Up with the Clouds

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I wound my way through the Green Mountains way up to Mallets Bay, Vermont for my Uncle Bill's memorial service. I stayed overnight, then turned around for the return, n made it back home tonight. Little Truck did well, n ate alot of fuel bux, tho was a bit slower chugging up the inclines than she used to be...
So I took it easy on her.
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I don't recommend taking pics thru n out the car windows while driving... (I'm really used to doing it) but that's what these are... so that's why the Camel's Hump shot has reflections of the dash-top in it. Couldn't resist sharing the peak sites. They look so much taller in person-
The skies were nifty in some spots as well. I went thru two, high altitude rain-bursts. I'll prob be showing more of these later.
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I needed more time, n wanted alot more pics, but- Not only did the cam batteries run out, I changed them then the Card ran out- I Deleted some lesser images, Then those ran out on the way back. I didn't get alot of sleep, so off I go now to try to catch-up a bit.
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Those same kids from before are moved in for the winter downstairs again. I'm not thrilled. I pray I get more daylight sleep than last time, before the exhaustion has me throwing tizzy-fits at them. Too bad I didn't have more time to relax while I was up there. I'm just relieved to've made it home in decent shape.
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Off to dreamy mountain peaks, river valleys, n intense dream-clouds...

Setting Sights

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I took fifteen minutes to toe-dip n whistle bird-calls to the gulls n pipers just before sundown today. They are some of my fav companions. The tide was on it's way to low, n the sharp, Lady-Slipper shells were plentiful n difficult to navigate over.
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The sore feet soon found soft, wet sand under the salt water over the ankles, n stopped their complaining. My eyes could see more red in the sun's display than the cam did, but I find it tough to fool this cam's light meter (I tried a good 20 times). I decided not to alter the resulting images today, after all.

Finally, for the first time in weeks, there was a sunset to chase to fav beach, n several minutes to savor the setting, n contemplate life in general, before the few groceries melted to mush. (I'm happy Cherries Garcia, made it home before the soup faze).

I never get sick of the colors the Creator put in this place for me to appreciate. I know over the years, these birds know who I am, n that I'd never do them harm, just want to keep company, not frighten them. Once in a blue moon, they even pose for me...



I always feel more kinship to the sea birds than to the other folks here watching the sunset, one of the unique truths about me. They know I'll always come back here. I know they will return, too, as long as the sea provides food for our souls....

Another Bill

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The very same evening as Ted, my Uncle Bill, shown to the far left, was also called beyond to the light. He was my hero too. My Mother's eldest brother was a priest for many years, until his mother passed on.

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He then undertook an extremely brave project. (my Mother just called him crazy.) Bill dropped out of the clergy to get married, n then proceeded to adopt orphaned children from all over the world, who were shunned in their original cultures, or had special needs, or were just in dire need of another chance at life. He made an amazing difference in the lives of sixteen wonderful individuals. Shown in the pic are some of the youngest several years ago.

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I hadn't seen uncle Bill since another uncle's funeral in Vermont two years ago. He'd been very ill with Parkinson's Disease for many years, which his dad, Bill also suffered with. I hope to see all my cousins, the oldest boy now forty, very soon. I'm still trying to get time off work, n will be crossing the fingers n toes that Little Truck is up to the task. Then all I gotta do is skip another couple days of sleep... Ugh, I thought I was already depressed-

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God Bless, n Rest, dear Uncle Bill...

Ted

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I'm so depressed to hear the news after work tonight that Senator Edward Kennedy was called beyond today, following his sister Eunice by just a few weeks.

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I've respected him since I was a little girl. Here on the Cape he's been one of the local, famous guys. He always worked to make the lives of ordinary people better. I'll always be greatful to've known his influence during my lifetime.

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In 1973, when my school decided not to do the eighth-grade Washington DC trip, my Mother, the Girl Scout Troop leader, took it upon herself to bring three troops together for a two-week, bus ride, sight-seeing extravaganza, while camped out at a Virginia GSA lodge.

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Here's a crop of a larger, scanned, group print, Showing a detail of Ted Kennedy n SnaggleTooth , (with braids) taken on the back-steps of the US Senate building in Washington, DC, circa 1973. A special moment forever etched in my brain.

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A very brave n amazing human being, may many learn from his legacy...

