My parents have a buffet on Christmas Eve, and usually a duck on Christmas Day (and for Thanksgiving).
Christmas Eve feast
Hudson Gateway tunnel construction site-to-be
J and I checked out a spot in the Hudson Yards LIRR train yard, near the convention center, that is going to hopefully have some visible construction work towards the new Hudson river train tunnels.
As part of the Gateway Program (construction info) to spiff up Northeast Corridor infrastructure between NYC and New Jersey, a new tunnel under the Hudson (map) is going to be built so that the existing tunnels can be fixed up and to eventually provide more rail capacity. The tunnels were damaged by Hurricane Sandy, as were many of the other tunnels into New York.
There’s supposed to eventually be a cut-and-cover section of the tunnel built right by the LIRR train yard. I wanted to see if work had started yet. J and I didn’t see anything, but there is a lot of equipment getting set up. We will check back soon!
Hudson river and New Jersey in the background.
Winter in New York
It’s been a fair bit below freezing all week. That seems right for winter, but is a little unusual from my experience living here. In previous years, the temperature hasn’t stayed below freezing for very long, and if it snowed (rare), it would melt the next day.
It’s snowed and “iced” twice this week, which was exciting! And because of the temperatures, it’s stuck fairly well in places that don’t get salted. We have a big empty lot next to us that has a nice wintery atmosphere.
The snow from last week. It looked heavier in person.
Post-snow, with my bird of paradise.
Stuffed animal kit
J’s mom kindly gave me a craft kit for Christmas. It reminded me of all the craft kits I got and the subset of those that I finished as a kid.
This company makes various stuffed animal (mostly amigurumi) kits. They increase in complexity from here.
Pretty cute! I repositioned the eyes, wings, and beak to make it even cuter 🙂
Trip to Green-Wood Cemetery
We walked around a big cemetery in Brooklyn last weekend (the main point of the trip was to eat Asian food in Sunset Park, but I’ve also wanted to go to the cemetery). There’s a Gothic revival entrance gate, with a huuuuge parakeet nest in the central tower.
Parakeets. Their noise gave them away before we could even see them.
Lots of fancy monuments and grave stones there.
Mausoleums…
With custom gates.
The founder of “The Truth Seeker” (some magazine?).
And a nice pond. Given the temperature, there weren’t many people out, but there were a couple of birdwatchers.
On a previous attempt to visit the cemetery, one group member thought it was creepy and then it started snowing.
Garden update
Getting some tomatoes at my community garden plot!
I also have a Cherokee purple tomato developing
Pottery visit
While visiting my parents in Austin for Thanksgiving, J and I went to a local pottery studio and gallery.
Compared to New York stores, the studio was shockingly large inside, like a small warehouse.
There was quite the variety of ceramic items at the store, decorative, useful, and both. I liked the following items.
Garden square update
I got some free paperwhites to beautify my garden area with. I hope the obvious flowers will discourage owners from letting their dogs romp in the garden.
Decluttering highlight: Quirky kindergarten student drawings
A selection from my kindergarten class. Each student contributed a drawing to a small book that was printed and shared. Students clearly had different interests and abilities.
Goodwill finds!
I got a purple corduroy jacket/overshirt from Goodwill ($10) over the holidays!
Definitely in fashion now, but the similar jackets I see others wearing aren’t normally so bright. The jacket is currently in a trial period. If I decide not to keep it, sibling C is highly interested. She originally found it at the thrift store but it’s too big on her. It’s also big on me, but we’ll call it stylishly large.
I also found a nicely-patterned kid’s shirt. It fits in the shoulders but everything in the torso is a little too short. I spent too much time compared to the cost of the shirt ($5!) letting out the hem by 1/4 inch.
