tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69237031865253448272024-03-16T00:03:11.902-04:00meg on the busThe real life adventures on public transportation in a wanna-be city in the Bible Belt.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.comBlogger331125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-51683223996636172822009-07-20T13:44:00.001-04:002009-07-20T13:46:39.230-04:00Now exclusively blogging at <a href="http://meginthekitchen.blogspot.com">Meg In The Kitchen</a>. <br /><br />Thanks for your readership, friendship and support. Now on to my new adventure!Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-63778367430736960522009-05-01T14:06:00.000-04:002009-05-01T14:07:39.347-04:00In other words, downtown is going to be a huge mess this weekend.Here are the Capital Area Transit detours for downtown for the weekend of May 2nd and 3rd.<br /> <br />DETOURS<br />Friday, 5/1/09 – Sunday 5/3/09<br />4th Annual World Beer Tasting Festival<br /> <br />Street Closure - 200 Block of East Martin St. between Blount and Person St. and the 200 block of South Person St. between Martin and Hargett Streets. These streets will be closed from 9:00 am 5/1/09 until 5:00 pm 5/03/09.<br /> <br />#5 # 22 #32- Biltmore Hills, State Street, Sanderford Rd.<br /> <br />O/B – From MSS, take Blount St., LEFT on Davie St., LEFT on Person St., RIGHT on Martin St., resume route.<br />I/B – None.<br /> <br />#18 #35 – Worthdale, Poole Road<br /> <br />O/B – From MSS, take Blount St., LEFT on Davie St., LEFT on Person St., RIGHT on Martin St., resume route.<br />I/B – From Hargett St., LEFT on East St., RIGHT on Davie St., RIGHT on Wilmington St., RIGHT on Martin St. to MSS.<br /> <br />#13 – Chavis Heights<br /> <br />O/B – From MSS, take Blount St., LEFT on Davie St., LEFT on Person St., RIGHT on Martin St., resume route.<br />I/B – From Person St., LEFT on Davie St., RIGHT on Wilmington St., RIGHT on Martin St. to MSS.<br /> <br />R-LINE – After 6:30 pm, you will not be able to do the alternate evening route down Martin St. to Person St., so stay straight on Wilmington St. You will be able to make the other evening alternate route down by Harrington St.<br /> <br />DETOURS<br />Saturday, 5/2/09<br />2009 AIDS Fundraising Awareness Walk/Ride<br />3:00 pm – 4:00 pm<br /> <br />Street Closure – The walkers will enter on Wilmington St. from Halifax Mall, proceed north and loop around the Archdale Bldg. onto Salisbury St., proceed south on Salisbury , turn left on Morgan St., left on Person St., proceed north on Person St., and the 1 mile participants will turn left on Lane St. and return back to Halifax Mall. The 3 mile walkers will continue north on Person St., turn left onto Peace St., left onto Blount St., right on Edenton St., right on Wilmington St. back to Halifax Mall.<br /> <br />#1 Capital Blvd.<br />O/B – From MSS, LEFT on Hargett St., RIGHT on McDowell St. which becomes Capital Blvd, resume route.<br />I/B – Take Capital Blvd. straight to downtown which it becomes Dawson St., Left on Martin St. to MSS.<br /> <br />#2 Falls of Neuse<br />O/B – From MSS, LEFT on Hargett St., RIGHT on McDowell St., LEFT on Edenton St., resume route.<br />I/B – From Morgan St., RIGHT onto Dawson St., LEFT onto Martin St. to MSS.<br /> <br />#3 Glascock<br />O/B – From MSS, RIGHT on Hargett St., RIGHT on Blount, LEFT on Davie St., LEFT on East St., LEFT on Franklin St., RIGHT on Person St., RIGHT on Glascock St., resume route.<br />I/B – From Bennett St., LEFT on Glascock St., RIGHT on Raleigh Blvd., RIGHT on New Bern Ave., LEFT on East St., RIGHT on Davie St., RIGHT on Wilmington St., RIGHT on Martin St. to MSS.<br /> <br />#4 Rex Hospital<br />O/B – From MSS, LEFT on Hargett St., RIGHT on McDowell St., LEFT on Edenton St., resume route.<br />I/B – From Morgan St., RIGHT onto Dawson St., LEFT onto Martin St. to MSS.<br /> <br /> <br />#6 Crabtree Valley<br />O/B – From MSS, LEFT on Hargett St., RIGHT on McDowell St., LEFT on Edenton St., resume route.<br />I/B – From Morgan St., RIGHT onto Dawson St., LEFT onto Martin St. to MSS.<br /> <br />#10 Longview<br />O/B – From MSS, RIGHT on Hargett St., RIGHT on Blount St., LEFT on Davie St., LEFT on East St., resume route.<br />I/B – From Lane St., LEFT on East St., RIGHT on Davie St., RIGHT on Wilmington St., RIGHT on Martin St., to MSS.<br /> <br />#12 Method<br />O/B – From MSS, straight on Hargett St., RIGHT on McDowell St., LEFT on Edenton St., RIGHT on St. Mary’s St., LEFT onto Peace St., resume route.<br /> I/B – From Peace St., RIGHT on St. Mary’s St., LEFT on Morgan St., RIGHT on Dawson St., LEFT on Martin St. to MSS.<br /> <br />#15 Wake Medical<br />O/B – From MSS, RIGHT on Hargett St., RIGHT on Blount St., LEFT on Davie St., LEFT on East St., RIGHT on New Bern Avenue, resume route.<br />I/B – From Edenton St., LEFT on East St., RIGHT on Davie St., RIGHT on Wilmington St., RIGHT on Martin St. to MSS.<br /> <br />#16 Oberlin Road<br />O/B – From MSS, LEFT on Hargett St., RIGHT on McDowell St., LEFT on Edenton St., resume route.<br />I/B – From Morgan St., RIGHT onto Dawson St., LEFT onto Martin St. to MSS.<br /> <br />R-LINE – At 3:00 pm,detour from RCC will be RIGHT on Lenoir St., RIGHT on McDowell St., LEFT on Edenton St., RIGHT on Harrington St., LEFT on West St., resume regular route back to RCC. This should only last until 4:00 pm.<br /> <br />DETOURS<br />Saturday, 5/2/09<br />Annual Community Appreciation Festival<br />6:00 am – 4:00 pm<br /> <br />Street Closure - 300 Block and 400 Block of East Hargett St., between Person St. and South East St. The 100 block of S. Bloodworth St. from Morson to Hargett St., and the 200 block of S. Bloodworth St., Martin St., to Hargett St.<br /> <br />#35 Poole Road<br />O/B – From MSS, take Blount, LEFT on Davie St., LEFT on Person St., RIGHT on Martin St., resume route.<br />I/B – From Hargett St., Left on East Street, Right on Martin St., to MSS.