Yesterday was a pretty busy day, with me doing my rounds in the morning, my Fitbit recorded I climbed over 75 flights of stairs, a new record for me. There is a lot of walking around involved in this gig! It also happened to be Opening Day at Fenway Park, although the home team lost. Anyways, here’s a pic of when I went a couple of years ago to commemorate opening day.
Spring has finally sprung! Baseball season is underway, Marathon Monday is in 17 days, and swan boats are just around the corner (April 15, to be exact).
Just updated the website software to the latest version. Hopefully it should all be good. I’ll be playing around with the new features in posts over the next couple of days.
I like how this picture of a bouquet of flowers I took came out. What do you think? The daffodils outside are starting to bloom, which is nice to see. It will soon be time to visit the gardening supply store and pick up our customary complimentary specimens to adorn the areas. One thing I definitely want to pick up are more Bacopas. They bloomed all last spring, summer, and fall last year so I want to keep that going. I was very impressed with that flower’s output. We had a beautiful blue-based variety that was very attractive. Would love to get that again.
I had some time today to finally get my hair cut. I love going for the high and tight.
Crocus Blue, almost looks like a painting but it’s real.
When crocuses begin to emerge from the ground amid the winter’s dead debris, you know spring has finally arrived!
Currently reading: Quantum Care: A Deep Dive into AI for Health Delivery and Research. I won this one on a Goodreads giveaway so I figured I might as well read it, although I don’t remember applying to try to win this one. No matter, I find the subject matter interesting.
I had to go down to the pet store and get Carson another fountain because his finally died. They only had the smart version of the fountain that he likes so I ended up getting that, even though it’s more money and we really don’t need to smart functionality but I felt he couldn’t wait until I could find a dumb one, so here we are. This one does have a nice stainless steel top though while the dumb version was only plastic. Hopefully he’ll dig this one as much as the last one. Other than the stainless top and smart functionality, this fountain is essentially the same as this last one.
I’ll never get tired of visiting or viewing the Nubble.
Tall, steady beacon
Guiding ships through stormy seas
Lighthouse, steadfast friend
How did you like my little lighthouse haiku there? Not too shabby. Also this pic I took of the Nubble was from a little while back, but I still love the way it came out.
Today I started out with a trip to Wegman’s to pick up some groceries. Then later on in our travels taking care of some errands and getting out of the house to enjoy the sunny spring weather, we noticed the local school baseball team was doing a car wash so we had the ball players wash the car. The cost was whatever you wanted to donate, so that was cool. The car really needed it!
Most of the afternoon was spent taking a trip over to Jordan’s Furniture to look for a sofa bed and maybe get some other ideas for the office. Really want to find a sofa bed which they didn’t seem to have although there were some cute little loveseats, which may be a possibility. One thing we noticed while there is that apparently there’s now a Montilio’s Bakery and Pizzeria inside! We were a little thrilled to see that because we loved the food from the Quincy location. We were on the verge of buying some food there, but ultimately decided it wasn’t worth the wait, so we left and returned home after donating some books to some small local libraries that we had been hoarding for months. a phase of the recent spring cleaning binge.
Instead for lunch we ended up having some shrimp cocktail that we had gotten the other day so we wolfed that down instead, and afterwards I made some Tofu for LD for eating later in the week for lunches.
I guess we maybe thought we would do more today, but we ended up using the rest of the day to relax. It is Sunday after all! For dinner I did bake a three cheese butternut squash lasagna which I think I’m rather proud of!
Carson “the kitty” is a typical house cat who spends his day lazing around and entertaining his human family. But, even a typical day for a cat like Carson is full of interesting moments and surprises. Carson starts his day early, as soon as the sun rises, usually after a night of his snoring. Like all cats, he is a creature of habits and has his own routine. He stretches his legs, yawns (a lot, I once counted 12 in a row at one time) and looks for his first meal of the day, his crunchies. Unlike other cats he likes to “paw” them out of the bowl before eating them. He does that with his water fountain too.
He wanders around the house until he finds his string toys, which are littered all around the house. After breakfast, Carson takes a stroll checking out everything and anything that’s new or interesting or out of place. He watches birds from the window ledge and his cat trees and takes the occasional nap in a sunny spot. Carson’s human family is busy getting ready to leave the house for the day, so he will spend some time trying to snuggle up in his favorite places in a sunny spot, although he doesn’t really like to be left alone. He overheard his daddy once call it something like separation anxiety. As the day progresses, Carson loses himself in his thoughts and daydreams. He imagines himself chasing mice, and playing with his human guardians. He dozes off and wakes up a while later to stretch his paws and flex his claws on his scratching post. In the afternoon, Carson likes to play a little with his humans. They toss him a toy and he paws at it with glee. He is especially enamored with a catnip laced cloth ice cream cone and his Dr. Pussums pillows, which his momma thoughtfully purchased on getaway trips up north.
