I was feeling as if I deserved something special and as if I could afford it, so I bought a locket. I don't think I've ever had anything monogrammed or with my initials on it before, so I think this is really neat. I searched for one that's small, about half an inch wide. Way cool.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
them
This is what's inside the locket. It's not easy to find tiny pictures of people. I know, Henry has his eyes closed, but you can tell it's him. In some of the pictures I found you couldn't tell who it was, the figures were so small.
I really like the picture of Molly. I took it at a beach picnic. Mark used to have us go on beach picnics Sunday nights. He would take china plates, real glassware, of course a nice tablecloth, naturally gin & tonics. We'd sit on the beach, watch the waves until the sun went down (or something like that). It was nice, but sometimes cold.
Anyway, this is sort of like the Jackson Browne song "you were turning around to see who was behind you." That's as much of the lyrics it's like because the rest of the song is sad. Molly looks happy and great in the picture, doesn't she?
I love my locket. I love my siblings. I like the idea that I have them so close to me all the time. sappy, huh, but I miss my brother desperately, and my sister lives far away.
I really like the picture of Molly. I took it at a beach picnic. Mark used to have us go on beach picnics Sunday nights. He would take china plates, real glassware, of course a nice tablecloth, naturally gin & tonics. We'd sit on the beach, watch the waves until the sun went down (or something like that). It was nice, but sometimes cold.
Anyway, this is sort of like the Jackson Browne song "you were turning around to see who was behind you." That's as much of the lyrics it's like because the rest of the song is sad. Molly looks happy and great in the picture, doesn't she?
I love my locket. I love my siblings. I like the idea that I have them so close to me all the time. sappy, huh, but I miss my brother desperately, and my sister lives far away.
Bog hostess
This is Tess, exhausted from a great day of being the official Bog Hostess. If I don't stop her early enough on the weekend she runs (think FAST) to the bog next door to meet & greet the people coming for a picnic or nature walk. Mostly the people love her and feed her sandwiches when they get to the top of the bluffs. Some people send her home, some people drive her home, some people call her later in the day to make sure she got home all right. Once a woman drove her to West Plattsburgh, half an hour away, then called to tell me she had and didn't know the bog was on my road. I drove half an hour to get her. There's no cell phone service in the area, which complicates things.
It's not a good situation because I worry that someone will take her home. She has a tag with her personal information, including contact info. for RI (the last phone call was from some people who live in RI). Everyone loves her. Lots of times I go to the trailhead and ask if people have seen my brown dog. They always say yes and tell me what a wonderful dog she is. Sometimes I catch her greeting or bidding farewell to her new-found friends. Sometimes she jumps in their cars. She comes home exhillerated and full of new stories to share with Chances. She sure is cute, though.
It's not a good situation because I worry that someone will take her home. She has a tag with her personal information, including contact info. for RI (the last phone call was from some people who live in RI). Everyone loves her. Lots of times I go to the trailhead and ask if people have seen my brown dog. They always say yes and tell me what a wonderful dog she is. Sometimes I catch her greeting or bidding farewell to her new-found friends. Sometimes she jumps in their cars. She comes home exhillerated and full of new stories to share with Chances. She sure is cute, though.
taking a break
When she's not sitting near the window, monitoring all outdoor noises (or snoring so loudly that NO ONE could hear them), or barking at our car, this is what Chances does.
When Tess is bog walking C. worries a lot about her. She looks out the window every time she hears a noise, which is hell on her on a windy day.
When Tess is bog walking C. worries a lot about her. She looks out the window every time she hears a noise, which is hell on her on a windy day.
Leroy
This is the goldfish I have at work. He's on the shelf above my desk. I watch him a lot, usually while I'm trying to think of what to write next, what subject heading would be the perfect one, what to do next, what groceries I should get on the way home, etc.