<br /> <br />DETOURS<br />Saturday, 5/2/09<br />Fallen Firefighters Parade<br />8:00 am – 12:00 pm<br /> <br />Street Closure - The assembly area will be in the 700-900 blocks of Hillsborough St. and the 100-500 blocks of St. Mary’s St. At 10:00 am, the parade route will start on Hillsborough St. to Dawson St. Left on Dawson St. and proceeding south to Nash Square, left onto Martin St. and circle Nash Square park back to Hargett St. where the parade will end. Festivities will keep Hargett St. closed until 4:00 pm.<br /> <br />#2 Falls of Neuse<br />O/B – From Wilmington St., LEFT on Peace St., RIGHT on Glenwood Ave., resume route.<br />I/B – From Glenwood Ave., LEFT on Peace St., RIGHT on Salisbury St., LEFT on Martin St., to MSS.<br /> <br />#4 Rex Hospital<br />O/B – From Wilmington St., LEFT on Peace St., to Clark Avenue, from Clark Ave., LEFT on Enterprise St., RIGHT on Hillsborough St., resume route.<br />I/B – From Morgan St., RIGHT onto Harrington St., LEFT onto Davie St., LEFT on Wilmington St., RIGHT on Martin St. to MSS. <br /> <br />#6 Crabtree Valley<br />O/B – From Wilmington St., LEFT on Peace St., RIGHT on Glenwood Ave., resume route.<br />I/B – From Glenwood Ave., LEFT on Peace St., RIGHT on Salisbury St., LEFT on Martin St., to MSS.<br /> <br />#8 Northclift<br />O/B – From Wilmington St., LEFT on Peace St., RIGHT on St. Mary’s St., resume route.<br />I/B – From St. Mary’s St., LEFT on Peace St., RIGHT on West St., LEFT on Jones St., resume regular route to MSS.<br /> <br />#11 Avent Ferry<br />O/B – From MSS take yellow zone out onto Blount St., take Blount St., RIGHT on Lenoir St., resume route.<br />I/B – None.<br /> <br />#16 Oberlin Road<br />O/B – From Wilmington St., LEFT on Peace St., resume route.<br />I/B – From Peace St., RIGHT on Salisbury St., LEFT on Martin St. to MSS.<br /> <br />R-Line – At 10:00 am, the parade will begin, from Glenwood Ave., LEFT on Jones St., RIGHT on Salisbury St., back to RCC. If Jones St. turn is too hard to make, from West St., stay straight down West St., LEFT on Jones St., RIGHT on Salisbury St. back to RCC.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-22981478500847770392009-04-29T09:53:00.003-04:002009-04-29T10:04:57.591-04:00Nah nah nah nah hey hey...goooood bye!Today is the last day I am riding the bus. I am out of passes, so rather than spend the money, I am just going to drive the next two days.<br /><br />I am sad that I will not be riding the Triangle Transit buses regularly anymore. I will miss my bus drivers and the wacky passengers that have become a beloved part of my routine. I will continue to ride the bus around town but it will not be the same. <br /><br />Today I am wearing a short denim skirt under which my knee brace is quite visible. Amy Number One was chatting with me this morning, asking if I ate yogurt last Tuesday. She noticed the brace on my knee and asked me what it was. I told her I had to wear it because I got hurt. She wanted to know when it would get better. I told after I had surgery next week. She looked positively terrified, to which I responded with, "it's okay. It is very easy to fix and I will be back on my feet in no time." We talked more and she wanted to know if I would be there on Friday. I finally told her that today was the last day I would be riding the bus. She looked very sad. I told her I would miss her very much. She asked me if I would be here next week. I again explained I would not. I told her why. In retrospect, I should have told her I am going back to school rather than my job is ending. She was quiet for a moment and then said, "I am sad because I am going to miss you, Meg." She asked me if I would come back and visit. I just might do that.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-47592536098761846392009-04-28T14:35:00.002-04:002009-04-28T14:46:52.447-04:00Chapel Hill bus driver pleads no contestOn November 4, 2008 I posted links to two stories from the local news about a <a href="http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/3835142/">fatal bus accident</a> in Chapel Hill. A bus hit a pedestrian, Valerie Hughes, who died the following day. In <a href="http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/3889646/">the second story</a>, this was reported:<br /><br />"According to police records, the Chapel Hill Police Department has investigated 10 wrecks since 2001 – not including last week's – in which Orr was involved. He was at fault in most of the wrecks. Nine of them were in a town vehicle." <br /><br />In today's story linked below, he was given a 45 day suspended sentence, 100 hours of community service, loses his license for a year, and may be required to speak about his experience. Are you kidding me? Nine wrecks in government vehicles, most of which were his fault, he kills someone, and that's it? Two and a half weeks of washing police cars and he might have to talk about it? Damn. Maybe I'm just being harsh, maybe it's because I've been hit so many times, but that doesn't seem like justice to me.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5038611/">Chapel Hill bus driver was sentenced</a>Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-75318976491156177622009-04-22T14:28:00.003-04:002009-04-22T14:57:24.598-04:00Art On The MoveI am beginning to realize, with a great deal of surprise, that Raleigh and the Greater Triangle area is a good place for artists. Real, honest to goodness, working artists. I still have trouble seeing this area (and North Carolina as a whole) as anything other than a hick town, small, conservative, small minded. In recent years, I have come to see that it is possible to be an artist here and actually make a living. Now that might entail teaching classes on the side, but that's still art, right? For example, we have First Friday. All of the galleries and museums stay open a little later, offer wine and crackers, hire live music and Downtown Raleigh turns into a big ol' party even on the coldest of nights. First Friday is remarkably kid-friendly too! <br /><br />We also have loads of local businesses that show artwork. These could be restaurants, coffee shops, you name it. We have a number of artist's collective studio spaces, like <a href="http://www.artspacenc.org/">Artspace</a> and <a href="http://www.antfarmstudios.org/">Antfarm Studios</a>. There was the <a href="http://www.raleigh-nc.org/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_306_207_0_43/http%3B/pt03/DIG_Web_Content/category/Government/Boards_and_Commissions/Arts_Commission/Public_Art/Cat-1C-2005308-090230-Red_Wolf_Ramble.html">Red Wolf Ramble</a>, which was a collection of wolf statues all over town, painted by local artists. The NC State mascot is the wolf, for those who don't know.