Philotic Web

This is for you, Alea. Everyone else, I'm very sorry to disappoint with how boring my life/day is. I don't have a job or kids, so I mostly keep busy with errands and my pets. Here you go!

Today I got up at 7am, which is very early for me, to go do a mystery shop at a McDonalds about 45 minutes away. It pays decent and it's free food, albeit McDonalds food.

It was a very pretty drive on the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Here is the early morning foggy Berkshires.



And onto the lovely rest stop McD's.



They had a handy map of all of the rest stops in Massachusetts, brought to you by McD's. I marked the one that I was at with a white circle - it's on the far left (Lee, MA).



I filled up at the rest stop gas station since it was significantly cheaper than the gas at home.



On the drive home, I got to say goodbye to Mass



And welcome back to NY



I now headed to a yard sale to look at an exercise bike (for Mark) that was advertised on CL. I stopped at my bank to get some cash first.



Then I got to the yard sale around 9:30am and texted a picture of the bike to Mark and bought it.



I stopped at my local library on the way home



Saw a very disturbing yard sale sign, selling "Guns, Toys, Baby, Avon"



I was back home by 10:30am and it was time to feed my baby!




Then I took the kids (Monkey and Pheeny) out onto the deck for some fresh air.




And found the first grape tomato of the year growing!



I also got a picture of this tiny, tiny spider (like 2mm) on my prickly pear cactus



Then, I came inside and made a few cookies from cookie dough tubs I bought from a school fund raiser. Lemon Cranberry and Black & White.



Unfortunately, I started getting a bad migraine about this time so the last picture I have for you is my migraine drug and the water I took it with.



So, my day of pictures ended around 3:30 because that's when I had to lay down. And after I got up and ate, I started getting them loaded up here for you guys. Hope you enjoy!

First, it's beautiful up there where you live. Please, please, please do one a season for me? I'd love to see autumn and winter, especially.

Second, what is it that you're feeding...is that Pheeny?

And lastly, sorry about your migraine but thanks so much for sharing, Nomi, that was awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed that.

I quite agree about the beauty of the northeast. I wouldn't choose to live anywhere else. I love the variety of the terrain and the seasons. I'll try to do another one of these in the fall (which is my favorite time of year!).

I'm feeding Pheeny, my bearded dragon. She is eating calcium powder dusted superworms, which are similar to mealworms.

I'm glad you enjoyed it! It was fun testing out my new phone/camera. The ones taken away from home were taken with the phone. The ones taken at home were taken with my regular camera. Oh, and the pictures taken on the road weren't great since it was overcast and through a semi-dirty windshield.

Yeah that's really cool.
Especially, the Iguana?
I always said, if I ever got a animal, I would deviate from the normal, common place pets, and get something freaky like a Kommodo Dragon.
What's it like having it?

Not an iguana...a bearded dragon. *points up* See where I said bearded dragon? Sorry, I'm just defensive of my baby. Iguanas are like 4 times bigger and green. Bearded dragons are about 18" long and generally brownish or orange.

She is the best pet I've ever had and if you are ever interested in getting one, feel free to PM me for info. I'm assuming you were joking about the komodo dragon since, being 7-10ft long and capable of killing a human, they are not kept as pets.

Not an iguana...a bearded dragon. *points up* See where I said bearded dragon? Sorry, I'm just defensive of my baby. Iguanas are like 4 times bigger and green. Bearded dragons are about 18" long and generally brownish or orange.

She is the best pet I've ever had and if you are ever interested in getting one, feel free to PM me for info. I'm assuming you were joking about the komodo dragon since, being 7-10ft long and capable of killing a human, they are not kept as pets.

I see, mybad.

Lol I actually thought that some people kept Komodo Dragons as pets. I didn't really remember how long or big they were.

Sweet pictures! It really is beautiful up/over there. I've always wanted to visit New England, but have never had a chance or real reason to, other than want. What other type of tomatoes are grape tomatoes similar to? We always grow cherries in our backyard, but I'm a big fan of roma, too. Those are very different tomatoes, I guess.

Also, I hate to say it, but I would never, ever get a lizard for a pet. They... they gross me out. I'm sorry. But I'm glad you like your lizards!

Saw a very disturbing yard sale sign, selling "Guns, Toys, Baby, Avon"

Finally, a place where I can get my guns and babies in one stop!

There is something about being able to buy a baby at a yard sale that just disturbs me.

Yes, I know it is a joke.

mystery shop

For those as ignorant as I.

Out of curiosity, how did you get to become one of these mystery shoppers?

There is something about being able to buy a baby at a yard sale that just disturbs me.

Yes, I know it is a joke.

What? What could possibly be disturbing about that? How else should someone get rid of all the babies cluttering up their garage?

Nomi! Your pictures of the Mass Pike (and yes, the McDonald's rest stops all along it that I'm so very familiar with.... I spent many an hour in those bathrooms straightening my hair on the drive home from Ithaca for a brief weekend birthday party or some such) made me SO SO homesick!

I love these threads!

Mich, grape tomatoes are similar to cherry tomatoes but a little less sweet and in the shape of a large grape.

Zero, I first read about mystery shopping here. I signed up at a few of the sites listed there and just started trying it. I've only been doing it a month or two but it's fun. I've done a few McDonald ones, a Panera and a fancy restaurant. All the assignments are online and you can pick and choose the ones you want.

