Commuting: I have to vent....

For those of you that live outside the NYC area, you probably get up in the morning, have coffee, read the paper, before getting ready for work.  You probably have a 20-minute commute into your office.  OR you live in an area where taxes and expenses aren't strangling you and hubby, and you don't have to work.  Me, on the other hand, ain't so lucky.  We live in New York.  Worse than New York...Long Island....Nassau County.  I get up at 6am to maximize my sleeptime.  I then race the clock for either the 6:37 am or the 7:04am train into NYC.  Ninety minutes....yes, you read that right.....90 minutes after I walk out my door, I arrive at my desk.  And it's the same time home.  Fifteen hours a week I spend on the commute.  If we lived anywhere else, we'd probably be looking at a 30-minute each-way.  I'd have back 10 precious hours to my week.  Mind you, we are 27 miles outside the City - when I get off the train platform in Long Beach? I can see the NYC skyline.

And the subway.  I cannot even go into it without shuddering.  I've told Mr. Olive I'm not sure how much longer I can take the subway!  The subway uptown to Penn last week, there were high school kids on the car.  I couldn't read so I merely closed my book and stared at the window.  The woman next to me - also a professional who looked seasoned by the subway - looked at me and said "I don't know if I can take much more of the subway".....so we bonded for the remaining 10 minute ride.  I hear ya sista. 

The next morning, I cannot get on the train at Penn, so I wait for another.  A guy gets on in front of me, so I'm already annoyed at him, not then not as much as the girl inside the open doors that doesn't move to let anyone else in.  Pulling pulling into 14th street, the girl then needs to battle the crowd to get herself across the train to the opposite doors.  The guy looks at me and says "And she couldn't move when we're trying to get in?  I don't know if I can last on the subway". So I smile and relate my same subway woes.  But, this guy is a 9-11 survivor who moved to Florida and was lured back by a job that he said he'd have to work for five years, until he was 45, and then he'd be able to retire and move back to Florida.  He isn't sure he can make it on the trains.  I don't have that same type of job where early retirement is an option.

*sigh*  sorry - I just had to get it off my chest!!  Tomorrow will be a new day. :-)

March Catch Up!!

It has been awhile since I've posted.  Time is getting away from me.  I turned around and it's March 13th.  February was a great month mad-money-wise until Borders filed for BK and the store on lower Broadway was one slated to close.  I spent my whole $100 there.  To further my reading goals (and taking a back step on my decluttering, but rationalized since 'classics'), I bought book two more of the Asian Saga written by James Clavell: Gai-Jin and Tai-Pan.  If you haven't read it, I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend "Shogun" - book one.  It is a daunting 1,200 pages, but I have to say, as I neared the end, I stalled finishing bc I wished there were 300 more.  It is also my father's and Mr. Olive's favorite book.  My other resolution to read 11 books - I'm on book 2 and I chose "New Moon", which I'm liking much better than "Twilight".

For Valentine's Day, I 'suggested' that Mr. Olive head to Victoria's Secret for my gift...and NO not for the lingerie.  I was buying the neighbor a gift certificate in January and while on line, I happened to smell "Love Spell".  I tried the tester bottle of lotion and all day kept smelling my hands!  I like fruity scents and this is ultra-fruity with cherry blossom, white peach, and jasmine.  I wanted the lotion, but he did surprise me with the eau de toilette and the spray.  Heaven!

On the sewing front, we had some good sales this year - I'm hoping to get a sale a month, and March is at nada as of now.  Maybe someone will like my new little pink and green wave bag? 

I guess I do have a March sale as the bridal party bags are done and ready to ship.  These are navy with a silk-shantung outside; all the bridesmaid's have navy lining, but the bride's lining is pale yellow. Silvermist was nice enough to pose for me.

I also went to the fabric store and bought some great fabrics - well, I think they are great!  :-)  I've already cut the teal, yellow, and grey waves for totes - there was only enough fabric for two.  I like the sunny yellow lining, which of course, can be the outside since it will be reversible. 

This fabric is quilted - I had to buy a yard.  I'm hoping I can make some nice medium-size bags from it.

AND last but not least, it was a beautiful day in Long Beach, so we took Little Olive for a boardwalk ride on her new bike Santa brought her.  A nice day for the park too.

What's been going on with you??  Do you also think time is flying by?