Back from the holidays down along the Jersey Shore. Although not everything on this trip went according to plan, I did make a new bond with my nephew doggo (running with him along the beach pretty much cemented the deal) and there were some fun moments. One cool thing we saw was an InSinkErator hot water tap in a friend’s kitchen that we got to see while we were down there. That thing is pretty sweet. Instant hot water from a mini tap right next to the regular faucet. Visited a bagel place that had weirdo bagels like a Doritos bagel, an Oreo cookie bagel, etc. They weren’t that good actuallty.
Every year, you make a resolution to change yourself. This year, make a resolution to be yourself.
If you did me wrong, I forgive you. If we stop talking, I love you. If you feel I did you wrong, I sincerely apologize for it.
My heart will be pure & my head will be clear.
Only love ,gratitude, and positive mindset.
Currently Watching: American Nightmare (Netflix) and old One Tree Hill episodes. LD’s sister has gotten me into watching the series now having missed it totally the first time around. So Much Drama!
I don’t know if I ever told you guys what I do when I get up in the morning after doing the usual morning stuff that everyone does. I go and work my brain. First I head on over to The NYT games sections and bust out sessions of Wordle, Spelling Bee, Strands, and Connections. Then I go on my phone and get out my daily morning session of Boggle. I’ve been doing this routine for years now, Just something to get my gears to start spinning for the day.
Ended up doing a lot of baking yesterday evening. All kinds of treats for the holidays.
Started the day by making lemon orzo soup again! Great day for it as it’s been snowing all day. The star of tonight’s show though was attending the SOLSTICE EVENT this evening down at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. Unfortunely when it was time to go it really started snowing pretty heavy here. We gave it the old college try but took forever just to get to the highway and then that was backed up like crazy. So we decided then and there to abort the mission. It was becoming too stressful and might even be dangerous. Kind of sucks because it’s hard to get tickets but there’s always next year. We were supposed to meet up with some friends there who actually did brave the snow and got there but they were in the car for like 3 hours. So below would have been some cool pics from the event but since we couldn’t make it, there aren’t any.
Make Believe these were some cool Solstice Pictures from last night’s event
Currently Reading: Tits Up: What Sex Workers, Milk Bankers, Plastic Surgeons, Bra Designers, and Witches Tell Us about Breasts by Sarah Thornton and Oh, the Pics That You’ll Post! by Maiana Rose. That ought to finish out my year of books read. I’ll do a post of my favorites I read this year along with my usual top ten or so moments from the year. I already starting looking a little bit about what I’m going to post but that probably won’t see the light until after the new year so stay tuned for that.
Carson’s photoshoot (reminiscent of a Playboy pictorial?)
My calendar today reminded me it was Carson’s Gotcha Day! How could I have forgotten? Carson, we love you! From the moment we first saw you on Petfinder and that day we 1st met in the shelter, we knew! So lot’s of celebrating with this little guy today and giving him lots of loves.
Here’s some text I wrote about when he first came to us:
Carson Comes Home
Today was the day that we were to meet Carson, the cat that had been living in a shelter in Millis for two months. I don’t know what is was about him when we saw his picture on the website but his big round eyes, dashing grey coat with white paws, and heart-shaped nose cuteness just spoke to us like he could be the one. Around noontime was the appointment and we arrived a little early. When we were finally introduced he looked a little scared at first, but not too bad. He allowed us to brush and pet him and play with him and it was almost like an instant connection. Yes, he is a bit shy and skittish at first, because it’s all new to him, but I could tell he will adjust really fast. I could tell he would be a gentle and friendly cat. Plus, he apparently loves face-scratches which is something LD had become an expert at with Oreo, so right there is a connection that could work for us. He’s shy (but I found not overly so) and he didn’t hiss or scratch, he seemed like a real catch. I knew we could love this cat and that he also has the capability to return the favor.
It was pretty much a done deal after spending some time with the little guy. Carson was getting an all expenses paid trip to his new forever home. After all the paperwork was signed, he got placed in the carrier and I let him say goodbye to his other cat friends at the shelter, who in their own way, probably felt bittersweet. Sad that he was leaving them, but happy that he could find a loving home to be in. I’m sure the volunteers who help out at the shelter felt the same way. Also, I have to say this shelter was amazing so I’m giving a plug to Purr-fect Cat Shelter. They are really a wonderful folks doing good work there so if you’re looking for cat, check them out.