<br /><br />We also have Art On The Move. The city art's commission and CAT choose twelve original designs by local artists to decorate the sides of twelve CAT buses for six months. I'm happy to say that two of my favorite local artists have been chosen, Anna Podris and Paul Friedrich. I know Anna has had a design on a bus previously, and would take a stab that Paul has too since he's so well known. A big congratualtions to all of the artists! I will do my best to get to Artsplosure to photograph the unveiling of the new buses on May 16th.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.raleigh-nc.org/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_418_202_0_43/http%3B/pt03/DIG_Web_Content/news/public/News-PubAff-New_Art_On_The_Move_Desi-20090327-15523988.html">Art On The Move</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5901208">Paul Friedrich's Etsy Shop</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.annapodris.com/">Anna Podris's website</a> (I love her owls! I've only gotten to meet her once and she's fabulous!)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.keithnorval.com/keith/index.html">Keith Norval</a> (Anna's husband. I took his printmaking class. I love this guy.)<br /><br />Okay, I have to add this one too. <a href="http://www.annapodris.com/gallery/v/Encaustic+Paintings/Blue+Owl.jpg.html">Blue Owl</a>, an encaustic painting by Anna. It's even more spectacular in person. I love this one with all my heart and hope someone will buy it for me someday.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-31098170370728936462009-04-20T19:03:00.003-04:002009-04-20T19:08:44.640-04:00A brief aside, knitting related sad news.I don't know if there are any knitters who read this blog. If so, please pop on over to Mason Dixon Knitting to pay your respects to dear Kay who's husband, Peter, passed away on Saturday. If you're read the book or the blog, you know how wonderful those women are and how their warm chatty writing style makes them feel like your cool knitter aunts. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.masondixonknitting.com/">Mason Dixon Knitting</a>Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-26975061913226254322009-04-19T21:20:00.005-04:002009-04-20T08:18:24.739-04:00How funny are we?I had dinner with my friend, E, on Thursday night. Since we were going down to Jibarra in the warehouse district, I took the R Line. The ride down was uneventful. The ride home, however, was quite something else. <br /><br />I get on the bus and sit down. Innocent enough. Two guys come running over and jump on the bus. They are the stereotypical North Raleigh, or Cary, suburbia kind of folks that give me hives. They are joking that the bus driver should close the doors and drive off. What seemed like an hour later, their women get on the bus. One couple was married, one was not and they were going bar hooping that night. Because they're cool like that. The girlfriend (who looked about 10 years younger than her boyfriend) is talking about some guy in her office who uses her Kleenex to blow his nose. She is trying very unsuccessfully to mimic in both noise and gesture an elephant honking his trunk. She was so stupid, it was painful to listen to her. Then, her boyfriend and the wife of the other couple begin making fun of her. They were obviously making fun of how stupid she was, but naturally she completely missed it. At first, I'm looking at the guy and thinking, "do you really want to deal with this for the rest of your life?" and then when he opened his mouth, I was quietly asking her the same thing. I believe they are truly meant for each other and a couple good divorce lawyers. At one point the wife turns to the husband and says, "how funny are we? We're riding a bus!" Yeah, seriously, you crack me up. Then the married couple starts wigging out about the babysitter with the crazy strict parents. The discussion turns to who should go home and relieve Brittney of her duties and who should continue to par-tay with the stupid girl and her boyfriend. The husband lost. Wife went to get her crunk on and hubby stayed on the bus. These are super classy folks.<br /><br />One stop later, three black folks get on the bus. Each of them are carrying a few bags. The two guys hop on the easily and head to the back. The woman gets on with some difficulty and sits across from me and Husband who was a couple seats over. It was crystal clear that she was high as a kite. Higher, if possible. She was with the guys, but didn't sit with them. She announces to the bus that she was released from federal prison two hours ago and that she served five years. She also says she's headed back to New Jersey, where she's from. Husband engages her in conversation. He asks her if she's happy to be out. If you guessed she said "yes" then you guessed correctly. He's asking her lots of questions that, frankly, aren't any of his damn business, such as, how did she end up in a federal prison here if she's from New Jersey and some such questions. I don't remember the entire conversation word for word because I was busy not making eye contact. <br /><br />Husband then says to Ex-Con, are you ready for this?....