Happy New Year

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Looking forward to a better year for us all as we embark on our life journey into 2011.

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Have fun, everyone. Be safe.

No party for me, or resolutions, or watching the ball drop, just another workday...

(Post was pre-scheduled)

Over the Cove

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Day over
Night mask descends
Year over
On memories depend
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Snowy cold
Time grows old
Icy cold
Forward bold
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Over the cove
Reflections
Old dreams
Apprehensions
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Day ends
Snowy clean
Year begins again
Icy Gleam
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Poem by Snaggle Tooth today

What's On?

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Wow, blogland sure is quiet lately! Alot of folks I like to read took the vacation from blogging route this holiday season. I haven't slowed down here much... just checking out the next button feature alot.

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Not alot of good stuff has been on TV either, except blizzard news. Looks like alot of places like New Jersey n New York got nailed with accummulation, n folks are stuck with after holiday travel all over the USA. Guess it's a good thing I couldn't go anywhere this year!

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Here on the Cape we seem to have got the least of it, luckily, except the winds. There's alot of branches in the yard. It was too windy out there n my pics were all fuzzy, but these ones. (Yes, these are the downstairs junk out in the snow).

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Snow depth has been not bad, under a foot, n the roads two days later have much less ice now, tho it's been under freezing temps most of this after storm time.

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Other shorelines in MA got badly flooded with the tidal storm surge, Scituate got the worst, plus inaccessable fires. Plymouth lost some sea wall n a restaurant. We faired pretty well considering what other folks got from Blizzard '10.

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After getting off-line during the storm the other night, one of my pet peeves did me in.

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After the extended until midnight special storm coverage, they showed the delayed classic movie "The Sound of Music." Finally, a real show to watch! I waited for all my fave spots of the film. Wouldn't you know it- Every spot I looked forward to seeing, the "Raindrops on Roses" scene, the part where the Captain tells Maria he loves her, n the near escape from the Nazi's at the end- All three were rudely interrupted with weather updates! Unbelievable-

Wouldn't do to cut off commercials I guess...

(Nothing's on TV but the snow ha-ha-grrh!)

Blizzard '10

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While working on Christmas Day evening, a plan was formulated to deal with today's blizzard storm throughout our company's delivery area. I had to be at work many hours early, n production was cranked out to leave as soon as possible. So I didn't get much sleep.

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There were a couple inches when I drove to work in the snowstorm, n it raged wildly while we worked away. The power only went out twice for a short time. Then we left for the white-knuckled drive home. Luckily the snow had turned to sleet n then rain, so there was only about three, compacted, wet inches to contend with on slushy roads.

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After shoveling I realized I haven't been home so early on a work-night- before ten o'clock! Leftover, homemade, chicken soup sure hit the spot, n I read for awhile after discovering no good primetime shows besides special storm coverage were on.

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The winds are really up out there! News reported about 70 mph winds on parts of the Cape. The entire NE USA is getting a good whollup. Thunder snow has been observed here also.

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Due to all these happenings I still haven't caught up on good sleep. Tho I got home early I still didn't get any good shows to watch. Tonight's pic was taken after the snow last week... Another day of work driving in nasty weather is ahead of me before I'll get a chance for taking current pics.
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What a tangle I let myself get caught up in before I get to unwind sometimes.

Here comes more thumderstorms again.

Better post quick n get offline-

Merry Time

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For Merry Day, this is a pic from out in the yard of my upstairs hall window, where I put up a string of multi-colored Christmas lights in the improvised shape of a tree. They double as a much needed light for getting up the stairs after work, too
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This year I only have a seven-inch, wire with green glitter tree from the Dollar Tree on my table. So here is my larger symbolic tree.
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Oh yeah, I almost forgot about posting another pic from that lighted theme park home down the street...










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Plenty of trees to go around!
(Without killing any-)

Have a Merry Christmas Holiday Readers!
(I'm bringing candy to work...)

Dec Do-dads

You could call my decorations this year sparce. These nifty appliques are so cool, I tried to take close ups of them a good ten times... This is as good as it got. Well, they are teeny-weeny!

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I never hung up the Wooden Snowman this year, he's still standing on the kitchen table with some shells.

I'll admit Little Magnetic Fuzzy Santa spent the whole year on the refrigerator door keeping me company during early a.m. meals!

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Yep, Santa is pooped! He'd much rather play with computer paint programs than wrap stuff.

Oh well, back to the List!

