A good solution to those pesky cords

http://www.oboiler.com/picket/picket.html

I think this is such a neat idea... I only wish I owned a house. I just feel llike this sort of effor is too much for someone who's only renting, and might possibly move in, you know, 5 months or so.

Fall in Pittsburgh

So, Canadian Thanksgiving has come and gone. Mark and I put together a small feast, butterball turkey for him (cook from frozen!) and tofu loaf for me (not as good as my mothers) . It was a nice meal, and was the first time I'd ever made a meal so long and involved with so many pieces that had to be ready at the same time.
To end the meal we had an apple spice cake that turned out very well. I took the leftovers into work to share. It was a strange thanksgiving away from our families, and it was 30 degrees (that's like 87 in American speak). Certainly the warmest thanksgiving I've ever had.

But now... now the weather has turned. It's not even 15 degrees today. A coworker of mine, Matthew, said that Pittsburgh is too poor to afford all 4 seasons, so it just has winter and summer, and to simulate fall, it cycles quickly between winter and summer. :-)

I was sort of hoping the weather would turn. I was getting sick of wearing shorts... believe it or not. Plus I bought a beautiful new wool jacket that I was just itching to wear. And, I guess I got what I wanted... like they say, be careful what you wish for.

Mark's started work at the American Red Cross. This is great news, as he'll get to meet people and participate in the Pittsburgh community. So far it's been a lot of training, but it's cooling down now. Sounds like it will be satisfying work.

I'm going home for Christmas, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing my friends and family then. And visiting my favorite Edmonton restaraunts. I'm starting a list. Cafe mosaics, high level diner, blue plate diner, Oodle noodle (a favorite of Mark and I). Oh, and I guess maybe some christmas dinner at my parent's house.

See y'all then!

Stump this!

Okay okay, I'm going to try blogging again, but to make it feel more manageable I'm going to keep posts short and sweet.

I found this online and think it's a great idea.
http://supernaturale.com/articles.html?id=199

Mark and I have a huge stump in our back yard. It's probably 4 feet around. I wonder what the landlord would think if we applied the techniques above to it. :-)

Overheard in PGH

So, while I'm at a loss for witty things to say on my blog, this one's got no shortage:

http://www.overheardinpittsburgh.com

However, be warned that if you read "Overheard in PGH" you may never want visit Pittsburgh, for fear for becoming stupider. Let me remind you that there are stupid people everywhere; in Pittsburgh we just make fun of them on the internet.

Hooligan at the Phipps Conservatory

And now for something completely different.

Cats Cats Cats

Safe and sound!

The cats arrived on Friday with my lovely mother. They were stuck in Chicago for a couple of hours but made it here eventually. Cats were surprisingly calm considering what they had endured.

Welcome home ladies!

Pittsburgh's quirky

Let's start a list of weird things about Pittsburgh:

1. What I call "The Pittsburgh Left". Pittsburghers often let the first person turning left at a light that just turned green go before the rest of the traffic continues straight through the intersection. People sometimes flash their lights at you to let you know they are going to let you have a Pittsburgh left. People will also almost hit you with their car if you do not observe their "right" to a Pittsburgh left. We're not sure where the law stands on this.
2. In Pittsburgh, sometimes you pay when you get on the bus, and sometimes you pay when you get on. You always pay when you get on if the bus does not pass through the downtown core on its route (59U). You pay when you get on a bus if it is on its way downtown, and off if its on its way out of downtown (61C). Oh, but if it's after 7pm you always pay when you get on. This is very confusing to me. I have a bus pass. I usually just show it on my way in and out, though it makes me look like a tourist. A tourist with a bus pass.
   
3. This next one is jokingly referred to as the Pittsburgh salad phenomenon, by which would everything (including salads) has fries, cheese and meat on it. If you don't believe me check out Primanti Brother's sandwiches. They make a vegetarian version, which just has cheese, and I must say it was the blandest 1500 calories I ever ate. The salad bar at work even has pepperoni. My office mate, Andrew, has pepperoni on his salads, so I know it's not just for show. I've asked where the tofu is, they're not sure. There is a Whole Foods and a Trader Joe's in Pittsburgh, so I know I'm not the only person in the city who eats these things.

I'm sure I'll add to this list as time marches on...