<br />"But you have to admit that it's nice down here, right?" To which she replies, "I AIN'T GOT TO ADMIT SHIT. OKAY? I AIN'T GOT TO ADMIT GODDAMN SHIT." Yes, she was shouting. Husband then backpedals a little with this zingy comeback, "But I mean like the weather. It's a lot nicer than it is in New Jersey, right?" Never before have I thought I was going to be shanked on a bus. The bus driver chimes in and tells her to watch her language. She apologized and calmed down, thankfully. Seriously, she's so high, she can barely speak. While I am busy not making eye contact and trying to keep an eye out for any flying shivs, I am thinking about how inappropriate it is for Husband to ask this woman if she thinks it nicer here than NJ. I mean, chances are good that she's only been here while in federal prison, which means that she's spent nearly all of her time confined to a tiny cell, eating horrible food, being told when to pee, and maybe, just maybe getting an hour a day outside. She could have been anywhere. <br /><br />The saga continues when Husband, who has never been on the R Line before, tries to tell Ex-Con where to get off to go to the Greyhound station. He was off by three stops. So glad I wasn't around for that one. As she was leaving, she almost forgot one of her bags. I told her, she picked it up and shook my hand and Husband's and god blessed us. With any luck she's back in New Jersey right now.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-24059124628672410642009-04-16T13:51:00.005-04:002009-04-16T14:16:57.789-04:00The S WordI mentioned in my last post that I'm having knee surgery. Many of you have sent warm, kind and concerned thoughts which are so much appreciated. I thought I'd take a second and give you the 411. "That means information, people." (Any Monk fans in the house?) <br /><br />At the end of January, I slipped and fell on a rubber mat that was turned upside down. Luckily, this happened at work. This means I don't have to pay for anything and I'll ultimately get reimbursed for my time. It also means this whole process has been dragged out 17 times longer than if I had to pay for this. All I'll say about that is...if you have to get hurt at work, don't do it in North Carolina. <br /><br />It turns out that when I fell I tore my medial meniscus. I've had ice, compression, heat, NSAIDS, a cortisone injection, yoga, physical therapy, x-rays, an MRI and a glucosamine/condrointon supplement (when I can remember to take it). You name it, I've tried it. No dice. Nothing has worked. I'm still in a lot of pain, can't walk far, biking and running are out of the question, and I'm still wearing a knee brace. Without the brace, I feel things moving in ways most unnatural. <br /><br />At my last doctor's appointment, it was decided that surgery was the next step. It will be arthroscopic surgery and should take about 20 minutes or so. They will go in and look around, take pictures and cut out the torn piece of cartilage. I'll be laid up for a few days and on crutches for a few more. They expect me to be as good as new in 4-5 months. Sadly, my hopes of a robotic knee transplant have been crushed. Perhaps next time. I do however get souvenir photos of the inside of my knee, which is a nice touch. I wonder if they do t-shirts too? "I went to Blue Ridge Surgical Center and all I got was this lousy t-shirt."<br /><br />The surgery is scheduled for May 7. My mom will come stay for a few days. It will then be up to Elvis to care for me. I have three weeks to teach him how to open the fridge and turn on the oven. If that fails, I am certain a few friends will come over to feed me if absolutely necessary. <br /><br />I appreciate the well wishes. I assure you I will be fine. My 89 year old grandmother always says, "you just don't die as easily as you think you do." In the past 9 years, she's had breast cancer and mastectomy, a broken hip and replacement, an exploding gall bladder, and recently 5 staples in the back of her noggin from a fall. She's never been in the hospital for more than 3 weeks. So, I think she'd know.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-62969362244543568572009-04-15T13:59:00.000-04:002009-04-15T14:00:19.549-04:00So good, I had to post it twice.I work with a girl, T., she about 28 or 29. As a coworker, she's merely okay, but as a person, she is a very sweet, soft spoken girl. She has a son, J., who is about 10 or 11. If I have extra goodies, I'll give them to her to pass on to J. because I know he'll eat them. I also do it because T. doesn't cook or bake and really, every kid needs a freshly baked cookie every now and again. I've also passed on goodies that neither she nor he have tried before and have yet to find something that they don't like. I think the last thing I shared with them was red velvet cupcakes. I've only met J. once or twice in the past. He's a super cute, super sweet kid. T is doing an amazing job as a single mother and I have no doubt that J will turn into a fine man someday. <br /><br />Two mornings ago, T comes up to me and tells me that her son has just learned how to make those slice and bake Toll House cookies and he's going to make some for me. Yesterday, she tells me that J wants me to know that he didn't make the cookies the night before because he had to watch the wrestling draft and he hoped I would understand. I told her to tell him I would have done the same thing. This morning when I got to work, T hands me a little plastic baggie with 4 chocolate chip cookies. I almost cried. Seriously. He made me cookies because I am always sending things home for him. <br /><br />I was late this morning because I had a doctor's appointment. I found out that I have to have knee surgery in a week or two. Getting cookies that J baked especially for me made my day!Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-18004972636594289842009-04-14T10:42:00.005-04:002009-04-14T11:01:25.706-04:00Mobile TV on the R line<a href="http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/4948031/">WRAL, Raleigh partner on nation's first mobile DTV venture</a>.<br /><br />“Once again, Raleigh is unveiling a technology first,” Mayor Charles Meeker said in a statement. “We are proud to be the pilot to offer mobile digital television to the riders of the Downtown Circulator.