This was on my ironing board tonight. Why? I’m not sure.

I do know what it is though. I’ll give you a hint – it was part of my parting gift from my coworkers when I left the NYS Assembly CopyCenter.

At the request of Ms. Neri, I’ve posted a photo with a coin for scale:

Decided to stop quick at IHOP on this rainy night. I had a great dinner and was served by a very nice man. I felt like he, Richard, and the only other server were really doing well despite having had twenty girl scouts earlier. I caught up on news and stuff while waiting for my food and it arrived quickly enough with a cheery “put away that phone because here’s your dinner!” and it was delicious. The young woman went about cleaning up a terrible mess someone with at least one small child had left and there was no huffing or puffing about it. She was focused and quick and did a good thorough job.

I left a little extra tip and thanked each of them for the good job they’d done. Richard came outside to hand me back my receipt and to ask if I wanted to, could I please fill out the survey mentioned on the receipt, which I did. I hope the company appreciates that someone thought they did a good job.

Some days I try really really hard all day long to help people but sometimes there’s just not enough help you can offer and people don’t like that. The neediest people like it the least. But of course you try anyway.

Had a few nice conversations with co-workers, had a nice dinner, shopped a bit at Peter Harris…

oh wait – a funny story about that. I had picked up a few things to try when I saw this sort of mini-dress-ish sort of thing – I personally would wear something like that over leggings and it was an XL so I figured either it would be too big or blousey enough that it would be good to wear that way.

Try on a couple things, then pick up this XL tunic/dress and get it down my arms and over my head and… I’m stuck. As it went over my shoulders I realized – oh oh – too small. I try to get it back up and over my shoulders but no. I get it the rest of the way down and it’s WAY small – like there’s a six inch gap where it is meant to button in the front. Now I’m trying to get it off and I can’t get it over my shoulders. I’m trying not to dislocate anything but I’m back to where I can’t put my arms down either. Honestly thought I’d have to wait for someone to come into the dressing room or go to the door and ask someone to come in and pull it off. (and of course this whole thing made me quite ummm glowing, let’s just say)

I finally did something that got it all past an elbow and phew I was free again. I brought it up to the counter and told this tale so they wouldn’t let someone else get caught in something that was clearly not XL. For the record I don’t normally wear XL but for loose worn over things I’m willing to give it a try. Sometimes it’s too big, sometimes a good effect but apparently it can also be WAY to small!

I read a lot of NYTimes articles. Frequent readers and facebook folks know that for sure as well as knowing that I’m not an all-inclusive reader: my tastes are broad and far-ranging.

As much as I enjoy many columns and columnists, I often find myself reading at greater length through the comments on an article. There people weigh in from all sides, offering support or argument against the Times article as well as commenting on other comments.

I like throwing my two cents in occasionally and find it a small thrill to see the email arrive saying that my comment has been approved. I’ve gotten a few comments or thumbs up on my comments too over the years.

So after reading an article entitled What Makes a Jewish Mother? I smiled quite a broad smile to see this:

As the old Russian proverb says: “A spoon is only precious at dinnertime”

I challenge all of you to add this great proverb to your arsenal. Ears will perk up everywhere.

newly borrowed from Sandy:

That’s the point of working with one’s hands, you see. It gives the mind something else to do besides worry. – Charles Todd

and then from the sidebar here, aptly timed:

By the street of by-and-by, one arrives at the house of never. – Miguel de Cervantes

I’m realizing I’m not really skilled in the moderation department but committing to a small bit by bit and by and by is a good way to get kick started.

and then this from The Writers Circle:

Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly. – Franz Kafka

I was trying to remember the part of Frost’s Onset that I can’t ever seem to remember and it wasn’t going well yesterday, in the car. This came out instead. I’m still rolling it around and tweaking but here’s the current form:

Most of the time
the rain is just rain.
The lightning and thunder
make us smaller,
then leave us to our dreams
leave us to the darkness.
The clouds do not stay.
The clouds do not stay
and the rain drags her veil
over the nearby ridge.

Not a bad outing – coffee and talk with friends, a bit of distant storm, a double rainbow and some writing. (It was more like frantic scribbling in the back of the pad of gridded paper as soon as the car stopped. As long as it’s legible it’s all good.)