Routine

I have discovered that I do better when I have a routine, and going to workout five days a week is part of that routine. This by the way is not an advertisement. I joined Curves several years ago (actually I have lost count how many). Why have I stuck with it so long?...Well I will tell you. It's kind of like why the patrons kept going back to the same bar in the t.v. show Cheers. It's a place where everyone knows your name. The same women (approximately 10) show up to exercise at the same time. It didn't take long before we were not only exercising, but chatting. Now we a head off to breakfast ...and more chatting on Mondays and once a month we meet at a restaurant to celebrate who ever  might be having a birthday .Why, we have even have given ourselves a name, The Curvy Girls. My husband teases me that we spend as much time eating as exercising, but I have found it to be a very important part of my daily routine! Do you have one?

The Medians

Thirty years ago when I moved to  northwest  Houston, this road , FM1960 ( the  major artery) was only two lanes; one in either direction.  I had to laugh when people from other states would invariably ask:" What does the FM stand for"? Well, believe it or not, it stands for farm to market...This little farm to market road could not handle the explosion of growth in the early '80's and was expanded to six lanes. In the center, dividing these lanes, was an uninterrupted turning lane; making it possible to turn left where ever your heart desired. Well, as you can imagine, there were a lot of head on collisions; which resulted in the state mandating concert medians. That is when a local woman ,with the support of the chamber of Commerce, set out to make sure that the medians wouldn't be just more concrete. She took it upon herself to chair a committee that raised thousands of dollars, through private donations, to plant the area ( over seven miles) which even involved sprinkling systems. Many folks do not realize that the state was going to put in the concrete whether we wanted it or not...so they think that Barbara Schlattman is the villain responsible for these medians blocking their turn. To  Barbara I say thank you for taking on such an enormous project beautifying our community. To the naysayers I ask, what have you done for your community lately?

Let's Go For A Walk

Yesterday the weather on a scale of 1-10 was most certainly a 10! Beautiful blue skies, low humidity, and seventy three degrees (22.8 Celsius). Therefore, I decided to take a walk and went to a new little park. I say little, because it is. For years there has been an unsightly stretch of land, a little over a half mile long and not nearly that wide; running along a busy street on one side, and a railroad track on the other. I am not sure whose bright idea it was to build this skinny little park, but it is very useful; having a walking/ jogging trail it's length (and back) and even a nice play area for children. Used  for decorative purposes only, you will find a split rail fence, here and there, along the trail.

Annual Food Drive

Art for the Hungry is an annual event at our local mall. Organizations join in competition  building a work of art out of non perishable food items. This year's theme was Washington Monuments. There is a cash box at each display, which is how you cast your vote. In the end both the money and the food go to a local food pantry that feeds the hungry.
The display below is Arlington Cemetery (in Washington). A cemetery for soldiers who have served their country. I liked the grass here that is made up of boxes of Jello.

A Nearby Museum

We don't live in the Museum District, but we are very proud to have a new art museum right out here in suburbia. The Pearl (named for a local philanthropist, Pearl Fincher) is a small  beautiful space which exhibits great collections of artwork on a rotating basis..I plan to feature it here soon.....and then there is this. I promise I am not making this one up. I guess if anything has a history, there is probably a museum somewhere for it?

The National Museum of Funeral History , actually not far from here, houses a large display of unusual artifacts associated with the custom of mourning. Here you can find coffins and and funeral memorabilia from around the globe, and like all museums...a gift store. What do you sell in a Funeral Museum gift store? Well, I understand they have a large collection of ghoulish favors from frightful coffee mugs, tombstone cuff links to salt and pepper shakers in the shape of skulls.This place is way down on my list of things to do,despite my spending ten days talking about a cemetery! Although, friends that have been, say the place is actually interesting, and tastefully done. Who knows maybe.... next Halloween?

Bridal Gown?

I am not sure what this is, but it is at the top of the escalator on the second floor of the Macy's Department Store. I think it is a work of art portraying a bridal gown...... made out of Macy's shopping bags. It is the time of year that people are preparing for Spring and  Summer weddings. Sure stopped me in my tracks!
I have seen something similar to this in a New York City art gallery, where there was a wedding dress made completely out of New York City subway maps!

Let's Go to the Movies

I decided on a moments notice yesterday that I wanted to go to the movie (during the day). I barley had time to get there much less find a friend to go, so I went by myself to see The Artist....the block buster hit that took best picture at the academy awards recently. I can report that I enjoyed it very much, and it reminded me of the great movies of yesteryear....although I am not old enough to remember silent movies! Go see it for yourself!