Ladies' Night

Insert your version of the Kool and The Gang song **here**.

Or don't.

It was Zuddy's night out last night so Noodle and I baked up some CRAP chocolate chip cookies that I had bought from some kid in the neighborhood. You know - they were for a school fundraiser. Of course, just because they're sub-standard doesn't mean they're not going to be eaten, right?

I mean, there is chocolate in them. Or a chocolate-like substance.

And sometimes that's just good enough.

I felt crabby yesterday. Staying in the house for this long is more than I can bear. I had already called my Mom and asked her to please come over so I could go do some errands and then go for a quick walk. While she was on her way over, I was talking to my dear friend Michelle on the phone and everything that came (or flew) out of my mouth was so negative. I realized it 3/4 of the way through our conversation. So I told her I was going to hang up with her and end her misery and I was going for a walk. She mentioned a big hill in my neighborhood and suggested, a big jokingly/a bit seriously that I should conquer it.

That maybe it would make me feel better. I kind of laughed it off.

But after I did my errands, it sounded like a good idea.

So, on my way home, I passed Zuddy's work (he saw me and waved at me) and parked my car and walked down the hill.

For those of you who know me in real life? You know that where I live is very hilly. In fact, Michelle and I used to have a nice little route where we'd go down this hill and then walk to a huge bank of stairs going up a cliff kind of like this one:

I don't know how many steps where there. Maybe a BAZILLION? But they were recently torn down and need to be rebuilt, so I can't show you a photo of them.

Anyway, we live up in the cliffs. And people come from all over to "get their workout on" in our neighborhood. Especially on their bicycles.

Which is why I kind of avoid the bicycle over here. Because it's hard. I realized this when I was visiting with my neighbor John once and wondered out loud why I avoid biking. Then he pointed out how many serious bicyclists we have riding around our neighborhood and DUH! Martha! That's why you avoid it, sister! Because it SUCKS!

Thanks John.

Anyway.

I'm walking down the hill. Feels good. Nice view:

Though it's a little industrial in the spot right below the hill:

Now, the ascend. It's a very curvy road. I love that house you see in the background:

Here are those steps I was talking about...the ones Michelle and I walk down to get to the big stairs. They're a little creepy. It always feels unsafe to me. Like some one's going to jump out at me.

Nice little curvy-wurvy road.

Here's that house. At one time it was really run-down.

Then it was a law office. Now I think it's just a house again.

They have a couple of garages on the property. I love this stone one. It's kind of incognito, built into the cliff:

Here's the other one, along with a shot of the back of the house:

That walk made me feel much better. It was just what I needed. Only I needed more of it. But it was time to go home. On the way home? I drove by a few great houses in my neighborhood.

This one has always been a sweet little house. Recently, the owners built this awesome addition:

That whole right side is the addition. I think it's a do-it-yourself job because it's not finished and it's been a couple of years. I know how that goes :)

Here's another house just down the block from the white one:

This one was in REALLY bad shape until someone moved in and loved it up. They're still working on it, but I know the person who owns it and the amount of work they've done is insane.

It was kind of a dark, dreary day yesterday, so it's hard to get the gist of the paint job on this one, but it's very striking. Trust me: