Category Archives: Boston

Still NO TP

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The TP Shortage Continues

We’re now 3-4 weeks into the quarantine. You’d think the hoarders would have stocked up but toilet paper, facial tissues and other paper products continue to be in short supply. Bottled water is also in high demand. We can add banking to one of the new aggravations. I needed quarters to do my laundry. I always go to the bank on Saturday morning to get two rolls. When I arrived at the bank this Saturday only the ATM was open. The Lobby was closed and dark.  Cars were lined up at the drive through but you can’t get coins in the drive through. The weight will damage the money drawer.

Social Distancing taken a step too far?

While I pondered my options two young women drove up. They arrived in the same car and attempted to go to the ATM together. A bank employee rushed out to tell them only 1 person could be at the ATM at a time. The argument that they came and in the same car and that they were sisters fell on deaf ears. I know we’re all a bit paranoid these day but come on! If one sister had it the other would have been exposed in the car.  What happened to common sense? Anyway as the sister that was booted out complained to me I vented my frustration about the coins. My new friend perked up. Her sister had change and she couldn’t deposit it either. Maybe we could help each other out?

 

Looks Like  Drug Deal Going Down

About then her sister came out of the bank. We explained the situation and she said she had a ton of quarters. She immediately started counting out quarters. She had a baggie in the car so she dropped the change in that. In no time at all I had $20.00 in quarters in a plastic baggie. We all got a good laugh as we exchanged the money for the baggie. We looked like a drug deal going down in front of the bank! With lots of laughing and waving we parted ways. The day suddenly seemed brighter somehow. I guess we’ll all get through this somehow. We just need to keep a sense of humor.

Winter in New England

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Its still Winter

Winter doesn’t respect the calendar in New England.  The first day of spring (March 20) is right around the corner and yet we are in the path of another winter storm. February was quiet but since March 1st its been one storm after another. The worse damage is to our beaches. Beach erosion has destroyed homes, businesses and beaches. There are still homes without power which means without heat. Carbon monoxide from generators is a real risk. Just this morning the news carried a report of a death from this colorless, odorless gas.

snow covered trees

stock photo

stock photo

Snow can make driving a challenge

We lost power at work last Friday. We were sent home to work in hopes that we’d have power at our homes. Getting home was the challenge. The roads were snowy and slippery but the real threat was from falling trees. I only live 12 miles from work but I wasn’t sure I’d get home. The first road I took was completely blocked by a down tree. The 2nd road was closed by the police. I finally found a side road that let me connect to the main street. Street lights weren’t working and it was easy to see where large branches and trees had been cleared to allow traffic to pass.

Home Safe and Sound

waves break over the sea wall

stock photo

I was very happy to see my condo complex and even happier to see that the parking area had been cleared. I grabbed my computer and dashed into my condo. It was warm and toasty and my power was on. I was able to get several hours of work in from home before I eventually joined the rest of New England in the dark. The crazy power outages and internet interruptions  are the reason my posts have been slightly off schedule. I thought about going out in the storm with the camera to get some fresh photos but it didn’t take much to make me change my mind and stay tucked inside, warm and safe.

 

Oh No! Where did the Summer Go?

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Summer’s Last Gasp

Picnic table

It’s still summer. August is still summer and it’s only August 31. According to the weather folks tomorrow, September 1, is the first day of meteorological fall. Oh boo hoo! Fall in New England is nice but I miss summer already. Labor Day weekend is the last long weekend, our last chance for summer fun.

Fall leavesSigns of Fall are all around us

The seasons change and the signs are there. School has started. I got stuck behind a school bus on the way to work. The turkeys are getting restless. I saw two big turkeys by the side of the road on my way home tonight. A big maple tree on Route 140 has begun to turn colors! Already! The nights are cool and mornings have a crispness to the air. A sweater or jacket might be in order. I can open a window and turn off the air conditioner. Football is top of mind as the boys of summer fade away. Another fall sign that’s not so nice is the ragweed. Seems like we have a bumper crop this year. Excuse me while I sneeze.

Road trips are callingWaterfall

Along with the cooler nights will be the fall colors. Leaves will be changing. Our roads will be filled with leaf peepers but even I plan to be one of them. Maybe a trip down the Mohawk Trail or back to New Hampshire to visit a place called Diana’s Baths. They are a series of waterfalls and cascades. I have it on good authority that although they are lovely any time of year, fall is especially pretty.