His name is Leroy because (I've probably posted this) he was bullying the fish in Liza's tank. Our neighborhood bully in Hawkeye is Leroy, so it seemed an OK name. Why do I assume that a bully is male? What would the feminine form of Leroy be?
He's huge, about 4" so far and now growing into his new, larger tank. He's a big boy, just like his human counterpart.
His name is Leroy because (I've probably posted this) he was bullying the fish in Liza's tank. Our neighborhood bully in Hawkeye is Leroy, so it seemed an OK name. Why do I assume that a bully is male? What would the feminine form of Leroy be?
He's huge, about 4" so far and now growing into his new, larger tank. He's a big boy, just like his human counterpart.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
What? Who's this?
If one more person tells me to start blogging again, I'll... well, it's time for me to get back in the habit. Too much time gone by, too many weeks, too many activities. Maybe not activities, but summer stuff. Family meeting (no pictures of that, they're not very interesting), trip to Rhode Island (2 wonderful, loving, entertaining, so-much-fun weeks), busy social life and visits with great friends here, and now autumn and the crowd is thinning. But gearing up for huge social onslaught Columbus Day weekend.
Things are good. I feel happy, peaceful, unhassled. Work goes well. I spend one day a week in Saranac Lake and that's pretty much the highlight of my week. The stuff I catalog is sometimes interesting and sometimes dull but the dull stuff is usually challenging. I struggle and suffer when it's challenging but honestly enjoy putting my skills to use. Beats the stuff I do here--Tom and Jerry's counting book, The wicked ways of a duke, Food favorites of Ellenburg Depot. I like the atmosphere there, I like the curator (who's lived here all her life, has an interesting perspective, knows everyone in town and everything in the collection). We have a definite lunch routine (so I have to come up with a lunch worthy of it every week). It's nice to be part of the group--there are a couple of volunteers there every week too. And yesterday the cutest, most polite college senior (male) came in to scope the place out for his research. WOWIE! was he cute and great.
Home life is good but I'm having real trouble cleaning my house & getting it in order. I went through a couple of weeks of reading, thinking and getting psyched about cleaning and organizing my house, my home. Bought some supplies, made lists. Lost interest in that project, lost interest in cleaning, ran out of money I guess. I did finally set up the aquarium I brought back from RI--a 10 gallon tank, which is huge to me. Filling it scared me because that's a lot of water to take from my well. Plus, the first time I filled it a huge bunch of soap suds appeared, so I had to find out what to do: flush it out (hello Linda's hose), fill it & put vinegar and salt in it, let it soak 24 hours, flush again. Filled it, got some fish and all seems ok for now. Want more fish, and now I can actually have BIGGER fish, which is a novel idea. Fish I can see from across the room.
There are only a few people left in the neighborhood--Linda and Erdvilas are here until mid-October, a favorite friend & his wife are here until next week, and next weekend about 15 people come to their camps for the weekend. There's a huge party for Rush's 60th birthday. Lots of family and non-Hawkeye friends. By invitation only. me, of course. Linda. Bill. Ken.
I've talked to my former mother-in-law/cousin a couple of times. She misses me, this I know. She talks and talks on the phone, but I sort of enjoy this. I think I'll try to re-establish my relationship with the 2 of them, maybe go out for dinner. I know I say this about twice a year but this time (sure) I mean it. or not.
Weather is nice, it's been warm and sunny. I stay in the boat house often and bathe in the lake (don't tell anyone, some of us do, and I'm sure the people across the lake who watch goings-on with their telescopes, shamelessly displayed in their living rooms, know all our secrets, plus how fat we are). A cold dip is most envigorating at 7:00 a.m. and gets you up & out.
