Category: Stuff I like

If I must be stuck in the city chasing license plates, there have to be some consolations.  Here’s one.  Aaaaah…

A while back a friend emailed me for info about my favorite store, the Unique Boutique, as the Unique Thrift Store on Jefferson is referred to in my family.  I shared the precious information that Monday is half price day.

I love shopping there on half price days.  No need to look at price tags-there is nothing there that is too expensive!  Where else can you get a whole wardrobe for $25?  And, the challenge of digging through and finding treasures-too fun. 

There’s no Unique Boutique here, but we do have markets.  And, I have discovered something that I can poke through to my heart’s content without overspending-these nifty beaded necklaces (that also make nice bracelets.)  The most expensive ones are 20 cents, so I can shop until I drop.  For once in my life I’m accessorized…

Last week my friend Judy moved away.  This is Judy who made me a ham sandwich when I needed one, so it is really a great loss.  I was moping around after she went to the airport, and then I remembered a magic piece of technology I had heard of-SkypeOut.  So, I charged my Skype account with $10, and the telephoning began-0.176 euros (?) a minute to the US!  I called my parents, I called my sister, I called my friends, I called my pastor, I left messages, I even called my friends/role models/mentors in South Asia on their Vonage phone (just too too techie!), all for about 2 cents a minute.  I used up every bit of that 10 bucks.

Of course, 6 hours later the internet stopped working for four days.  But, it was great while it lasted!

The best part was hearing my niece talk for the first time.  She is clearly the smartest, most gifted child ever.  She sang me songs and said "I love you Auntie Nora."  I’m sniffling again just blogging about it.

Every night I sleep with ear plugs.  They dull all of the interesting noises around my house-tiny frogs squeaking, dumb roosters that don’t know it’s not dawn crowing, fruit bats squealing, really loud cicadas, my neighbor’s radio, dogs barking, especially my own…

So, I like my ear plugs!  But, they also dull the sound of my travel alarm clock, which is problematic.  Last summer I was staying with a friend and I asked her to wake me up in the morning if I slept through my alarm.  She told me that I needed whatever it is that Deaf people use to wake up in the morning.  (She’s a sign language interpreter.)  So, we looked around online, and I found the Reizen Vibrating Pillow Alarm.  It works really well, no more oversleeping! 

I just ordered a second one in case the first one gives out.  It went crashing to the ground a few too many times before I realized that it was much better to put it inside the pillowcase than just under the pillow.  Also, it doesn’t wake me up if it lays on the floor vibrating. 

These paintings are hanging in my living room.  A local artist paints them-he signed the back for me.    I like them a lot-they’re on the list of things to take with me whenever I move anywhere.  Click on the picture to see a larger view.