He also loves a brushing and purrs contentedly as his humans stroke his fur. He also squawks when he wants something or feels that his very important needs are not being met. Sometimes (oftentimes!) rather loudly. He certainly knows how to get attention and his points across when need be.
Finally, when evening comes, Carson is alert and ready for his dinner, mostly a tuna concoction that his human daddy has to mush up with some water to a consistency that he finds acceptable. And of course some treats! Afterward, he indulges in some more playtime or maybe looking out the front door as evening approaches before settling down for the night. He curls up on his favorite spot, usually next to his human momma on the ottoman and as his eyes slowly close, he knows that tomorrow will bring a new adventure. Carson’s day in the life is full of simple pleasures, routines, and a lot of love. As his human family looks on affectionately, they know that even though Carson does not speak (at least not in English), his quirky habits and charming personality bring them joy and happiness every day.
I had some time this morning to head over to Earth-1 and visit the Trader Joe’s over there, where I was finally able to procure the bunny potted planters that LD had been looking for. I grabbed up three of them. Two for LD and one for my own mom. Then I did head across the street to Union Square Donuts and got some treats over there. Got LD a vegan donut, hope she likes it!
In other news, I think we’ve been doing our job too well, as the Chief now wants us to concentrate on just certain areas and not worry about the others anymore. Fine with me, makes my job a lot easier.
Today was spent filing my taxes, which is always enjoyable to do. While I generally finish it by mid-February, this year was probably the latest I’ve ever started. However, I wanted to be sure I had all the necessary paperwork.
Spring Crocuses
I went down to the post office this morning to get some mailing materials. LD plans on shipping out a couple of things so I had to make sure all the required packaging is ready.
Yesterday we tried looking for some of those bunny planters but came up empty at the Trader Joe’s at Gillette Stadium. I plan on going to Somerville toward the end of the week, so if I have time I might try to hit the one down there at Assembly Square and see if they have them in yet. While I’m there I might also try to pick up some Union Square Donuts because the ads they’ve been showing me lately have got me wanting to try some of their more interesting creations.
I’ve started to place some of the plants outside that I’d been trying to keep alive inside during the winter. I think the weather will be warm enough now for them to be out there. I’ll probably head down to the Home Depot later today and pick up some leaf bags because there’s a bunch of leave detritus I want to get rid of and trim some of the foliage in the front of the house. Spring cleaning time.
Speaking of spring cleaning, we did clean out a couple of closets and some of the stuff in the basement, making progress on those tasks. In the evening we made a lot of meatballs.
Currently Reading: Born To Run, by Bruce Springsteen, and The Icepick Surgeon, a book about scientists who did things that weren’t all that ethical. And also The Joy of X: A Guided Tour of Math from One to Infinity. So I guess you could say I’m on quite a reading tear so far this year.
I was so happy this morning when I saw a bunch of robins frollicking all around the grass in the driveway. I always see this as a sign of spring.
Today being St. Patrick’s Day I wanted to wear something green, until I realized that I really don’t own any green clothing, except for maybe a Celtics hoodie. Green’s just not my color. We did get some corned beef dinner though and also LD was able to procure some Irish soda bread from a gym friend as well. The one time all year that I actually eat corned beef.
I confess I love the clouds in the summer blanketed against an ocean of light blue sky.
I confess I love the ocean and the soft cool sea breezes and the things that live beneath it.
I confess I love the snow softly falling on Christmas Eve masking everything in white.
I confess I love the moonlight lighting up the summer night.
I confess I like the look of innocence in a baby's eyes.
But the only thing I'll ever miss
is you.
I wrote those words something like over twenty years ago. They were about no-one in particular, just a moment of creativity. Maybe they’re more applicable today than ever. I still like them.
Although I’m not really sure what I did, I seem to have tweaked my back just between the shoulder blades. It’s not too awful, but it bothers me enough to make me aware that it’s there. Joys of joys.
Had some things to get down over in Wellesley this afternoon and after we got that done, LD treated me to some Captain Marden’s for lunch and herself, and she also got an orange tea and some cookies from Tatte. Isn’t she the best?