Here is a record of some of what I am/have been up to--
Things are good. I feel happy, peaceful, unhassled. Work goes well. I spend one day a week in Saranac Lake and that's pretty much the highlight of my week. The stuff I catalog is sometimes interesting and sometimes dull but the dull stuff is usually challenging. I struggle and suffer when it's challenging but honestly enjoy putting my skills to use. Beats the stuff I do here--Tom and Jerry's counting book, The wicked ways of a duke, Food favorites of Ellenburg Depot. I like the atmosphere there, I like the curator (who's lived here all her life, has an interesting perspective, knows everyone in town and everything in the collection). We have a definite lunch routine (so I have to come up with a lunch worthy of it every week). It's nice to be part of the group--there are a couple of volunteers there every week too. And yesterday the cutest, most polite college senior (male) came in to scope the place out for his research. WOWIE! was he cute and great.
Home life is good but I'm having real trouble cleaning my house & getting it in order. I went through a couple of weeks of reading, thinking and getting psyched about cleaning and organizing my house, my home. Bought some supplies, made lists. Lost interest in that project, lost interest in cleaning, ran out of money I guess. I did finally set up the aquarium I brought back from RI--a 10 gallon tank, which is huge to me. Filling it scared me because that's a lot of water to take from my well. Plus, the first time I filled it a huge bunch of soap suds appeared, so I had to find out what to do: flush it out (hello Linda's hose), fill it & put vinegar and salt in it, let it soak 24 hours, flush again. Filled it, got some fish and all seems ok for now. Want more fish, and now I can actually have BIGGER fish, which is a novel idea. Fish I can see from across the room.
There are only a few people left in the neighborhood--Linda and Erdvilas are here until mid-October, a favorite friend & his wife are here until next week, and next weekend about 15 people come to their camps for the weekend. There's a huge party for Rush's 60th birthday. Lots of family and non-Hawkeye friends. By invitation only. me, of course. Linda. Bill. Ken.
I've talked to my former mother-in-law/cousin a couple of times. She misses me, this I know. She talks and talks on the phone, but I sort of enjoy this. I think I'll try to re-establish my relationship with the 2 of them, maybe go out for dinner. I know I say this about twice a year but this time (sure) I mean it. or not.
Weather is nice, it's been warm and sunny. I stay in the boat house often and bathe in the lake (don't tell anyone, some of us do, and I'm sure the people across the lake who watch goings-on with their telescopes, shamelessly displayed in their living rooms, know all our secrets, plus how fat we are). A cold dip is most envigorating at 7:00 a.m. and gets you up & out.
Here is a record of some of what I am/have been up to--
en famile
These are the people who spent time in Rhode Island together. A wonderful group, a wonderful visit. That's Tina, my mother's dog. I think she felt there were too many of us who stayed too long, brought too many dogs with us and made too much noise. She's recovered now, my mother says.
jim's dock
This is one of my favorite RI places. It's a restaurant on the water--Jim's Dock. We go there for breakfast once each summer. It's not that the food is so great, but we like looking out at the boats, talking, drinking coffee, walking on the piers to look at the obscenely expensive private boats and taking a short walk along the tiny beach next to the restaurant. And watching the other people who come while we're there.
It's across the water from Champlin's, our favorite lunch spot (we go there for lunch every summer). Martha goes to Champlin's too. We buy our lobsters at Champlin's. They have the best, although my mother has found a place that might be as good. NO! BLASPHEMY!
It's across the water from Champlin's, our favorite lunch spot (we go there for lunch every summer). Martha goes to Champlin's too. We buy our lobsters at Champlin's. They have the best, although my mother has found a place that might be as good. NO! BLASPHEMY!
pretty cool
How great is this shot? When we were kids one of our favorite books was about a sailor dog. This dog is in a better position because he gets to share his boat with his master. It was a warm sunny day. Don't you wish you were either the man or the dog?
Oregon trail
Every morning between 5:30 and 6:00 I took the dogs to a big park near my mother's and let them run. We watched the sunrise and had a nice, peaceful time. There was always heavy dew, hence the trail.
the great beyond
It was always pretty and very peaceful--the people who use the park to walk their dogs have a particular time when they come every day. I was the 5:30-6:00 person. There's a 6:30-7:00 guy, a 7:00-7:30 lady and a 7:30 guy (who has 2 beautiful Labs). The first 2 times I went I figured out that I'd have to be the early shift if I wanted to let my dogs run.
waiting for what?