Bill Clouds

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Readers, please see update on "Where's the Storm?" added Aug 24 in the post below...





The cloud bands spiraling over the Cape from
Hurricane Bill to the East didn't faze any
beachcombers along my shorewalk during low tide today.

Where's the Storm?

FYI: This pic is from infared satelite 7pm edt from the Bostonchannel.com link in the post below. You can see the cloud band over Cape Cod shown in the photos posted above.

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Update: Aug 24, 2 am edt

Looks like Jannies Vaca may be a bit wavy, rainy, n windy...

Just above the numbers "20" shown here (same link) is the bay where they are...

Good luck Jannie n Kelly, stay dry n safe!

Bill Me Later

In the Sunday am, Hurricane Bill is greatfully expected to pass well to the east of Chatham n Nantucket on the lower Cape. (btw- I'm on the upper Cape zone). Looks like the Canadian Maritimes will be in for it tho.

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We're prepping for the water swells here, n some folks are getting ready for the surfing. Riptides may be a problem for those jumping in. There's usually a few out of place marine critter sightings in advance of large ocean storms also, species following the fleeing food supply.

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The TV news had a great white shark attacking a seal sighting off Chatham early this am. Their barrier beach has eroded n formed a new island in recent years,(2007 post), (great arial Globe pic), so what a big storm will do to downtown there is unknown. Luckily, they won't find out yet.

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Folks here will be pulling out some boats n doubling up others mooring ties.

Conditions are definately tropical here this week, with very high humidity n Temps. The water temps are in the 60F's too. Like bath water- I decided it was too low for me to jump in this afternoon early on. I was too busy playing catch-up anyhow.

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The oppressive humidity has me sweating, feeling crappy, n very achy. The old Rhuemetiz is a settin' in agin- Fog was so thick today, creeping in quickly across the Narrows as I was driving to the market n gas station there. Bad day for laundry but had to do it anyway.

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Except for the vinegar-wall-washing again, I avoided the backroom work. There's still plenty to do, but the conditions aren't comfortable enough to consider much more exertion.

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I'm chalking up a non-productive day, n I'll try to deal with it (Well, I do need rest badly-). With Luck, the current Hurricane will be a non-event lost in history's fog also...

Filed Sky

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The first week of August I caught these near sundown, thru clouds, Sun rays. Somehow I decided to use different post shots that day. It's occurred to me that this summer, I've taken very few sunset pics, n seen very few, which is a strange thing for me.
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I've been far too busy during daylight to stop n take it in. Hope to have time for more new ones soon, if the opportunity without cloud-cover will present itself. These glorious sky visitas were noticed that day from the local Home Depot parking lot when I came out with a new clamp...
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Sometimes, you just need to look up...