Update on Slippin'

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Yay! My probs of yesterday have melted away! I want to thank you all for your support n all those prayers you sent, because they worked very well!
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I woke up early, the landlord folks came down, n got the downstairs all nipped n tucked for the cold. The kids won't be allowed back, because the place was trashed, n needs tons of work now.
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The heat was shut all the way off! Not only were storm windows not down, but windows were actually broken n removed frame n all! No wonder I was so chilly- Both the smoke n Carbon Monoxide detectors were malfunctioning! That's not the worst of it- They left a mattress in the basement leaning on the gas furnace!
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Praise, Glory, Halleluhah! TG I'm alive n ok!
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That's all been taken care of now. Windows were replaced, closed, nailed closed, batterries replaced, heat was put on 55F below, n now I have keyes to check down there, plus assurance that won't happen again, n neighbors keeping an eye out to make sure they don't break back in when I'm not here. They'd obviously broken in thru several windows during their stay.
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Walls n floors were cracked. All the furniture will be dumped, the trash will be removed. I'll help out with some of the pick-up (beer bottles, yard, ect). I even got some help with a Little Truck issue before the snow began again.
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Now, back to the Pre-Xmas-Sprint!
(Thankyou Creator n Friends!)

Slippin'

Time to set the ice, n slide along nice- Well that's how the ride was this week around here! One of the delivery drivers in Barnstable had a turn without brakes n rolled over this week. Poor young guy has a back injury. One of the funnier folks at work too, n he'll be missed.

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I like how this top pic looks like a skating rink. It feels like one in here tonight. Well, I should be very careful what I wish for. I wished the downstairs folks would hurry n leave n they did. I forgot to add in the "so I can sleep" part of the wish quick enough, I think.

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(Love this pic!)

Well yes, they packed up n went bye-bye-Yay! Not even two hours after that, the intermittent beeping of a low-battery fire dector began! I find it difficult to sleep thru that evey minute alarm. I hope the battery dies all the way soon! Now, after nightfall, it's apparent they turned the heat almost all the way off. The top of the stairwell registers 50F, n heat rises. (Slightly illegal for landlords). Yep, young, smart folks in college can be so clueless, even if they're good at school...

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The heat downstairs hasn't kicked on once since they left. Hopefully, the pipes are good until someone comes to check the place, cause my pipes go thru their walls... It is feeling a bit icy in here, especially the floor. I'll soon be digging out those rugs again for the laminated kitchen floor which has my toes blue thru two pairs of socks plus slippers.

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Downstairs has gas heat, up here I'm all very expensive electric, which I always keep set low about 60F. Luckily my numerous thermometers prove it's more than my imagination I'm chillin out at home, literally! TG I got my hot-water jelly jars in sock to tote around. I'm not getting enough done tho- so much for getting in gear, quick! Back under the blanket!

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Now tomorrow I have so many daytime errands n calls to do, I won't sleep much anyway, even if the alarm stops beeping downstairs. Oh well!

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Finally, somebody Binged a post from ESR! They searched "Vas Es Los? " n got

ExitStageRight: Vas Es Los? with the teaser "What is this? What happened to the scenic water, the pretty blossoms? Tales of fish n toe-dipping?..." I'll tell you what happened to it! - It's all ice !

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So "Ice" is the theme of the day, n not alot of Xmas chores are taking place. I guess half a granted wish is better than nothing granted!
Hope skating ahead is a bit smoother.... (N For you too!)

White Coat

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MapleBeard is showing off his new coat. The Cape has been officially nailed with about 8 to 10 inches of snow. I took this pic out the kitchen window before going to sleep yesterday.
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Cleaning off Little Truck took so long before work, that I abandoned my errand plan for the day. Then I had to walk the un-shoveled pathway into work, n clean Off Little Truck again to leave. By the time I got back from work I had to shovel to get in the driveway. Finally I got inside to warm up after 3 am. More fluff from the ocean storm is expected during my Days Off.
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The past two days in a row I've been waking up constatly due to down stairs nieghbor noise. Turns out the semester is over n they're moving out tomorrow- Yay! I hope he meant all of them... Well, at least all that furniture finally got moved off the porch. I just hope they didn't put it back in downstairs after being outdoors for four months, because there'd be some serious insects hiding in the apholstery. Let's hope not...
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All my Xmas stuff to do is getting seriously sidelined due to enduring these recent conditions. I hope to get back to the grindstone soon. I've been ready for that white coat...
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Happy Soltice!
We just had a clouded over lunar eclipse too.

Colored Lights

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One of the best parts about the holiday season is the light displays folks put up on their homes n businesses. Some folks take extra drives just to go around to see the pretty lights. Every neighbor hood has that one over-achiever display style like a theme park house.

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I drive past our friendly neighborhood display on over-drive in the dark almost every day. This week I finally stopped to get a few shots. In years past I've discovered how difficult it can be to get a useable pic of the small lights. I've also found it's difficult to get good altered images from them. I've managed a few transformed ones to share upcoming on ESR as Holiday Rush Week rounds the bend toward next week-end's goal date, to add to the festivities.

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Getting all my stuff done is always challenging. The upcoming week is forecasting snow for Sunday night, n on my Day's Off, so I'll be very challenged even trying to get errands accomplished. This forecast has jump-started an early store rush, n I sure hate lines!

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This week one of my co-workers proclaimed they didn't like blue Xmas lights! Because they're not in keeping with the red n green color scheme of Xmas. I happen to like the blue ones best! I think these purple ones on the eaves in the pic are great, too!

