We had a peach-colored sunset tonight, following a grayish day. It was nice. Busy at work, of course, and then the usual rush to pick up Kidlet from school and get her to her dance class -- we've got ten minutes to accomplish that, and it doesn't work. Fortunately the dance teacher starts a little late. They're in a new location, across the freeway and around the corner from the rescue mission, in the heavily industrial section of town. Being the bunch of creative people that they are, they've turned the warehouse space into a major arts center, with three dance studios, a bunch of arts rooms including a pottery center with a kiln, a drama workshop, and a sewing center, and a little eating place with lots of tables for waiting kids to do homework, and for waiting parents to idle away their time. Parking is non-existent, though, so I find myself back at my little coffee shop to wait. Hey, I need my chai lattes twice a week! And after a quick drop-off and a five-minute drive, it's just a lot easier. We go on Mondays instead of Tuesdays now, so I miss out on the weekly farmer's market -- but, oh well.
The coffee shop has big glass windows that look toward the mountains, and that's where I get to watch the changing colors of the sky and the clouds graying the day off and on. There's just a little view of red-tiled roofs and a variety of trees -- you'd never know you were by the freeway overpass and on the "wrong" end of State Street. That's changing now, anyway. Even this area, that used to be kinda sleazy -- or at least as sleazy as this posh town is capable of -- is tidying up and getting all nice. Sure, the tattoo parlors and adult bookstores are still there, and the funky little hippie headshops that I like to haunt, and the night clubs -- Velvet Jones and Sharkeez, where I've heard they have girls in mermaid costumes in the big tank. I've never quite dared to go in there to find out. I'd have to come out too late at night, for one thing, and a bunch of drunk college kids just doesn't quite appeal.
Tonight's the sewing group, and I'm hoping to finish the prototype reindeer. He'll still need some trimming next week, but if I can get him stuffed and his eyes sewn on, that'll be good.
Kidlet wants dinner -- off I go!
The coffee shop has big glass windows that look toward the mountains, and that's where I get to watch the changing colors of the sky and the clouds graying the day off and on. There's just a little view of red-tiled roofs and a variety of trees -- you'd never know you were by the freeway overpass and on the "wrong" end of State Street. That's changing now, anyway. Even this area, that used to be kinda sleazy -- or at least as sleazy as this posh town is capable of -- is tidying up and getting all nice. Sure, the tattoo parlors and adult bookstores are still there, and the funky little hippie headshops that I like to haunt, and the night clubs -- Velvet Jones and Sharkeez, where I've heard they have girls in mermaid costumes in the big tank. I've never quite dared to go in there to find out. I'd have to come out too late at night, for one thing, and a bunch of drunk college kids just doesn't quite appeal.
Tonight's the sewing group, and I'm hoping to finish the prototype reindeer. He'll still need some trimming next week, but if I can get him stuffed and his eyes sewn on, that'll be good.
Kidlet wants dinner -- off I go!