<br /><br />“We salute WRAL for being pioneers in mobile digital television as they were in high definition television,” Meeker said. “We look forward to the day when all of Raleigh’s CAT buses will offer this means of information and relaxation. It’s just another reason to take a CAT bus wherever you go.”<br /><br />I like Mayor Meeker. I really do. He just announced he's running for reelection, for a fifth two year term. I think he's done a great job in this city in the revitilization of Downtown, in improving public transportation, dealing with the crazy drought we had last year, and recognizing that perhaps Raleigh is growing too fast. I will proudly vote for him for another term.<br /><br />I have mixed feelings about bringing television into the buses. On one hand, I think it's great bringing information to a certain bus riding population that might not be otherwise exposed to this kind of news. On the other hand, my daily commute to RTP is great when it's silent. In the morning, I don't want to hear a lot of chatter and more often than not, and with the exception of Amy Number One wanting to know if I have my notebook and a pencil, the bus is quiet.<br /><br />I was also hoping that the R Line would use the monitors to announce the next stop since it can be a little hard to tell where you are, especially at night. I guess I'll have to take a spin and see what's its all about before I make up my mind.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-20778878566187405992009-04-13T20:13:00.007-04:002009-04-14T11:01:43.467-04:00Reply hazy. Try again.Every so often I see this guy in the morning. He looks like he's maybe 40-ish. He's pretty big, not in the chubby sense, but he's tall and has a big frame. He occasionally picks up my second bus in the mornings. He uses a cane, well, in theory he uses a cane. I've only seen him carry it because he has a bike with him. The bike is a BMX bike, like the one my 10th grade boyfriend had. Most of this is borderline odd....I think you'd have to see a picture. What tips this into the "weirdo" category is his choice of helmet. Now, most people choose to wear, say, a bike helmet. Not this guy. The last time I saw him he was wearing a hockey helmet. A full on hockey goalie helmet with the wire face mask. This morning, he chose a different helmet. A batting helmet. Fer reals, people. Could I make this up? A batting helmet, covering one ear. I'm waiting for him to bust out with the football helmet one of these days.<br /><br />There was a terribly attractive Indian guy at my bus stop this morning. He was a little confused as to where he should go and when he should get there, so I was more than happy to oblige. We chatted a bit. He was very nice. As (someone else's-not mine) luck would have it, he was waiting for the bus this afternoon too. He thanked me again for helping him. We chatted some more. He was seriously cute. No moustache too! My Magic 8 Ball very quickly told me that I will see him again, however it's being quite vague on exactly how many children we'll have. I can't believe my Magic 8 Ball would leave me hanging.<br /><br />Oh, I almost forgot. I saw Ma this afternoon also. She gave me a big giant hello and a fistful of Thai melon candy. I ate one to be polite...you see, I hate melon. This was really good! She complimented the baby sweater I'm knitting for my cousin Stacey with a big thumbs up. I swear she is just as cute as a button. She also told me she's from Thailand when I asked her abut the candy. Interesting. The plot thickens.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-86941828021973603862009-04-06T21:32:00.002-04:002009-04-06T21:32:57.794-04:00Today's Horoscope for Libra"You know your own shortcomings better than anyone else, but this doesn't mean you want to hear about them from an associate at work or a family member at home. There's no need for you to be reminded about your failures, especially when you are working hard to remedy them. If you are the recipient of unsolicited advice now, just smile and say "thanks," because a discussion could quickly turn into an unproductive argument."<br /><br /><br />You have no idea.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-36922417606655897872009-04-06T09:54:00.007-04:002009-04-06T10:20:29.411-04:00Pinus taeda, or my nemesis Pine Pollen<em>Pinus taeda</em>, or the <a href="http://www.ncsu.edu/project/dendrology/index/plantae/vascular/seedplants/gymnosperms/conifers/pine/pinus/australes/loblolly/loblollypine.html">Loblolly pine</a>, is a tall, skinny pine tree native to the coastal Southeastern United States. It is known for growing quickly, stopping erosion, producing a fine timber, and, every year around this time, blanketing the entire Southeast in a fine yellowish green dusty pollen. Yes, ladies and gentleman, it's Pollen Season and it's disgusting. <br /><br />Observe:<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SdoLOEDgSFI/AAAAAAAAAdg/YRHaK1Rwjz4/s1600-h/photo4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SdoLOEDgSFI/AAAAAAAAAdg/YRHaK1Rwjz4/s400/photo4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321578245926176850" /></a><br />That's the pollen floating on top of a puddle on the sidewalk.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SdoLN54XuRI/AAAAAAAAAdY/nZlBCnjPVUU/s1600-h/photo3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SdoLN54XuRI/AAAAAAAAAdY/nZlBCnjPVUU/s400/photo3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321578243195123986" /></a><br />All over the bench.