Here is a sample of our one and a half hour ride home with CA’s shattered shoulder to nurse along. It is only 51 seconds but you’ll get the feel of it. Normally it is a thrill to catch a boisterous sea. She was in some pain and at the time didn’t know anything about the seriousness of the break.
From Monhegan to Port Clyde MaineIt’s September the 13th. Last year it was a nice mild to warm month – not hot – and quite enjoyable. This year it is cool. I said cool to a pal up on Sebec Lake yesterday and he corrected me: COLD he said – all caps.
I am sitting here gathering up what I think I have to get done this week and the cold is seeping in through my sweat shirt down into my hide. I finally decided to make the first fire of the season in my little Waterford box. Some kindling is all, but enough to take the chill off. It only dropped to 49 or 50 last night. Much warmer by a degree or two than predicted. But after a week or so of this it begins to soak in and one’s tolerance for it wears thin. Ye ha! Every year we go through this little game of pretending we don’t need any heat and then we look at each other with our warm clothes on inside and think, “Hey, we’re moderately well educated and aware people. You’d think we might be able to figure out it’s cold enough for some heat”. Like it’s not a contest to see who can hold out longest. Now that I have struck the first match, it won’t take as much emotional toll next time. It’s just early for a fire. Too damned early. We’re having the upstairs windows replaced beginning in a week and a half. It would be nice not to have frigid air coming in when they remove the old ones. Last year when the downstairs was done the weather was perfect. You just can’t count on anything anymore where weather is concerned. We are also going out to Monhegan Island for four days on the 20th. It really would be nice to have some warm and dry weather for that. We’ve been going out there for something like 15 years now and have encountered every kind of weather. You go prepared for what it can do not what you hope it will do. Not a bad philosophy for life, I would think. Anyway, it’s cool – umm, well I should say cold. I can feel the warmth migrating over here from the little cast iron stove already. A refill on my cup of darkroast seems in order. May this find you well and engaged at the beginning of your week. Jerry HendersonSo it is 48? here presently – 7:30 AM. No fire up here but a nice sweat shirt will do. Bare legs hanging out and your wonderful crocheted throw is warming them. Darkroast by elbow and the day looms ahead in the sunshine. It’s only Sept 11. May this find you well and full of cheer.
(Jesus! 9/11! Oh well I know what the media will be all about today, which means I will avoid media. That thing has become so political. Everything about it is somebody’s hobby horse. A simple memorial service honoring and remembering those who died, and let it go. I am surprised Hollywood hasn’t gotten a-hold of that a′la Pearl Harbor. Maybe they have. I just don’t watch much.) What really gets to me about the seasonal changes is the light. It is fading precipitously. It changes at an irregular rate – about 2 1/3 minutes per day at this latitude and at this time of year. September seems to give it a kick in the ass and it just seems to fade faster. It’s the emotional effect that has the greatest impact.The tides are high now. Higher than I have “ever” noticed. I am sure that is a kind of fielder’s choice observation in meteorological terms, not unlike my perception of the fading light. I don’t stand there and watch it, but I love seeing the tides work. There are several places nearby where back waters are tidal finger-like sloughs that go far inland and flow in and out twice a day. I love it. It is perhaps my favorite regional feature. Gulf tides, when I lived there, were mostly unnoticed. (I thought that was a hyphenated word. My spell checker says no. Funny thing about spell checkers – they couldn’t care less about what word you use.)
Interesting factoid: Yesterday 9/10, now that I think of it, was the 61st anniversary of the “first time” I got married. That seems like another galaxy far far away. We eloped across the border into Mississippi, where such expeditious services could be found. We stood before the mantle in Judge Lee’s parlor with his wife in attendance. He wore the khakis he was working in, she removed her apron and we wore plain “dating style” clothes. Skirt, slacks and light colored tops as I recall. Nobody with any brains at all would have done that. But brains were not required at the time. I think it remains the custom today. It lasted 27 years. Three great kids. Must have been something there. It was probably a high tide day. Or a full moon. I guess I could check that out. As you can see I have nothing to say. I hope all is well for you this weekend. It will be quiet here with some random wood stacking, and possibly the last grass cutting and of course some gardening wrap-up. Be well dear Friend JHBig deal! We’ve had worse storms that were unannounced and did not rate one line in the papers. There was a little rain. Not a breath of wind. A candle would have survived. Lots of nervous anticipation and getting ready. The air this morning is still and heavy and at least cooler at 70?. All in all, this was an ocean storm.
That bunch of motor mouths on the tabloid Weather Channel, with heads full of dental masterworks, fairly worked the Eastern Seaboard into a frenzy which, of course, is their intent. I’m not complaining about the weather. I just get so tired of the continuous “over the top” reporting, a’la blood and guts news, that passes for information.
I read the National Weather Service on line. Not that what I do is best, but it is what I do. No emotional content. Just the facts, mam. It contains all the information you need without the patronizing attitude. Those Weather Channel bozos actually want us to think they are in the life saving business.
It’ll be a slow weekend around here. I’ll go for a walk. Cook down the fresh pasta sauce I made yesterday (talk about wonderful – and we are thankful for the harvest of great tomatoes). I’ll continue down the list of never ending chores here on the edge of the woods and read. God knows I love to read. Since the eyes got fixed, I can read all night it seems. This is both good and bad. I have to learn moderation. I can spell moderation. That’s about it. Be well and stay tuned JHBig storm is-a coming. I’ll take in the clothes. I’ll being in the beans and pick tomatoes. I’ll tie down the deck chairs and lay down the umbrella. I’ll plug in the generator and stock up the refrigerator. I’ll keep an eye out for alligators (No wait, that was another place and another storm) I’ll read my news aggregator before the web shuts down. I’ll check on the gin, the makings for biscuits and make sure the lard hasn’t gone bad. I’ll lay out my books and paper and pencil. I’ll line up my lights and batteries on the side. I’ll prime the oil lamp, lay out the cards, dominoes and the hard candy.
It could be worse. It might be worse. Be ready for what it can do, not what I think it’ll do.
That’s what I always say.
I’m a morning coffee head. I have this little cheap drip coffee maker that turns out a five cup load in about five minutes. It has a timer on it. I can set it to go off at any time I choose. It cost around 15 bucks at Target. I figured that I could now wake up and coffee would be waiting for me instead of fumbling around in a somnambulant morning fog. I love it. It’s the simple routine pleasures that count.
Recent Comments