him...
Our neighbourhood has this not so little Ash Tree Borer problem...
NOTE: I do NOT possess the "Botany" Gene. I hate gardening. I HATE BUGS!!! - I just want to make that point clear for any future reference.
Right. So, there's this tree bug problem with the "City" planted trees. Most of which, *except* of course, "ours", were cut down last Fall - you know, *after* the leaves were off and raked... We *WANTED* ours CUT!! We have more than enough trees in our front yard and this one just sheds crappy seeds and stuff... And then, just to add in a bit of pseudo-your-tax-dollars-at-work, They plant these other pitiful tree saplings next to the stumps.
Keep in mind here - [1] we don't have a stump; [2] Charlie Brown Tree gets embedded into the 6 feet or so space between a rather nice lilac bush and the non-stump by; [3] one poor guy, whilst 4 of his buddies look on, into hard clayish soil underpinned with shale about 3 feet down; [4] did I mention it was late Fall?; [5] NO one bothered to *ask* us if we even wanted it! - until AFTER the mine shaft was excavated!!
Now, back to the captive Councilor... Mother reiterated the above and politely "requested" - in that disarming "I'm a Senior and a great-grandmother and I don't take no crap" kind of way - that said Tree, be dealt with at the earliest opportunity...
Gotta give the C-Guy points here. He quickly whipped out his Note pad and took down our name and address - as well as my card! Apparently, there happened to be some upcoming meeting concerning said horticultural dilema...
Present Day. Well, earlier this morning - BEFORE - I got up anyway.
Mother tells me that a big X was splattered on The TREE by City Guys!! Execution Day though, is still up in the air. But, at least it's a start...
BTW, the neighbours to the left - with the only other dead tree besides us - didn't get an X! But, they're new and haven't figured it out yet, that to get anything done, you have to get someone over 70 to get on City Hall's case!
Meanwhile... I realize that none of Today's Entry was even remotely related to anything crochet-ish, though perhap a tad "yarnful"... Then again, the Wood Paneling was a tree once. It's a bit of a stretch, I know, but there really wasn't anything note-worthy going on today. Well, except maybe the weather being a bit cooler... sorta...
If I remember, and/or get a chance, I'll snap a shot of The X tomorrow and post it! Maybe...
Okay... Enough with the tree-huggy crap.. I *really* should just stick to crocheting...
********
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