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SdoLN1xlcLI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/B5tJehYn3Oc/s1600-h/photo2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SdoLN1xlcLI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/B5tJehYn3Oc/s400/photo2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321578242092921010" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SdoLNkgBnBI/AAAAAAAAAdI/v8CbVN-G0iw/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SdoLNkgBnBI/AAAAAAAAAdI/v8CbVN-G0iw/s400/photo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321578237455866898" /></a><br /><br />Seriously, this shiznit gets everywhere. You wash your car and an hour later, it's covered. It sticks to bushes, sidewalks, windows, anything. Almost everyone who was not born into a family who's been in the South for at least 12 generations is allergic to it. Like me. I have lived in the South for 17 years now and every year during pollen season I feel like I have a horrible cold for weeks on end. Forget opening my windows, because it'll come in through the screen and blanket my living room. A few years ago, in my old apartment, I had a backyard. My cat Truman got out while I was watering plants and started to roll around on the stoop. When he stood up, he was that evil greenish color, covered in pollen. We immediately went inside and gave him a good, long scrubbing. I was home yesterday in the morning and felt fine. I went to the grocery store by bus. By the time I got to the shopping center with the Kroger, my eyes were watery, I was super sneezy, and my throat was scratchy. Only last year with the wicked drought were my allergies not so bad. <br /><br />I am going to stay inside until June, leaving only so long as I'm wearing one of those Hazmat suits with it's own air system.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SdoPB0m6ZGI/AAAAAAAAAdo/aGtIZBz02CE/s1600-h/hazmat_suit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 217px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SdoPB0m6ZGI/AAAAAAAAAdo/aGtIZBz02CE/s400/hazmat_suit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321582433667802210" /></a><br /><br />If you lived in North Carolina, you'd understand.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-53278797061356067652009-04-01T20:20:00.004-04:002009-04-01T23:14:16.467-04:00Ha ha, joke's on you. And by you, I mean me.I hate the first day of April. I hate it more than Friday the Thirteenth, which historically speaking, is always a good day for me. April Fool's Day just sucks. First of all, I hate practical jokes with all my heart. I am certain this comes from being the freak in school that was always picked on and/or made to look/feel like a loser. I hate practical jokes. They serve only to embarrass or humiliate the butt of said joke. Practical jokes are mean. <br /><br />My day starts with the bus I wanted not showing up. The next bus was late, as usual. Once it pulled into the platform, and before anyone could get off the bus, the dispatcher began releasing all of the waiting buses. I had to run to catch my bus. Did I mention I had torn cartilage in my knee? I get to work and immediately start icing it down. Then my physical therapist (for the knee) calls wanting to know why I'm not there. I tell her because my appointment is tomorrow. She advises me that no, indeed it is this morning. Luckily she can fit me in tomorrow, when I thought I was supposed to be there. Then The Perfume Ladies (a/k/a our field HR folks) showed up. They all wear way too much perfume and invariably give me a headache. They gave me a headache. The day spiraled rapidly downward from there and did not resurface until I picked up some Chinese food after work. Later, Elvis entertained me by getting a Kleenex box stuck on his head. I appreciated his kind gesture. <br /><br />And now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to Humble Pie to wish a friend bon voyage on his latest month long trip to China. <br /><br /><br />And now for something completely different...<br />By the way, the Jimmy Dean <a href="http://www.jimmydean.com/sitecontent/videos/2007/10/09/NewFull-Moon.aspx">commercials</a> make me infinitely happy. My readers outside the US (or the South for that matter) may not be familiar with them. Poke around on the web for them. The star of the ad campaign is a guy dressed up like the Sun. He works in an office with a giant window and his coworkers are the Moon, Fog, Cloud, Rainbow, etc. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-qJe8lNA_k">Here's another one</a>. Seriously, they crack me up. (What? Stop looking at me like that!)<br /><br />*****Just to add insult to injury, I found out I had two very flat bike tires as I was heading to meet my friends this evening. Very very flat tires. *sigh* I give up.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-11166979413048730792009-03-27T19:33:00.004-04:002009-03-27T19:54:30.820-04:00This is why you should always wear a helmet.Gary Busey rode my bus today. He needed to get from RTP to Rex Hospital. The driver suggested he could walk from the District Drive Park and Ride...okaaaaay. It's POURING out, with tornado warnings, oh and there are no sidewalks on a very congested road. She also suggested he ride to Moore Square and catch the Number 4. I agreed. He asked me at one point how far Rex was from the Park and Ride. I guessed about a mile or so, but suggested that today wasn't the best day to try that out. He then started to talk to the bus driver. He commended Robin on how well she handled the brakes and how well she could steer. I think she was touched he noticed. He went on to explain that he had been riding the Triangle Transit buses for A WHOLE WEEK so he really knows what he's talking about. An expert indeed. He announced that he was very unhappy with most of Robin's colleagues and that they really don't know how to drive. When my stop arrived, he thanked me for keeping him alive and dry.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-65925004963902786832009-03-25T23:52:00.004-04:002009-03-26T00:15:17.262-04:00At least I wasn't driving.Forgive me if I fall asleep while I'm typing this. I don't mean to be rude, really. I just had a busy night. Work is getting crazy since it's time to start hiring Easter bunnies. <br /><br />I went to a new (to me, not new in general) Asian market on Monday. I took lots of photos or lots of weird stuff. I will post all about this <a href="http://meginthekitchen.blogspot.com/">In The Kitchen</a> tomorrow, so stay tuned. To get to said Asian market, I had to take the <a href="http://www.raleighnc.