So with that, I’m happy to say that Carson is now a member of the family! I’ll get some nice pictures of him up after he gets a little more adjusted to his new home, that grey and white handsome bundle of joy. Interestingly I had found a Xmas tree ornament while shopping at Target last night with his exact name on it. What are the odds of that? I don’t think that’s an everyday name but it does seem to suit him, so we’ll be keeping that. Naturally we ended up buying it, so I guess it was fate that he would be coming home with us today. The shelter folks told us to keep him in a room for the time being to adjust to his new surroundings and slowly let him acclimate to the rest of the house over time, so for the time being he’s hanging upstairs in the home office room. So far, I think he seems to be adjusting quite well – it being fairly quiet here and no other cat shenanigans to worry about.
Welcome home, Carson!
Currently reading:Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America by Rebecca L. Davis
Another shot from the archives. Actually ate at this place a couple of times, including once when we were able to dine in one of their seasonal fish shacks (a private little outdoor dwelling). Being out in the crazy rain yesterday wasn’t the greatest but I survived. Thankfully one of the reindeer’s also survived getting knocked down a few times (the big daddy). He’s been put back into upright status now.
Currently Reading:The Book of Murder: A Prosecutor’s Journey Through Love and Death by Matt Murphy.
Although I was going to wait until later in the week, the weather outside today seemed pretty nice so I went ahead and installed the three lighted reindeer out front, Momma, Daddy and Baby, Other than that I really didn’t do too much today, just playing a lot of Mahjongg and some crosswords and television watching. Real couch potato action Sunday.
Confession: I only did this to be entered to possibly win some free stuff. We’ll see if it happens. The idea was to snap shots of yourself while visiting the various businesses around the square. So that’s what this is all about.
Like I said, we got a little snow yesterday but believe it or not most of it’s gone from here already, although other parts of the state got a lot more and it’s sticking around, but it’s supposed to hit the 50s again next week so it’ll surely be all gone then. Which is fine with me and actually I prefer it. We spent a part of today beginning to bring out the holiday decorations, including setting up the tree. I plan on assembling all the outdoor decorations sometime next week when it’s a little warmer. It was pretty frigid here today.
Back from a relaxing weekend getaway in Saco and Kennebunkport Maine. The sunrises in Saco were amazing and we stayed in the cutest little Airbnb right on the water. Would stay there again for sure! On Small business Saturday KPT had all these sales if you wore your pajamas so that’s what we did! Oh, we met up with our pal Em to hang out this weekend as well, and we got to meet Boomer and Pippa (not shown) again! A lot of shopping and laughs were had. It’s not as busy there as it would be during prelude but it’s pretty much the same vibe more or less so in some ways it’s better. Again, it was fun hanging out with Em, and the dogs with her pops, and again, the amazing sunrises right on the water. Thankfully it wasn’t even that cold, considering. It was nice to be able to have a little getaway to take a break from all the stressors of life.
You can click the pics below for a bigger version. There’s a new version of the gallery tool now even though I preferred the old one but that currently isn’t working with the latest update so I have to use this. The snow globe I climbed in could have been inflated more (thanks town!) and a quick side trip to OOB didn’t really add too much but KPT is always top notch. Ultimately it’s all about the views, the scenery, the friends and the laughs. Oh, the pajama Saturday shot of the three of us was actually taken by someone on the Chamber of Commerce pages for the towns of Kennebunk, KPT, and Arundel so we’re also on those websites. That wasn’t a planned thing, the lady just saw us and wanted to post us!
Oh, and yes, I am wearing Pac man pajamas and believe it or not, I actually got quite a lot of comments on compliments on then from many different people!
There’s something undeniably captivating about jukeboxes. They’re more than just music machines; they’re portals to a bygone era, where the thrill of selecting a song and hearing it burst to life filled the air with excitement.
Owning a jukebox isn’t just about collecting a piece of history; it’s about curating a personal soundtrack. Each record, each artist, each memory – it all comes together to create a unique listening experience for us. It’s fun to go find these 45s at various places in our travels, although we haven’t done so lately.
Beyond their aesthetic appeal, jukeboxes offer a tangible connection to the past. They remind us of simpler times when music was shared and enjoyed together. That’s an important point for us. In a world dominated by digital streaming, there’s something truly special about holding a physical record and placing it on a turntable. It’s a tactile experience that can’t be replicated. Plus, vinyl sounds so much better as long as it isn’t scratched!
These Jukes can be pretty temperamental at times though. What can you expect with a mechanical machine with 700 parts!?
Yesterday was quite the exciting day. Mollie the Cavalier and her guardians came over to visit us and Carson. Now admittedly I was a little apprehensive about these two meeting, you never know how those things could go. Would the fur be flying or would everything be copasetic?