This just strikes me as funny. I know, it's really a good idea--places for people to sit while they watch the soccer games. But at sunrise the benches look goofy.
nice
We go to my mother's town beach a lot. It's very pretty and the breakers usually aren't breakers but are waves. But this year Mark and Jenica got rolled by one. Mostly the water was clear and just the right temperature. My gauge of whether the water is clear enough for swimming is this: if you can see your feet, it's pretty much ok.
beach ladies
This just shows how cute my mother is. And hides my bulging, ever-expanding middle pretty well.
kitchen shot
This is my mother's kitchen. There are always those kids' plastic letters with magnets on the back stuck to the refrigerator. Liza puts a welcoming message up every time someone arrives. The message in this pictures says "welcome jenica love you"
I like it when she doesn't have enough of the right letters--she gets very creative in her spelling
I like it when she doesn't have enough of the right letters--she gets very creative in her spelling
best spot
Here's where I get to sleep--the gazebo in the woods. It's the best spot ever. I can't decide where I'd rather sleep--in the boat house or in the gazebo. I guess they're equally special. Here you listen to forest sounds (including the occasional buck snort, which drives the dogs nuts). In the b.house you hear water lapping. Anyway, this sits on the tiniest of crests, so small you can't really call it a crest, in the woods. It looks out at a clearing my brother created because he believes every place should have a view/vista. He was right about my house and my mother's house.
Every night at bedtime I walk past the pond in the yard, hear the little trickle of the water going down the rocks, look for a frog or two with my flashlight while the dogs pee, then walk to the gazebo. The dogs get to wander around without a leash, outside of the pen--a treat for them. They stay outside for a few minutes, then I hear them woofling at the door and let them in. We lie in bed, I read and they snore. I stare at the ceiling in total peace. What could be better?
Every night at bedtime I walk past the pond in the yard, hear the little trickle of the water going down the rocks, look for a frog or two with my flashlight while the dogs pee, then walk to the gazebo. The dogs get to wander around without a leash, outside of the pen--a treat for them. They stay outside for a few minutes, then I hear them woofling at the door and let them in. We lie in bed, I read and they snore. I stare at the ceiling in total peace. What could be better?
whew!
Chances loved every minute but found the whole thing exhausting. She slept wherever she could find a spot. This is Molly's picture.
kitty
I know, it's a big surprise that I would be attached to a ca--I choke on the word--cat. Sometimes she's very cute. Mostly she's pretty pissy. How does Jenica get Miles to sit still for pictures? My cat has to play dead.
sept pictures 026
This was a week or so ago. Things look different now--the color is good this year. Almost peak right now. Lots of oranges, some reds--those are the maples. Yellows will follow, that's the last, the beeches.
sept pictures 029
I've had the best ever bonus time this year--extra and more extra nights to sleep in the boat house. I won't sleep there unless the temp is at least 50 (I've toughened up considerably--my minimum used to be 60). Some mornings when I'm there it's in the 40's and I have my coffee in bed those days. The rest of the time I sit on the porch and stare into space. My tolerance for cold amazes me but I seem to enjoy being chilled.
One morning the whole lake was covered with an intense and complete mist--you couldn't see anything. I had an incredible urge to paddle my kayak straight into it, just to see where I'd end up when the mist lifted. I'm basically chicken, though, and didn't do it. Instead I watched the mist lift. The water is still warmer, at 64, than the air in the morning.
My nights in the boat house are magic. No sound on the lake, no sound in the morning either. Sometimes the loons, sometimes the leaves rustling if there's a breeze, but lately it's been completely silent. Then the dogs come along, jingling their collars and lapping a drink from the lake. It's just a miracle to be there.