Need to Dream

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After my trip to storage today, I sent myself on a photo side trip. It's been awhile since I've felt like it. Wish I'd worn my bathing suit under my clothes, cause it was high tide n warm enough to swim. Toe dipping n walking up n down fav beach in the surf was accomplished.
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If that activity can't cheer me up, nothing can. There were some new little n quick birds with woody-brown markings on white I need to ID. I finally found my "Birds of North America" hardcover during re-packing activities. Now I need time to search the pages. I wanted pics, but you guessed it. I blinked, n they magically dissappeared before I could turn the cam!
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The lawn got mowed during dusk. I finished up by street lamp light. Thought I'd never get done, due to the tall, thick stuff clogging up the clipping collector getting full every five minutes or less- had to keep stopping to empty it. Whew, That's finally done. Now I just need hours to trim shrubs n pull out bittersweet vines.
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I've been very sentimental recently due to bumping into all kinds of memory items while going thru boxes. I've found alot of cool old pics of the kids. Wish I had places to hang them all- Need to perform a few wire repairs first. An item which unexpectedly knocked me for a loop was a postcard from my Mom that was in papers taken off the frig door back in the '90's.
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I really miss getting her postcards she sent from every trip she took. She loved to travel, n went far often. Her all time fav trip was to Aussi n New Zealand. I'd like to go there someday, too. The postcard was just from Georgia, n mostly talked about weather cause it was snowing here at the time, but I read so much emotion into it. Fifteen years later, I'm very glad my Mother took the time n thought to do this for me. Who could guess I'd still appreciate a piece of paper with her writing to me on it all this time since she's been gone? I'm having a tough time looking at the stuff from cleaning her house out, too.
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Jannie Funster has been out of the country n awol from the net for just a few days now, n I'm a basket case! Her silliness is just good medicine for my moodiness. I'm challenged feeling amused at life this week, with the mold issue weighing on me. (I'm still waiting to hear from the folks who are supposed to help fix it.) It's difficult for me to enjoy my time while all this is up in the air. I'm one who likes things done.
I feel relief at getting to fav beach for pics, n for getting the lawn done. The next big relief will be getting the work done in the back room, n getting my things back again. I'm hoping this doesn't stretch on indefinately into fall, so I still can't be comfortable in here for so much time. I need to dwell on other stuff.
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Well, the positive side is, I'm cleaning up alot which needed sorting n ditching. I'd like to have the time to do more tho, n sleep too. It's hard to feel so tired all the time. I'll try to keep shifting focus to walking in ocean breaks (sore feet are soothed), n eating chocolate ice cream more often.
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It's now alot of work to lift my spirits. Of course hitting the lottery jackpot could work wonders... ! It's one of my fav dreams,
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"What would I do right now if...?"
- Pay folks to do all this lifting n moving stuff down the stairs in the heat
- get a nice hotel room before I buy a new, bigger home with alot of storage space
- ditch the night job
- sleep as long as I feel like all week
- visit folks like MB n Nene
- concentrate on procrastinated art projects, n just goof off doodling all the time
- Spend time lounging n reading outdoors while the weather's still warm
- buy a boat to paddle around the coves
- buy a new 22mpxl cam to get way better quality pics
- plan some travels n send my folks postcards
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Wow, this all sounds so much better than what I'm doing lately!
(There, that helps)

Unspace

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A wild beauty was peeking out from a tight spot between rocks n a hard place on the D-bridge last week.

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Rain n more rain for Day Off today. The lawn remains wild. All the available yard blossoms to spy are stunted n mis-hapen this week. Some squiggly-looking brown-eyed-Susans finally arrived in my deck containers, but are tall n falling over in the heavy rain. The little one in the lawn by the front walk (shown in Fall leaves Awhile Back) now has three flower stalks, but they are very tiny.

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I'm depressed to see today that my Sage herb is shriveled up. The Thyme is teeny. My time to do anything about any yard stuff is miniscule as well.

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Missed sleep has me feeling very exhausted. My arms are sore from work with added daily wall-washings of vinegar. Some box sorting, n repacking is getting done, but the carrying to the truck n making trips across town is slow. I managed a trip in a downpour before the space place closed tonight. I'm tired of spending my free time this way.

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Meanwhile, back in the useable part of my little apartment, all the footage is filling in, n becoming non-functional for quickly finding any desired gizmo. Living here right now is inconvenient, to say the least.

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Feeling stressed- I can not wait until the work detail folks decide to get this all over with. Looks like it will be a long haul. I'm betting the work will cause me yet even more severe sleep deprivation n aggrivation. My mood is already grinding, n I'm ready to go off with just a little push the wrong way...

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I don't know how I'll endure living like this! I want alot of roomy space, time off, vacation, sleep, relaxing, reading, guitar playing all day, painting, sunlight, time to spend with the little ones, n friends. I don't have any of that until further notice.

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It all seems so unfair- to be robbed of my normal home life, n still have to pay for it. To have no room to function, n still pay full rent, n for storage too. I'm paying with lost time n activities that could earn me the catch-up on bills bux I need. So far I've lost all the sleep, done all the work, n done all the paying, while no one else has been inconvenienced at all...

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Hopefully, I'll survive this somehow, n hang tough like the little flower did at the bridge, 'til all the water washes these troubles away...

SeaCraft

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Many sea craft were in the narrows, some parked at commercial wharfs for the season, other small craft stopping by the public Center wharf . Regular ESR readers may recognize the "Relic" in dry-dock to the far right from a post pic awhile back. It makes folks think of "The Minnow."

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I have an affinity for boats, due to having spent six years of my past repairing outboard motors. When I look at these vessels, I'm reminded of the little Italian wise-guy I worked for who's passed on. He had so many stories, n so much to teach. I don't know why I never bought my own boat yet, guess I still think I can make one from a wreck...