Well, I am pleased to say that it all went pretty well. When Carson first came down the stairs he didn’t notice her but after a few minutes their eyes locked on each other. Mollie growled a bit and barked a little, whereas Carson mostly just watched. Actually we are so proud of Carson. He spent the time mostly just watching the dog with interest but otherwise did not engage or bother with her. Mollie eventually got distracted by chewing on her bully stick. Interesting side note, I never knew this not being a dog owner but the sticks are actually made from bull penises. It’s true, go look it up. Anyways, as a grade, I would have to give Carson and A+ and Mollie a C-. It would have been a D but I’ll give her some slack since she is pretty much still a baby.
For those keeping score at home I’m currently on Level 483 of Tomb of the Mask as of this writing. I think I can see the end though. It looks like it might only go to Level 550. That’s a lot of levels!
Happy Birthday L:ittle Lady, This beast just turned one today! In some exciting related news she is due to visit us and Carson this weekend! We’ll see how that goes!
I went to get a chicken sandwich for in the late afternoon after completing my work for the day at this fairly new place in town and they were kind enough to give me a free shirt! Great place, food’s pretty good!
I do like sitting in this new rocking chair! Carson was very happy to see me as he fell asleep on my legs while I was resting on the couch last night watching Law & Order reruns on WeTV. And of course, I can’t move because that would destroy the moment. I also fell asleep then. We must have rested together for a couple hours. When I woke up I went up to bed and he tucked me in but didn’t stay like he does when his momma is around, Little stinker. But I was grateful for the bonding time that I don’t usually get with him like that. Oh, currently on level 352 as of this writing in Tomb of the Mask. Maybe there is no end to this addicting game for me. The above photo was taken this summer, not sure if I posted it before, I think I have, but for whatever reason it seemed fitting for me to post it this morning. Just felt like it, plus it’s a pretty cool photo I think..
Hanging with Venom at Parsippany Hills High School, NJ
I’m back from a quick weekend trip to Jersey. Actually I came back alone since I have as stuff to address back here while as LD is going to spend a few more days there and come back by train on Wednesday when I’ll pick her up. Been trying to get a lot of stuff done and it’s been a lot of work. Stayed over at a cute little AirBnB nearby. Nothing to write home about and pretty small but gets the job done as it’s mostly just a place to crash for the nights, Anyways, we also got gifted a sweet rocking chair from a friend down there who wanted to part with it which I brought back and will use a lot I think.
This photo is from just outside Parsippany Hills High. We happened to be tooling around the area and noticed that all the spaces were painted different things by the students. I settled on getting this one with Venom from the Spiderman comics.
A couple of weeks ago an 80 year old woman got hot by a car down the road around 5:30 in the afternoon just before the time change. They said it was solar glare. I didn’t realize it until later but it was the same woman that I would chat with now and again when she would walk by. She was a very nice lady. You just never know. In fact, I think I spoke to her a couple of days before the accident, never realizing that would be the last time I’d ever see her again.
Gametime: I’ve been playing this game on the YouTube app on my phone called Tomb of the Mask. It’s pretty addicting to me but how long is this game? I’m already on L:evel 165 207(!!) as of this writing and it looks like there’s no end in sight!
Spent some time yesterday afternoon visiting the sanctuary. We have to get to know these new goats better sooner or later! Plus we had some food we needed to drop off for the animals. For whatever reason, this one goat named Dansa really thought I had something in my pockets. We didn’t stay too long though, we needed to get back because we were having some guests over in the late afternoon, and that went really nice as well. We were going to do a fire pit but by the time they arrived it started to get a wee bit chilly so we hung indoors and ate pizza and calzones and chatted. I’ll try to get to the firepit this afternoon perhaps. But first we have a reflexology appointment in the late morning to luxuriate in! Oh, one other thing. While I was at the sanctuary I was pleased to learn they still had Stardust the Donkey’s 50th birthday party shirts for sale, so I got one. I wanted to attend his birthday this summer but the schedule just didn’t align. I am glad I was able to get one. In fact, I think I’ll wear it out today.
The other day I saw something on a home improvement show that I thought would be good to have so I bought it. Simply put, it’s a GCFI Outlet tester. These things are great because they tell you if your outlet was wired correctly, for example, everything is connected the right way, no reverse polarity, grounded properly, things like that. Plus it was only ten bucks. We’ve had things reversed in this house before so it’s good to check to see that it’s correct. Things will still work if it’s reversed but the problem is you’ll think appliances and such are off when they really aren’t because the current wouldn’t be off at the outlet so there’s a possibility of electrocution which would not be good.
Yesterday we made some of the famous Lemon Orzo chicken soup, mostly for LD’s old landlady who Unfortunely had to go the the hospital over the last week. She’s now in a rehab facility so we visited her yesterday evening and seemed very pleased with the soup. For some reason or another, she really likes the way we make this soup.
As for me, well, I’m hanging in there. Both my knees have been hurting, who knows why, just old age I guess. Plus there’s a lot going on here right now but trying to stay strong and to stay on the path!