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_114443_0_0_18/CAT_07_Out.pdf">Number 7</a>. The Number 7 bus goes by the Hood, rather than through it, but still there are some real characters who ride that bus. I'm happy to report that not much happened that was news worthy. If by not much you mean:<br /><br />-the woman breast feeding in front of God and everyone (only my closest female friends, and now everyone with a computer and an internet connection, know that breast feeding freaks me out...it's totally irrational, I know)<br /><br />-the woman carrying several broken down cardboard boxes<br /><br />-the three guys with backpacks and sleeping bags who looked (and smelled) like they could use a shower with lots of soap<br /><br />-the eight year old who was alone and had his bike with him (he was too little to put it on the rack, the driver had to do it for him)<br /><br />-the man holding the 3 year old girl who was rocking back and forth shouting "MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA" trying to get his attention while he talked to a passenger<br /><br />-and the two men and one woman who screamed at the bus driver that she best stop the bus so they could get off<br /><br />then no. Not much happened.<br /><br />Tune in tomorrow for pictures of "food" and a review of the Asian market In The Kitchen.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-88629959398101295232009-03-20T21:00:00.003-04:002009-03-20T21:22:34.150-04:00This post has no title.I had to drive to work three times this week. I hated every minute of it.<br /><br />On Wednesday, I had a MRI at 7:30 in the morning. It was supposed to be for my knee, and eventually was, however getting to that point was difficult. Since it's a work injury, So And So has to call Someone Else who has to call me to set up an appointment for The Third Guy, but only after What's Her Name sends over the paperwork and approval for whatever I need. As you can imagine, there was a breakdown in communication. Someone Else called me to set up an appointment to do an MRI of my shoulder. Twice. My shoulder is just fine, thank you very much. My knee is not. The MRI turned out to be not such a big deal, thankfully. They set up the appointment for the morning after they called to set up the appointment. As I was doing some reading on their website, sometimes the patient needs an IV to inject some stuff that makes things show up better. I'm not really sure what this stuff is. I have a pretty strong needle phobia, and allergies to latex, and several drugs. I had no one to ask questions about what would happen, etc, so needless to say the last thing on my mind was being stuffed into a tube. As it turns out, the place I went to had an MRI machine that was like a donut with a table. I went in feet first, no IV, and got to listen to Foghat. That machine was really freakin' noisy. It all worked out well. May I never have to do that again.<br /><br />On Thursday, I had to go to the DMV. There is a special place in Hell reserved for all those who work at the DMV. That's all I'll say about that. <br /><br />This morning, I had my first physical therapy appointment. I'll go twice weekly, which means I'll have to drive to work on those days. Dammit. PT was good. I'm in the capable hands of Stephanie. As she was showing me some of the exercises I have to do, she asked me to roll over onto my other side to compare the flexibility in both knees. As I am rolling over, I nearly fell off the table. She had to catch me. I am so cool. Seriously, like ballerina graceful.<br /><br />I hate to drive. I really hate to drive. A lot.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-78823654550061942432009-03-17T12:35:00.000-04:002009-03-17T12:36:38.436-04:00Happy St Patty's Day, y'all!<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OCbuRA_D3KU&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OCbuRA_D3KU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-18802515741573502252009-03-16T20:17:00.005-04:002009-03-16T20:38:18.115-04:00Gloom, doom, and five days of heavy rain.It's been raining for four days. And when I say rain, I mean pouring. It's going to rain tomorrow. We can expect a nice day on Wednesday and more rain on Thursday. I don't usually mind rain, but seriously. Enough is enough. <br /><br />1. Rain causes earthworms to come up out of the dirt at the office park. They squirm and float in the puddles, where they die and rot making the office complex smell like the docks at low tide. <br /><br />2. When said earthworms die and the rain dries up, the worms shrivel up on the warm side walk which is equally gross.<br /><br />3. I haven't seen the sun since last Thursday. It has been cold and grey.<br /><br />4. I made matzo ball soup for dinner tonight. Matzo ball soup makes everything better.<br /><br />5. Rain makes everyone stir crazy. Even kittens that have never gone outside.<br /><br />6. All I want to do is sit around in my flannel pjs and drink tea. <br /><br />7. Last night's Iron Chef America episode was awesome. It will be on again on Thursday at 9 PM.<br /><br />8. This much rain is what it takes to flood <a href="http://www.crabtree-valley-mall.com/">Crabtree Valley Mall</a>. Good thing the Apple, Bare Escentuals and Sephora stores are all on the second floor. Oooh, Williams-Sonoma is on the second floor too. Excellent.<br /><br />9. Five days of 100% humidity is not good for my hair. <br /><br />10. We've received 2 inches of rain in the past 4 days.