On some even better news, got some excursions coming up that I’m getting all hyped up about. A visit to the Catskills, a tea party ritual, baby goat cuddles at sunset, a summer trip to the Cape, and more! I’m very excited to see and do these adventures! I’m hoping to take some good pictures on these outings as well, perhaps on par with the one I’ve included in this post from a visit to the Nubble a while back.
Well, I went outside today and did my job in the punishing rain and snow. I could have chosen an alternate day, but I thought today would serve as a good illustration of the various weather conditions I may encounter in the future. As I continue to conduct this kind of work, it helped me see what I will need to change in how I manage my activities. Chalk it up as a worthwhile learning exercise. Naturally, after a long day of feeling like a drowned rat, I arrived home and jumped into a hot, steamy shower. But I’m glad I did it. Builds character, Amirite?
In the early evening I finally finished my latest book read. Fascinating DNA stuff coming down the pike in the future, from creating bioweapons, to designing babies with particular traits you’d want and select, and could be all created in a lab, no man or woman needed (just the DNA cells from the parents, whether man/woman or any other combination), to GMO foods and future cures (how did you think the vaccine was created so quick?), to bringing back extinct species. Naturally it’s also scary if controls aren’t put on some of these things, but these things are coming, probably by within the next 50 years. You’ve been warned!
Maybe other folks know of this trick, but I just learned of it today. Did you know that you can send a text message to an email address, so that the message shows up in someone’s email instead of to their messaging program? All you have to do is use the recipient’s email address instead of their phone number.
Like I said, I never knew this could be done, or actually ever thought about why you would do this, perhaps as another way to get a message to someone? It’s still good to know though. Never know when it could come in handy.
My Acorn Street Boston pic was just recently shared on the Roundtrip New England Instagram page where it’s getting a bunch of love there. Little did I know that that photo would resonate with so many people. Maybe I’ll make that one for sale sometime.
While I’m out on my beat tomorrow I hope the weather cooperates somewhat!
We had guests come over yesterday so we baked a bunch of things, plus we had a bunch of ingredients and things we needed to use up so why not cook them up and eat them?
The “mousse”
First up, Blondie brownies and after that butternut squash using the Instant Pot which was then created to be used in a mousse (using a recipe we obtained from the waitress from the Capital Grille that we visited last week), although we did order takeout for dinner and had salads and burgers from a place I hadn’t been to in years and went to only once in town, called Colonial House. It’s sort of tucked away in a residential neighborhood on a side street. The kitchen is literally right there by the entrance when you go in, which I find odd compared to most restaurants where the kitchen is in the back, but it’s okay. Surely a location the locals would be familiar with, as I think most people not from the area would have trouble finding it or even learning of it. We devoured delectable cupcakes for dessert after the main courses, but I believe we overindulged because by the end of the evening we felt a little stuffed. I hadn’t consumed so much food in a while.
Today we also roasted some Delacota squash (I don’t think I’ve ever had this type pf squash before, come to find out, I felt it tasted like butternut squash, with the added benefit of that you can eat the skin which made prep so much easier) , and LD and I also made some cashew based vegan-ish cheddar broccoli soup! A new recipe, one we’ve never tried before, first time! Result? It’s actually not bad. If you’re interested you can find the recipe we used here. (We actually ended up using the Instant Pot because we felt it was easier, you can find details about that preperation further down the page in the comments section.)
It’s nice seeing the daffodils and tulips leaves starting to bust up through the soil. Spring is so close now I can feel it! It makes me so happy I’m wetting my plants!
Have you noticed how recently it seems like everything in our nation is failing? The supply chain is horrible, certain financial institutions are struggling, the medical system is in disarray, the airlines are all in trouble, trains are derailing, the mail sucks, etc. I simply have the impression that things are becoming worse over time when they ought to be getting better, but I don’t really see anything noteworthy being done to address the problems. Is it only me? Am I overreacting?
Looks like the utility guys are out front again this week, digging up the middle of the street and replacing the pipes. Pretty annoying to get around but I suppose it’s a necessary evil. Looks like they might done with it all by the end of the week so all in all, not too bad.
I’ve updated the site to the latest version of PHP and everything appears to working as it should, so that’s good. I always get a little bit anxious when there’s a big underlying thing going on under the hood of the site but I’m not doing anything too crazy and keep all the subroutines up to date, so it’s all good.
I’ve had some love for this Boston photo I took and have been getting quite the likes and purchase interest in my work, so that’s always good to see. I’ve made a couple of sales so far this week, which is great.
