Monday, January 27, 2014

Our Long Russian Winter

This is the Deruta Biscornu, as charted
Started Thursday
I am dragging today. I think it's the weather. I am tired of winter, and even though I tried to break up with him, he's stalking me. I know there are people who have it worse (like Minnesota and Michigan, among others) but it's all what you're used to, right? And I am not used to having this many days back to back that don't even get above freezing. I suppose at some point in my life, I was, but all those years in Los Angeles taught me to love the sun. But I sound like my grandmother (the boring one, not Maggie) going on about the weather like this!

Good news...I wrote a note to the shop that didn't send me an order confirmation, (they had a good reason) and they are giving me a refund for the patterns I double-bought. Yay!

This weekend was busy-ish. On Friday night, I went and stamped. It was just a tiny group of us, but I did stamp some masculine birthday cards this month, as I promised I would. (Photos someday.)

On Saturday, I was out in the snow talking to a prospective volunteer for my animal group about our marketing department but it turns out she doesn't want to work on marketing. (So glad I got out of my pajamas for that.) Then I just hunkered down. Even the dude is done with winter. He called the snow "white poop" and was ranting and raving. It was hilarious, only because he is normally so even-tempered about everything (even the things that should make him rant and rave) (and I don't think I've ever heard him use the word "poop"). I managed to start Two Fine Houses, by Hands to Work. I enjoyed working on that.

Sunday, we headed for the Philadelphia Museum of Art with my niece to see the Vermeer, Young Woman Seated at a Virginal, which is on loan from a private collection. This was her Christmas present--with a Vermeer book and the Girl with a Pearl Earring novel. I think she was a bit disappointed because she didn't get to see Girl with a Pearl Earring. (The heartbreaking thing about that is she was actually in New York on the last day the Girl was at the Frick.) Nevertheless, I think she enjoyed herself--it's so hard to tell with teenagers.

But! Because I seem to attract museum-goers with bad manners, I saw a man rub his hand on a  500 year old painting. I'm assuming that hundred or even thousands of people manage to acquit themselves properly in a museum, so how is it I witness so many of these transgressions? (I reported him. I was prepared to point him out, but the guards were way more concerned about the painting than the patron.)

So how was your weekend?

13 comments:

Linda said...

Great new starts Nikki. Sorry about the cold and snow. We haven't had rain since the first part of November and it wasn't much. We so need some rain and we are going to be in a drought this summer.

Linda

Margaret said...

Whoa, seriously?? Rubbing his hand on the painting?! I just can't understand people like that. Geez!!!

Monica said...

White poop sounds about right!. Cold is relative. If your winters are typically 30ish when it's 10. That's cold! We are all excited its suppose to be 15 on Wednesday. Everyone will be walking around remarking on what a beautiful days. That's nuts! That's still frickin cold!!! My son read The Girl With the Pearl Earring and gave it too me to read. Fun to talk to a 19 y/o guy about that book. Stay warm and flush that white poop.

Gillie said...

Mm, I'm one of the Michigan gang and yup, done with it. Great idea to rub your hand on a painting, wish they'd had enough staff to take care of him too. Spring will come.....

Thoeria said...

White poop???!!! LMAO Now that's a fun way to describe snow i suppose :-D Did you not give he gentleman in question a withering look and a tongue lashing ? Some people are....just stupid....a word I reserve for those who deserve it...and in this instance I think it's a justifiable use if the term. Lovely stitchy start :)

Christine said...

Hope it warms up for you soon. I don't think we've even had a frost here yet, but typically we get our coldest weather in February so there is time yet.
I could kind of understand someone wanting to touch a sculpture, they are tactile things, but a painting? Why?

Chris said...

It amazes me that someone would actually touch one of the paintings. Ugh! So glad that the Needlework store made things right :)

Anonymous said...

Teacups? Paintings? Quits? What is it with people touching things in museums? Jeesh!

Melody said...

White poop is good description. It may have been described a little nastier by my DH. LOL. Yes, Winter has worn out it's welcome.

Can't believe someone would touch a painting in a museum..!

Dani - tkdchick said...

I've had enough of Winter too!

Paula said...

I can only hope the gentleman at the museum was clueless to the damage he could cause.

Um...I like white poop...
I hate zero degree temps though.

Sharon said...

I can't imagine your winter, but this past week I certainly had enough ice to last me forever except in my drinks. That lovely jet stream dipped all the way to Florida-with temps in the teens and wind chill in the single digits. We had lots of power outages. I call it our winter hurricane. To live in that kind of cold all the time...I couldn't do it.

Coral said...

When we were in a museum (in the UK) dad spied something he wanted a closer look at, he walked towards it and an alarm went off. The guides were sweet and had a giggle, although there were suddenly 3 of them... Dad didn't touch anything though. That would be sacreligious.