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The ones I don't prefer would be the plain white ones, which abound thru my victorian village here.

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Are you displayng colored outdoor lights this year?

Which colors or styles do you prefer seeing?

Fuzzy Details

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So cold the travels

Like glass so smooth
Slick n wise
All sneaky disguise.

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To wander the paths

Turn off to lose

Slide n maul

A crusty free fall

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Do freeze the pane

Snap frame do ruse

Slam n crack

A trusty sly Jack

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......... Poem by Snaggle Tooth today

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Little J is getting older this week (center in pic), n had his party this week-end.

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He's lucky to have so many good friends both at school n at home. BBM put together a Harry Potter n Hogwarts theme party.

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There was a full, art array Wand Station, (of course I made one),

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a Hogwarts school crest cake, Hoodsie ice cream cups, a fruit platter, n cheeze curls.

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Little B is halfway to six now...



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I regret not getting pics of the little, stuffed owls with goody cauldrons as favors, but they were cute. I again had a tough time getting good shots of all the really fast moving Little Ones darting about in the crowd. I got alot of back of head shots!

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I wonder what the one-year-old thinks of all this...



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Monty Rex, a robot toy, was the star present, among alot of excellent booty.

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I was really tired n had to hurry off for work- But found time to upload pics n play with the Monty pic after work- I should really just sleep- after having missed rest to attend.


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Well, off I go-
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Have a magical week J !

Icy Pond

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After rushing out to a dump run before 4pm on last Day Off, I took the opportunity to meander on the way back past the Mill Pond on the west end of town just before all the daylight retired.
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It's been really cold here, alright- Look at the glossy ice forming. I think the ice has a nifty effect on the reflection quality. I wouldn't try to walk across it tho!
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Maybe after the single digit temps out there now the ice'll get thicker, but this isin't a good skating zone, with a dam on the other side.
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I'm pretty chilly- can't wait to get under the warm blankets today! BbrrhH! TG for old jelly jars full of hot kettle water in a sock- or I'd feel frozen too! Now I just have to brave a shower before beddy-bye, but the cold has me procrastinating.
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I didn't think all the other versions I did of it came out as well as this one, which also highlights the ice.

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Have a lovely week-end while I'm working...

5

I've recently been taking a trip down Old File Memory Lane. In Dec 2005 I answered a ton of tag questions I'd saved. In year 2010 I want to see how I'd re-answer some of these questions. It's been ages since I've tried to answer anything but comments!

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After a long, crazy 2005 image search, due to horribly labeling folders awhile back, I finally found a couple .(whew!)

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Here's the answer to one question:

(Answers posted 5 years ago)

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... 5 years ago...

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I had the same computer! (but not updated) I'd just begun blogging on ESR as an experiment. Previously, I'd done several free websites n knew some HTML code, at least. I used to journal on paper alot more. I didn't have a working Camera, n original images to post were scarce. I directly scanned in actual leaves n old pics. I'd begun making some greeting card images in PaintShop Pro. (Image at top used for one, "Red Koala" made from it today).

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There were only two Little Ones in my life who were infants. I was driving the same Little Truck. Mischief was only 6 years old. Her sister Turtle was still here. I was applying for jobs, n had to start working evening hours in January '06.

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I only had downstairs folks to deal with in the summertime. Otherwise I was rested! I really miss that... (Those restful, very quiet winters...)

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(This scan has Trumpet flower berries in it)

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N 5 years ago today, I wrote about the anniversary of John Lennon's death n his effect on my soul.

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Thirty years ago, I lived in a third floor apartment on the west side of town, n had little babies. I was alone that night when I heard that news. I ran across the hall to the neighbors n friends, Larry n June, who ran a local petshop. We all were pretty shaken about it. I'm glad I had some company to help me deal with that. I picked up my guitar n played "Imagine" off the top of my head for the first time.

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All this time later, I'm still upset about John being taken violently, n being robbed of his unborn music.

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Five years ago in December, I'd already made some wonderful blog buddies. This year I have more great online folks I always look forward to connecting with n reading their posts n comments.

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In 5 some things have changed, n much has stayed the same...

750

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I think this altered image came out interesting. The original was found in last Decembers pic file to play with today. In this new month I haven't yet taken any new pics. I'm hardly even getting out the door until after sundown this week-
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The weather guy on tv said today's sunset will be the earliest of the year, TG! The days will get shorter until the 21st, but the sunrise will be later instead of the sunset earlier. Still, I seem to only see the sun these days at sunrise n sunset out my kitchen window. This was taken out that same window. For some reason I chose not to post the pic last year, even tho I do really like it.


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Here's that very simplified form n color effect again.
I've started wearing long johns to work this week, it's getting that cold here. We might even be getting some snow flurries the next few days. Maybe I'll take pics of the neighbors junk in the yard with snow on it... If I can get out there before dark, that is.
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Oh well, at least I can see pretty stuff n sunshine on ESR today. It's about time for those icicles too!
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Here comes another few nights of work....
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Yes, this is actually post number 750 of the original ESR!