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-43986111591950134062009-03-12T14:03:00.003-04:002009-03-12T14:27:34.424-04:00Hillsborough Street Renaissance FestivalThe <a href="http://www.legacyeventplanners.org/events/planningGroups/NC_hillboroughStreet/events/hsr/index.php">Hillsborough Street Renaissance Festival</a> is scheduled for Saturday, March 14 from Noon to 10 PM. The street will be closed from Gardner St to Logan Court. Since they will need to set up, expect that portion of Hillsborough Street to be closed all day. <br /><br />No, it doesn't involve jousting or men wearing tights. It's a celebration to kick off the <a href="http://www.hillsboroughstreet.org/project">changes planned for Hillsborough Street</a> over the next year and a half. If you live in Raleigh, do take the time to click on that link and especially watch the video of the changes planned. It's going to be cool, but man that's going to be a mess until it's finished! (Click on downloads->additional files->traffic simulation flyover video Aug 2007)<br /><br />There will be music, food and fun as we would expect from any self-respecting street festival. There will be an eco-friendly fashion show, an alternative fuel vehicle showcase, and a Kid Zone. They are claiming to have a fraternity, sorority and business BBQ cook off. I am still awaiting confirmation to see if they are going to barbecue actual fraternity boys. I'll keep you updated on that one. <br /><br />The event is free, but tickets appear to be required for certain parts, like the sorority girl barbecue and the fashion show. Keep in mind also that this is the same day as the <a href="http://www.raleighstpats.org/">Raleigh St Patty's Day Parade</a>. The parade begins at Noon also then ends with a party in Moore Square Park where the townsfolk gets their Irish on with the homeless people.<br /><br />Basically, what we're looking at here , from a public transit standpoint, is a big ol' mess downtown on Saturday. If you have to take the bus anywhere on Saturday, and I suggest you do NOT, go first to the <a href="http://www.raleighnc.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_306_202_0_43/http;/pt03/DIG_Web_Content/category/Resident/Transportation/Cat-Index.html">City's transit website</a> to check the Announcements and Detours, which includes street closures and bus detours. A better solution would be to just join the party, any party, that you might stumble across on Saturday.<br /><br />The weather on Saturday looks crappy at best. So, bundle up and carry an umbrella.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-5431744087139300652009-03-09T21:39:00.001-04:002009-03-09T21:43:16.391-04:00At the risk of sounding like a Crazy Cat Lady...Seriously, how cute is he? Those whiskers are ridiculous.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SbXFT5UPtBI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/JEC4Z5P9FNA/s1600-h/100_0174.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SbXFT5UPtBI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/JEC4Z5P9FNA/s400/100_0174.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311368281147290642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SbXFTpJ1vWI/AAAAAAAAAZs/C6FJBThi86A/s1600-h/100_0169.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SbXFTpJ1vWI/AAAAAAAAAZs/C6FJBThi86A/s400/100_0169.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311368276808678754" /></a>Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-54432515570125766272009-03-09T21:04:00.001-04:002009-03-09T21:04:32.778-04:00Save the date!<a href="http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_11831386">David Kinch of Manresa</a> will battle Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America on March 15 at 9 PM. Why should this matter any more than any other ICA episode? Because this is my brother's boss, that's why. My brother started his second internship in July of 2008 at <a href="http://manresarestaurant.com/">Manresa Restaurant</a> in Los Gatos, California. It's one of the few restaurants in the US to be awarded two <a href="http://www.michelinguide.com/us/cities.html">Michelin</a> Stars and four <a href="http://mobiltravelguide.howstuffworks.com/restaurants-channel.htm">Mobil</a> Stars. After having dinner there, it somehow doesn't seem like enough. <br /><br />This episode was filmed just before my brother arrived, so alas, Lil Brotha will not be there. Perhaps next time.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-53749106385914439322009-03-06T15:02:00.002-05:002009-03-06T15:05:25.993-05:00In this economy....I have a back up plan. In case this whole culinary school thing doesn't work out. I can tell there's someone out there that understands me, because I found <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Hobo">this</a> WikiHow today. <br /><br />Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go practice my <a href="http://www.geocities.com/ctesibos/symbols/hobo.html">hobo symbols</a>.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-15112270502655357762009-03-04T13:01:00.001-05:002009-03-04T13:05:04.377-05:00Take a bite out of crime, before it sucker punches you in the kisser.<a href="http://www.wral.com/news/strange/story/4660233/">Cops: Driver adjusts mirrors and roughs up McGruff</a>Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923703186525344827.post-58076242696885033712009-03-01T22:20:00.005-05:002009-03-01T22:30:39.609-05:00March comes in like a polar bear and out like a lamb. Or something like that.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SatQpUIaMLI/AAAAAAAAAZU/-vTBawFVpeU/s1600-h/01Monte_Montello.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 190px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tys6n13YiAE/SatQpUIaMLI/AAAAAAAAAZU/-vTBawFVpeU/s400/01Monte_Montello.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308425256495100082" /></a><br /><br />Would you trust this guy? What is he? Like, the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096569/">Doogie Howser</a> of weather? C'mon. people! He's apparently a weather guy for <a href="http://news14.com/content/weather/Default.aspx">News 14</a>, but for reals, y'all, HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S TWELVE YEARS OLD!!!!!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And so it is. I go to be at my normal time with nary a flake in the sky and hope and pray I wake to find 7 inches of the white fluffy stuff dumped on my fair city. Cross your fingers, peeps.Meghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12430906729582358085noreply@blogger.com7