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This pic was taken from the same fishing pier in the previous post.

Fish Pier

Grind

It can be difficult to endure the summer week-end festivals here. There's barely a lane to drive thru in front of my house today.
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It was dry enough to mow the lawn, but too many cars were parked on the edges of it, so nevermind. I wanted to take a few trips out with stuff, but was so blocked in from backing out easily, nevermind.
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I'm reminded why I don't like being in the city. Too many people... I couldn't sleep well due to all the slamming doors as visitors parked. So altho I allotted six hours to sleep, it was interrupted. This building is far from sound proof, n also tends to vibrate with loud noises outdoors.
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I'd waited hours before errands, n the traffic was the worst it's been in town all year. I was even blocked in the gas station with a motorcycle caravan coming from the festival way on the other side of town. I stopped for a few center wharf pics. It was backed up down the Ave all the way home, n alot of time was wasted sitting there.
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Things just didn't get done today as originally planned, so now the rest of the week, while working again, will be back to double-duty. I'm feeling so fatigued, I kinda have to take it easy, tho am stressed knowing I can't afford to...
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There's a fan exhausting the air out the backroom window now, to improve indoor air quality, n a sheet of plastic over the door. The mold (poisoning) has been affecting me, so I have to be careful not to spend lots if time in there. Priority is the wall-washing with vinegar which kills mold naturally, to slow it down. The black stuff had been spreading, n darkening both walls all the way over, floor to ceiling on the wall surface. Only the corner has it inside the plaster tho-
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Some re-packing is getting done today. The old boxes are so dusty, n the mildewed ones need to be tossed before relocating to unaffected areas. I found the old, gold-leaf, bone-china tea cups from France in the dingiest box! Two of the set are chipped- So finally got them bubble-wrapped in a plastic tub. Next will be the small, china, horse statue collection, n the large Breyer model horses collected all thru my childhood (over 50). If I could part with these things, I could get alot of bux. (whenever I get time to devote to the task, that is).
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My back-room emptying has considerably slowed this week. I'd so rather sort than miss-mash a bigger mess for later. There's quite a bit to go thru in storage already. I feel tired just thinking of all this to do. I'd rather feel relaxed n play with paints n music. I'd rather not dwell on this negative, moldy situation, or even have to deal with it at all! (*rats*)
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Back to the grindstone...

Vas Es Los?

What is this? What happened to the scenic water, the pretty blossoms? Tales of fish n toe-dipping? What has been robbing SnaggleTooth of her beloved blogging fun?

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Folks, this is what happens when you tell the property manager that the gutters need help ASAP in June, n then they don't do anything at all for the entire rainy month of July.

Voila, August- finally hazy, very hot, n humid. But no swimming or sun basking, or time for anything you'd normally do. Only time to try to out-run the mold, n run damage control!

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This small apartment has no decent closets. This was my storage room where I was keeping collectables, memorbelia, paper account info, books, supplies, dress clothes on a rack, odd stage props, n many, many odd boxes to sort thru. After six days in a row with three or less hours of sleep per day I'm finally down to one-half, inside wall of boxes left to go thru.

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My storage space across town, which was rented for my mother's old piano which won't fit in here, is now chock full of stuff I never wanted to put there. I'm totally stressed out n exhausted. Angry is a major understatement.
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All regular chores are on hold. The lawn is a mile high, along with the ragweed pollen head-ache. To top things off, I hurt my foot (sprain?) on the broken cement stairs carrying out heavy boxes in the dark after work the other night. I had to hurry n move as much as possible before the Insurance adjuster appointment.

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Not one night of work was missed. The past two were hopping along trying not to flex the offending foot, which is near impossible. I no longer wanna wear a shoe, n will try to dig out my old orthopedic flop soon. (it's buried under a new, taller pile). I have to wear closed shoes at work for safety anyways (darn).

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I'm so desparate for rest with feet up it isin't funny...

Hitched

The Happy couple had a great time, n are ready for a life of Bliss, beginning with a trip to Tahiti. Wish I could meet them there- I really need a vaca!

My out-of-state trip went well. Got lots of hugs n danced a bit. Saw all my siblings for the first time in years.

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Am now home safe n tired. Thanks for all your well-wishes! Must zzz a couple hours before getting back to work before work...