We had 2 pairs of loons on the lake this year. One pair had one baby (I know, not called a baby, but everyone on the lake has been keeping track of it and we all call it the baby loon). We watched the mom when she was swimming with the baby on her back, then the baby swam between mom & dad for weeks & weeks, while mom & dad murmured to each other.
Finally baby learned--slowly--to put its head under water, to dive, then to catch fish, and is now almost as big as its parents and is wearing winter plumage. The association that studies and bands loons came to Silver Lake and discovered that our mom is 6 years old and was banded at the next lake over (Taylor Pond). Way cool. Anyway ,the loons have been really vocal all year, from both ends of the lake. Our community is always proud of our loons ("Loons? oh sure, we have loons.").
One morning the whole lake was covered with an intense and complete mist--you couldn't see anything. I had an incredible urge to paddle my kayak straight into it, just to see where I'd end up when the mist lifted. I'm basically chicken, though, and didn't do it. Instead I watched the mist lift. The water is still warmer, at 64, than the air in the morning.
My nights in the boat house are magic. No sound on the lake, no sound in the morning either. Sometimes the loons, sometimes the leaves rustling if there's a breeze, but lately it's been completely silent. Then the dogs come along, jingling their collars and lapping a drink from the lake. It's just a miracle to be there.
We had 2 pairs of loons on the lake this year. One pair had one baby (I know, not called a baby, but everyone on the lake has been keeping track of it and we all call it the baby loon). We watched the mom when she was swimming with the baby on her back, then the baby swam between mom & dad for weeks & weeks, while mom & dad murmured to each other.
Finally baby learned--slowly--to put its head under water, to dive, then to catch fish, and is now almost as big as its parents and is wearing winter plumage. The association that studies and bands loons came to Silver Lake and discovered that our mom is 6 years old and was banded at the next lake over (Taylor Pond). Way cool. Anyway ,the loons have been really vocal all year, from both ends of the lake. Our community is always proud of our loons ("Loons? oh sure, we have loons.").
opposites attract
I bought this cool whirlygig that rotates in the wind. I wasn't sure where I'd hang it, maybe outside my window at home. I like the one Linda has on her porch, it's nice to watch in the breeze. This one has a wire spiral and the glass ball pretends to go up and down the spiral as it rotates in the wind. Hanging it at home seemed dumb and I thought it would be nice to stare at it from the Saranac chair on the boat house porch.
I had a hard time finding a spot where the wind would be strong enough to move it. Oh, how misleading catalog descriptions are! Anyway, it moves a little on a very windy day. Mostly I just stare at it and think it's pretty.
Up close it's even prettier, and obviously the view of the mountain through the ball is fun. In my effort to fill my walls with stunning (NOT) artwork I had a big print made of this shot.
I had a hard time finding a spot where the wind would be strong enough to move it. Oh, how misleading catalog descriptions are! Anyway, it moves a little on a very windy day. Mostly I just stare at it and think it's pretty.
Up close it's even prettier, and obviously the view of the mountain through the ball is fun. In my effort to fill my walls with stunning (NOT) artwork I had a big print made of this shot.
Holey boat house
I was sleeping in the boat house when the edge of hurricane Ike arrived. I woke at 3:30, convinced tree upon tree would fall across the road and I'd never be able to get out. Back to sleep, awakened at 5:30 by the loudest BOOM! Up with my flashlight to see a rotten birch tree, downed by wind, 3" from my car, leaning against the boat house. Here's the hole it made in the roof. The hole goes all the way through the plywood sub-roofing inside. Poop. These things always seem to happen to my family (but we still have the best cabin).
I beat a hasty retreat to my house and parked my car as far away from any tree that I could. Whew! Escape crisis averted.
I beat a hasty retreat to my house and parked my car as far away from any tree that I could. Whew! Escape crisis averted.
busted pump house
Even though it wasn't much, the pump house (which was actually the old pump house turned on its side) has finally shit the bed. The tree decided to take whatever it could, I guess.
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