Day 165: Framing

Today was a day of errands. Tried to get a CT driver's license and was denied. After a short period of being angry about it, I decided to get on with it and took a number of things over to my office (CFA certificate and books and whatnot). Then went to the framing shop to get my two lovely prints framed. I had picked out a wonderful frame for my map of Edinburgh that cost WAY too much, so I had to reconsider. We found this one after a long time of going back and forth and checking costs, etc. I took a photo right as the woman was taking away the sample for her records. I had forgotten how expensive it is to get things framed properly, but it has to be done. At least the original mattes were very well done so I didn't have to pay to have them matted. And yes, Fred, it's conservation grade glass, so I'm happy.

Day 164: What the...

I take the bus to and from work and every so often in the morning, this guy is on there eating his oatmeal. What the heck? It's a bus, not a restaurant. Today I snapped him in the act.

Day 163: Broken dish

Although the things were mostly delivered intact, we did have two picture frames break and one casserole dish, pictured here. I had to take photos for the insurance claim.

Day 162: Another lunch at Claire's

Today we went to lunch at Claire's and I had some more nice soup there like I'd had last time. I noticed this painting on the wall and it reminded me of the paintings in Hector's in Edinburgh. This is of the New Haven Green, and it is pretty similar to what it looks like right now...snow on the ground and the trees with no leaves.

Day 161: The fruit bowl lives on

At my office in London, we had a fruit bowl, where people brought in fruit in an effort to increase healthy food consumption. When I moved up to Scotland, I introduced the idea and it caught on (although now I hear it's died a death with my departure). So I decided we should also have one here, and today I brought in a bowl I got over the weekend precisely for this purpose. Hooray! Fruit bowl!

Day 160: The trudge homeward

I thought instead of posting a pleasing or at least interesting photo, I'd show what my walk home looks like in this weather. Ick. Snow and ice, and now water and sludge, thanks to the warmer temperatures. Not pleasant but there you go.

Day 159: Devghar

Slowly, slowly I'm starting to get unpacked and put things away. My second bedroom is a disaster with boxes everywhere. But we put up some more posters on the walls and also set up the devghar. Devghar translates literally to 'home of the gods' which is a pretty appropriate description. It's where we put representations of the deities, almost like a little doll house for the gods and goddesses. Inside our devghar are many Ganpatis, a diya (oil lamp), a Buddha, and some small cards with prints of the gods. If you look closely you can see one with Parvati, Shiva and Ganpati. I've also put a few pictures of Jesus and a rosary in mine. You know, equal opportunity. Ours came from Pune originally. Next to it is the bodhi leaf that fell on my head when I went to Bodh Gaya. The leaf came from a version of the tree under which the Buddha sat and became enlightened.

Day 158: Apizza

New Haven is famous for its pizza, which is called apizza. The two most famous apizza places in town are Pepe's and Sally's, but Modern comes in a very close third. The nice thing about Modern is that it's in my neighborhood! I'm still a Chicagoan at heart when it comes to pizza, so I've not become a fan just yet. Give me a Chicago-style deep dish any day. But Modern's was pretty good, I must say.

Day 157: Dancing postcards

Since I started swing dancing, I've been picking up these postcards at various classes and dances in London, Scotland, Chicago, etc. I usually put them up at my desk at work. These two are for classes in Chicago and a workshop in Portland...not that I'm going to attend any of them, but it's nice to have the cards as decorations.

Day 156: Baking disaster

I have had it in my head to make a pineapple upside down cake for a while now, and today I finally decided to go for it. All the recipes I found online looked too complicated, or took too long, so I settled on one that seemed easy and quick. Mistake! I shouldn't have tried to take the short cuts, because it just didn't turn out very well. Must try again soon.