 

Cranberry Harvest Festivals

In Massachusetts, home to Ocean Spray, fall means the cranberry harvest. From mid- September until late in the fall,  cranberries reach their peak of color and flavor. The landscape is dotted with the bright red cranberry bogs as they wait for the harvest. Cranberries can be harvested wet or dry. Interested in visiting a cranberry bog? We’ve got lots of farms for tours or products.

Down on the cape the cranberry harvest season begins around Labor Day and usually runs into the middle of November. The Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association has created a cranberry harvest trail guide.

Cranberry bog

I love cranberries. Maybe fall’s not so bad after all!

Not Your Everyday Sand Castle

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Sand Castles or Sand Sculpting

Abstract sculpture showing 2 enrgies

Don’t come to see sand castles at Revere Beach, Massachusetts. These sand artists traded plastic buckets and toy shovels for coal shovels and palette knives. Each artist gets 12 tons of sand and an 18’ x 18’ exhibit area in which to mount their own sculptures. This year, 15 artists from the United States, Canada, Russia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Italy competed.

14 Years and countingFood Truck Line the street next to the beach

This is the 14th year for this competition. More than a contest, this is a festival with live music, food trucks and carnival rides. A DJ keeps the action pumping as the beat goes on. All around the sculptors beach goers swim and splash. The artists have from Friday at 10 am until Saturday at 2 pm to  create their masterpiece. That’s a great time to get action photos of these sand magicians. This year there are no teams, no duos. It’s all solo sculpting.

The Team EffortRats and Mice on barrels

The centerpiece sculpture is a team effort. All of the competitors worked together to create the main attraction, a twenty-foot-wide recreation of the U.S.S. Constitution. It even has cannons that fire. They are only water cannons but that just adds to the fun. Unsuspecting visitors get a good soaking when they linger in the “splash zone”.

 Sand Sculpting the USS constitution

Making a Statement

Just about all of the sculptors use the venue to make a statement. Some are more clear than others. Some make you think others may make you sad, or angry but like any good art, they all move you.

Mystical Griffin meets human boy

I think my favorite was this one titled “Who are you?”.  A griffin makes the acquaintance of a little human boy. Whimsical and provocative. It made me smile and feel warm all over.

dead mother elephant and dying babiesOne known  simply  as “Save the Elephants” was very powerful. It disturbed me. I admired the workmanship and agree with the message, but I can’t say that I liked it. The image was sad and depressing. I guess it made it’s point.baby elephant

And the winner is…Soul Evolution

David Like scupture representing the evolution of the human soul

The winning sculptor was from Russia. Like all of the sculptures it was thought provoking. I thought it was a beautiful piece of art.  It reminded me of the great Greek sculptures. What a shame they don’t last long. Here today and gone tomorrow, water is a part of each sculpture at the start  as well as part of the end. With a good rain it all dissolves away.

What Can Possibly Go Wrong~

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Whatever can go wrong probably will!

I had a chance to work from home today because I have enrolled in a class to learn more about WordPress. Oh there’s lots of places to read about it but I felt I needed a instructor to explain it and answer my questions. Working from home would let me go directly into Boston. What could possibly go wrong?

I raced out of the house at 5 pm. My work phone was still blowing up with emails and I got a call as I dashed out the door. It’s also rush hour but the class doesn’t start until 6:30 so I felt like I had plenty of time. As I pulled onto the expressway I pressed OnStar and gave them the address. I didn’t want to take any chance of getting lost. I also wanted to know my eta.

Where’s the RUSH in Rush Hour?

Bad News. It was 11 miles and 54 minutes. WHAT?! 54 minutes to go 11 miles? That’s really bad. Turns out they were right. Shortly after I activated OnStar traffic came to a screeching halt. We crawled. I could have walked faster!

Then as if I wasn’t late enough, OnStar took me to the wrong address. I thought they were just routing me around the traffic. Nope. I have no idea where I ended up but it wasn’t where I wanted to be. After another call to OnStar and new directions I finally arrived at my destination at 7:30 pm. I’d missed half of the class.

No Need to be Rude, Dude.

I earned a really dirty look from the instructor who refused to accept my apology. His response was “Don’t expect me to hold up the class for you”.  Of course I was left without any direction to catch up. I was on my own. I finally gave up and logged into my new blog so I could follow along without messing up this space.

I picked up some tips but the most exciting thing is that I learned how to add Videos.
This is my first attempt!

I love this video of Buddy. It always makes me laugh and now I can share it! Yay!