Rainy Days

Yesterday and today, we've had cooler temperatures and sporadic showers.  Bad for Balloon Fiesta, good for the countryside.

Driving home from work yesterday afternoon, I spotted a lovely rainbow.

I did get some fun news further along on the way home.  I decided to fill up the car.  Imagine my pleasant surprise to see the price per gallon was $2.99.  It's the first time in I-don't-know-how-long that the price of gas has been below $3.00.  Granted, it's only a tiny bit below, but it's still a good thing. 

Papillon

Over the Back Fence

Balloon Fiesta is underway.  It started this past weekend (10/3) but I've become rather jaded after 20+ years so haven't really made much of an effort to track the balloons.

However, it's not hard to enjoy things when a balloon comes to me.

Granted, he didn't do any real 'flying' since he remained tethered to the ground.  You'll also notice it doesn't have a traditional gondola (passenger basket) underneath.  It was one man sitting in a chair-type device.

Here's another view as he fires up the propane.

What fun!  Nothing like my own 'personal' Glowdeo!  The neighborhood kids certainly enjoyed it.

I may have to do some balloon stalking next weekend.

Papillon

A night at the ballpark

Last night was a company event at the Albuquerque Isotopes.  For the unfamiliar, Albuquerque has long had a farm club for the LA Dodgers (with a short hiatus when they were the farm club for the Seattle Mariners).  Originally, our local team was the Albuquerque Dukes, named after the Duke of Alburquerque who held the original land grant.  (Yes, the Duke's version is the correct spelling of Alburquerque.  The current correct spelling of the city of Albuquerque is, in fact, incorrect.)

I don't remember the dates, but Albuquerque was without a baseball team for a number of years after I moved here when the team was sold to (I think) Portland. 

Then efforts were made to get another team in town.  When those efforts were successful, the new owners needed a new name since the name 'Dukes' went to the Northwest location.  The TV show, The Simpsons, had run a storyline where the fictional Springfield is worried that their minor league team, the Isotopes, is going to be sold to Albuquerque.  So our team has been called the Isotopes since, life imitating art.  They even put up some life-sized statues of the Simpson family (with permission of the show, of course).

July was the fourth wettest July on record.  This made it worrisome that the game would be rained out, especially because the morning looked really threatening.  Very dark clouds loomed over the Sandia mountains.  However, they cleared off as the day went on.  There were a few clouds in the area during the game, but nothing remotely like a rain cloud.

Here's one of the Isotopes batting at last night's game.

The weather was nicer than in years past.  The past few times I've gone to one of these annual events, the temperatures have been really warm, 90 degrees and thereabouts.

Last night started out at 81 degrees.  The temperature slowly dropped as the night/game went on and a stiff breeze popped up.

By the end of the eighth inning, the temperature and breeze made me wish I'd brought a lightweight jacket.  It was 71 degrees at 9 PM.  The 'Topes were also down - the Tacoma Rainiers won by a score of 5-2.  I suppose I could have stayed on to the end, but I headed on home. 

It was a nice enough evening. 

Papillon

Getting Caught Up

Last Sunday (6/29) I went to an all-day seminar put on by Mike Dooley.  I've long gotten his upbeat emails from The Universe.  He is a proponent of 'Thoughts Become Things'.  I had a good time and am glad I signed up for it.  Here's a picture of me with Mike.

I spent a quiet Fourth of July.  This woke me up Friday morning.  I don't recall seeing this shape of balloon years ago.  They seem to have become more popular since I've seen at least 3 different balloons of this shape in just the last month.

I'm not a big fan of going to one of the live Fourth of July events.  I did that many years ago and now prefer to watch the shows on TV from the comfort of my air-conditioned living room.  Sipping an adult beverage/libation. 

It turns out my neighborhood likes fireworks as much as they do Xmas decorations in December.  Neighbors a couple of doors down on either side had lots of fun.  Here're the folks on my west side.

 

Today I went shopping for more furniture.  I found a nice nightstand plus a couple of end tables for the living room.  It'll be fun to put them in place once they are delivered.

Papillon

More furniture

A quilt buddy of mine (Mary) has long had an extensive collection of Santa figurines.  Recently she decided to display it in a different manner so she wanted to sell the tall lighted display cases she'd been using.

A neighbor bought one of the cases.  While I was at our last quilt group get-together, Mary mentioned she was selling the remaining one and I said - I'm interested!  We agreed on a price and I set up a date and time with her to have it moved to my house.  That took place today.

Mary was rather astonished because my movers (Albuquerque Discount Movers) showed up early (that surprised me as well since I was still on the way to Mary's house when I got the call the movers were headed that way as well).  She was also impressed at the efficient way they handled things.  Apparently the neighbor's movers took well over an hour to get the first case bundled up and up the street to the neighbor's house.  Mine were in and out and had the case on the truck in about 15 minutes.

I've now got it set up at my house.  I do have one small problem.  In deciding on where to put it, I'd neglected to notice where the doors on the cabinet are located.  They're on the sides so I can't use the doors on the right since they're very close to a kitchen cabinet.  I think I'll leave it there for a while.  If having to put things in only on the left side begins to pall, I've got a Plan B location in mind.

Here's a picture of the cabinet with some of my cut glass in place.

I took the picture from the side since otherwise there'd be a lovely image of me reflected in the mirrors on the back.

I've had some folks (primarily at work) asking me if I'm done getting the house pulled together.  I have to explain that my old house was about 1,000 sq. ft.  The new house is a bit over 2,000 sq. ft.  When I moved, I only brought over about half the furniture in the old house.  So, I've filled in about 750 sq. ft. so far with a BUNCH more furniture to get.  Since I've no desire to go into debt by buying a bunch of furniture, I'm spacing out my purchases.  I figure it'll ultimately take me at least a year or more to finish my furniture buying.  Spread out the fun, so to speak.

Papillon

Sunday Morning Balloons

After several quiet weekends, the balloons were out in force this morning.  There were two balloons of an unusual shape, I got a picture of one of them.

Normally you don't see special shapes on routine weekends.  However, there was one this morning.

Here's a shot with multiple balloons.

There were lots more balloons in the area, but most were too far away for me to get a good shot.  I don't want the balloon to just be a tiny dot on the sky.

It sure is a fun way to wake up on a sunny Sunday morning.

Papillon

Furniture

I've been adding furniture to my new house.  Keep in mind, my old house was small (about 1,000 sq. ft.) with a huge yard (about 1/3 acre).  My new house has a MUCH SMALLER yard and is about 2,200 sq. ft.

When I moved from the old house, I donated a lot of my older furniture and had some other pieces go to the landfill.  Which means I've essentially been starting from scratch with furniture at the new place.

Recently I added a couple new pieces.  Four months and 4 days after I ordered it in early February, my bed frame finally arrived.  The mattress/box spring arrived a month earlier and the furniture store allowed me to use a 'rug roller' - which is a metal frame that got things up off the floor.  Here's what the new bed looks like.

The quilt is one I made years ago.  I'm not sure if I'm going to continue to use it or make a new one.  If I make a new one, the old one will be in place for the foreseeable future.

On Wednesday, I was at lunch with some coworkers.  One mentioned that a nephew (I think) was coming to stay with them (while in college, I think).  The room he'll be staying in had an armoire in it.  He decided he didn't need it so my coworker talked about selling it.

My ears perked up because I've been looking for an armoire or other cabinet with door/drawers.  My master bedroom does not have a linen closet so I've been making do with my bed sheets and towels.  There's a nice large niche in the wall by the door and that's where I planned on putting the armoire.

I asked my coworker if she could send me dimensions/price/pictures.  She did and mentioned she and her husband could deliver for a small fee.  SOLD!

Here's the armoire.

Here's the armoire being officially inspected.

The difference in color is because I used a flash in the cat photo and not in the other.

It's good to be getting more furniture.  That said, I've still got lots more furniture to buy. 

Papillon