Kelly, I knew you would find the Mass Pike familiar!

I know this didn't happen during my official "day" but it was this morning and close enough and too cool to not share. I saved a big snapping turtle this morning! It had started to cross a major road and I didn't want it to get hit, so I made the car I was in stop. I didn't realize it was a snapper until later. It was not happy with me and gave me a couple little cuts with it's sharp claws. The first picture isn't great quality because it was taken with someone else's camera.

As the official Turtle Master, I apologize for the turtle whose life you saved! I'm sure he just thought your finger would look super-cool with a cut like that, and, hey, what do you know, it does! Wear it proudly.

That is an awesomely huge turtle!!

I know! I was so happy. Everyone thought I was crazy but I was like "he's going to get killed!" It made my day.

that is an awesome turtle!

You need a turtle saving cape or something.

In fairness, I think that picture of the cut actually looks quite cool.

Awesome photos, Nom! I think you should continue to post pictures, if your daily life changes, or if you're out and about and something happens where you think, "Crap, this is totally how my life is." And you have a camera handy, that is.

Jeebs, did you mean because I said that the picture didn't look that good? If so, I meant the picture of me and the turtle was kind of fuzzy since it was taken with a different camera phone. The picture of the cut was taken with my new phone which has a good camera. If you just meant that you liked the cut picture better, okay then!

I saw a turtle run over on the other side of the same road today, but over a mile away. I *think* it was a little smaller and so I'm hoping it's not the one that I saved. Poor turtles.

Now that I always have a camera handy, I'll try to take pics and share them here.

That is a very big turtle. extraordinary, and good job rescuing it.

*sniff* I want a turtle, but my dad says it will stink up the house.

I've known plenty of people who've had turtles as pets and they don't stink. You just have to know how to take care of them.

Well yeah. I don't think it will stink up the house. I just have to remember to feed it and clean its cage/ tank or whatever it would be in. He says its cause of the stink, but I don't think he trusts me with anything bigger than a fish. I have one now. It's a pretty beta.

The turtle tanks at not good pet stores (Petsmart/Petco) usually DO stink very badly because they aren't cleaned often enough. You have to change the water very often just like you would a fish. And that includes cleaning off all of the rocks and decorations that are in the tank too.

Lizards (or at least bearded dragons and leopard geckos) are MUCH easier to take care of than turtles or other semi-aquatic pets. Those two are considered the "beginner reptiles" because of the ease of care.

Really, well I wanted a snake more than a turtle, but my mom said downright NO. Oh, well.

I've had a snake too. They are fun but pretty messy because their poo is exactly like bird poo. Eventually, I decided that the work of cleaning up after it was not worth what I got out of the relationship. Snakes do not have much of a personality, unlike my Pheeny baby!

Tipping my hat to ya for saving that snapper! I don't suppose you took him home to play nice with your neat lizzard.

Thanks! I think a turtle that big just might be able to eat my lizard or at least cause some damage. Next time I see a nice, small painted turtle I plan to bring it home for a play date.

Okay, time for some fall foliage pictures to make Alea happy. These aren't very exciting but for those of you who don't have leaves turning in your area, you might enjoy. It's a bit past peak here but still pretty. Most of these are from a walk I took around the village where I live. If anyone feels like trying to figure out exactly what village that is, pm me to see if you can guess from the pictures. No fair if you already know from something I've posted on facebook. I'll post the first person to guess correctly and if no one can get it, I'll post additional clues.

First up, a view of downtown Albany on my way to Target this morning. The short, square building on the far left is called The Justice Building. That is where I worked for 5 years for the NYS Dept of Law. Right about in the middle of the picture is an oval shaped building with a white top. This is The Egg which houses a performing arts amphitheater.



The rest are all in the village where I live. I actually live about a mile outside the village boundary but in the town of the same name.

Here is a statue of the most famous historical resident of the town. In the background is the village square where there are two cannons:



This is the street leading out of the village square:



And the first few houses coming out of the square, which are all historic landmarks of some sort. The first building is where I'll be selling my things in the craft fair this December:





A normal but very cute house across the street from all of those historic houses:



And lastly, a couple buildings up the road, one of three elementary schools in the district that I attended as a kid:

Nomi, wow, thank you. Those were beautiful pictures. My favorite is the street coming out of the town square; the trees, as you go further back, look like they're on fire...which wouldn't be cool if they actually were but might still be beautiful, in a way.

I love the patchwork look of the trees in the first image, too.

As for the homes/historical landmarks, are those open to the public in any sort of museum type capacity? I'd love to get inside one of them, with the hope that they weren't too modernized as far as wall placement/removal, woodwork, etc.

This absolutely helped to turn my day around.

The two brick historic buildings, I believe, are open to the public. Also, very nearby is the home of the guy in the statue which is a museum and restored to the original interiors.

Also, my town is approximately 30 minutes south of Albany, has a dutch name and the guy in the statue also has a dutch name (and is pretty famous).

Beautiful! I love the old buildings and the beautiful trees.

We should do Day in the Life, the sequel. Has it really been over a year already??

This will totally give away the name of my town. It was on an Albany website yesterday. It mentions both my town and the famous guy in the statue (no, it's not Ichabod Crane...though that is the name of my school district).