Spent some time at Earth-1 yesterday, One of the cats had to get his nails cut and then we needed to get some business done over at City Hall. You know, what’s wild, is that a couple has purchased or will be purchasing a top floor unit on the condo right next door to my mom’s house, but the crazy part is that it’s actually the niece of one of LD’s most trusted and long lasting friends. I mean, what are the odds!? That’s pretty whack, actually. I’m waiting to run into them and introduce myself. So far, only my sister has seen them. Other than that, and all the walking of the beat I did on Tuesday (perhaps I was a bit overzealous but I feel I did a damn good job), it’s been a pretty low key week so far.
There’s a great article in the latest issue of Smithsonian Magazine that talks about how this little island off the coast of Iceland is trying to save baby puffins, which as any readers to this blog must know, is my favorite bird. Worth the read if you can find it and have the time.
Another book came through from my library app, so currently reading: The Genesis Machine: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology.
Today was my first day on the beat, and it was pretty successful, although I am a little tired now, understandably so. However, for dinner I rallied and made some Chicken Sausage Parm Meatloaf with a broccoli salad which I thought actually came out pretty good. Got to regain all my strength after today!
Sunday hang brushing goats and visiting animals followed by a shamrock shake in RI
Early in the afternoon we decided to take a trip to the Sanctuary to drop off some food for the animals and we ended up staying there for a bit. Had to get in some goat brushing time after all. After hanging there for about an hour or so we headed down to Rhode Island, since it was only a half hour away from where we were, to get some vegan shamrock shakes that I place that we like was having as a March special. Minty green soft serve topped with shopmade whipped cream and gold glitter, and it was delicious!
Sometimes I wish that we had met sooner,
that the detours along the way could have been fewer.
But then something tells me we found eachother
at just the right place in our lives.
I love being with you,
You're the best thing to ever happen to me,
You're my favorite person in the world.
In you I have found: the perfect partner, the best friend, and the sweetest love that I ever imagined. I’m so happy that life has brought me to you.
Best birthday wishes to the perfect woman in the world who chose to love an imperfect man like me.
Happy Birthday "Ladydoc!"
We ended up having a lovely dinner at The Capital Grille.. Currently reading: Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks. After that I want to see if I can find the book about Ada Blackjack. Another amazing character from history that time seems to have forgotten about.
I slept much better last night, thank goodness. It was pretty warm out today, you wouldn’t realize it’s supposed to snow tonight and into tomorrow. Hoping it’s not going to be a big deal. We gots things to do!
This picture is from a place called First Encounter Beach. It’s named that because it marks the location of the first encounter between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. While the Mayflower remained in Provincetown, Captain Myles Standish and his party explored along Cape Cod Bay. While camped here they were surprised by a group of Nausets; arrows flew and shots were fired, but no harm resulted. The history made it sound like the Native Americans were the aggressors but you can’t really blame them. Well, you can read all about it here and why they might have wanted to protect themselves. Anyways, this a beach that we don’t visit all that often when we are done there but maybe we should. I’ve always gotten great shots there. This shot was actually from my first time there if you can believe that! Probably won’t be back in the area until late July but one never knows. There’s a trip or two coming up soon which will also be a first encounter experience for me.
Man am I tired today. For whatever reason I didn’t sleep very well last night, which is unlike me. It was just one of those nights where I just could not fall asleep no matter what I did. I guess I eventually did for asleep for 5 hours or so according to my smartwatch but I don’t feel very rested. Thankfully I have a massage this afternoon and I think that’ll really relax me. After that my plan is to come home, turn on the heating pad, and fall asleep on the couch. That’s the goal anyway.
Winter on the beach (I think this is one of my best shots ever)
Be present and enjoy the small things, seize every opportunity, and live completely unapologetically authentic to who you are. Life is so short, and we aren't promised tomorrow, so don't wait, but choose to live every single day!
Well, today was my training day, and next week is my start date! I anticipate it will be one of those things that becomes simpler the more I do it. I have to read through a lot of documents and get familiar with basic procedures, but it’s not too terrible. I have my login information and am ready to start. Also, I get to have a portable radio that I may use to call the station if necessary (hopefully it never would be). For communication, such as when one of us has a question or is having an issue, our team has set up a group text for communication. I realize I’m being a little vague here about all this but as of now it’s just an eight week trial. If it’s successful (which it should be) it would continue indefinitely. I just need to figure out how I’m going to go about my shift. Our bosses gave us leeway to pretty much design it however we want to work it, I’m just afraid I might miss something but I don’t think they’re going to be too hard-core about it.
Next week sometime I’m going to upgrade this site to be using PHP v8.1. I hope and do not anticipate any problems but just giving you guys a heads up if something does go wrong and the page disappears. But like I said, it should be ok.
