Crime in my City

I’m blessed to live in a City where real crime doesn’t happen often and the “Crime Report” is a thing of wonder each week. I took a particular liking to this excerpt from the weekly paper and thought I would share it. I can just imagine the Police Officers expressions as they responded to the call…

Suspicious Person / Circumstances
6200 Block Newbury Drive. A small group of dancers, wearing neon-colored lighting affixed to black leotards, were reported ringing doorbells and spooking residence. Police were unable to locate the dancers, who turned off their costumes when residence tried to question them.

Work in Progress

This (when completed) will be an arch over the model runway. I always like to have a big visual attached to the house that folks can see on a drive-by. I get a lot of “pre-lookers” making sure “The Queen” is up to her yearly shenanigans. I do find, as I age, my knees aren’t what they used to be… and that’s where the visiting kids help becomes hugely important. They want to help…actually fight over helping…and it allows me to sit back, watch and have a giggle.

 

After the crowd

Number Lore

I have, for the last 5 days, been working on the sales tax for the gallery. Now for those of you that don’t know me, numbers and my brain don’t always coincide. You can ask all the folks at my bank. We’re on a first name basis. Imagine a meteor hitting a small planet at a rather accelerated speed. It’s not that I’ve sold a great deal and there’s a plethora of receipts (not sure what people see in that word). After all…It is art we’re talking here people. But the fact that I’m doing any type of accounting is about the equivalent of me making a pot roast with all the trimmings. It’s quite an unnatural thing.

I feel certain that my accountant ascertained something in me early on that made him come up with an “idiot proof” chart. I’m to fill in “only the little green squares”. I’m to “utilize the drop down menus” and use “only the categories created”. He’s made it “H proof”. It won’t let me type ANYWHERE I’m not supposed to. Ahh, what’s the fun in that? He asked me to send him a small portion of my handiwork to be certain I wasn’t “coloring outside the lines”…screwing up his perfectly executed spread sheet. It even gives me a big red “OK” when I’ve done a good job. Kinda the equivalent of one of those gold stars in elementary school. I sent off my first draft. Sadly…it was for the year 2009 ;(

I did all the requested revisions to round one. I’ve just completed my 4th quarter, sent it off and am eagerly awaiting my grade. It took 6 cups of thick, black, pumpkin spice coffee just to finish. I remember the day when he looked me straight in the eye and asked me if I knew not to keep writing checks if I didn’t have any money in the account. I’m still chuckling over that. I distinctly remember my Father asking my Mother that very same thing! I can say in all honesty, on that one point, I’m pretty clear. I still wish I’d said “That’s when I’m supposed to pull out my credit card, right?…What’s life without messing with the analyticals?

As far as my relationship with numbers goes, I’m not concerned. One of the bank tellers yesterday told me I had wonderful “fashion sense”. The next teller readily agreed and so did the head of business accounts (and he’s a man). So you see…no worries…I already have some form of “sense” down. 😉