I wanted to take a jaunt over to Newport Rhode Island yesterday to check out this marketplace that has umbrellas all set up hanging above one of the walkways throughout the complex. Got some amazing deals of some hoodies and shirts while we were there, so bonus. I also learned that two of the elephants from last years migration along the Breakers are now permanently installed over at the library a few blocks down so I had to check them out as well.
On the way back we hit our favorite vegan ice cream place in Providence. They have a vegan deli next door and I tried the “fake” ham and cheese. LD found she couldn’t eat it – it was just too “wrong” but surprising I was able to chow it down just fine, which is rather unlike me. I guess there really is no replacing the real thing!
We decided to go see Pretty in Pink playing as an outdoor movie at this neat little rooftop park in Cambridge down by Kendall Square. It was hot all day and there was a chance of rain but all our apps said it should be okay. We got in the parking garage and not a drop around. Coming out of the elevator of the garage to access the roof we were bombarded with a pretty heavy rainfall. Oh no! I said we should wait it out a bit. It started thundering. Still waited a bit. Finally we decided to cross the rainy park to this area on the other side that looked to be covered and had one of those pop up food thingies. After getting a burger and some mac and cheese with pulled pork (both were really good by the way!) the rain stopped and we were able to watch the rest of the movie!
Just as we were going to head back home, LD noticed that the skies looked pretty wild and there might be an opportunity for some interesting sunsety shots, and once again she was right! The sky had this amazing pinkish color to it and just the way that it reflected off the water of the river made it look like you were in some magical place, which I suppose we were.
This park is really cute plus it’s neat that it’s up on a roof. We might go back to see the Goonies playing there in September. Anyone is free to join us!
As usual, you can click any picture for the captions.
Gametime: Cloud Walk. I like to keep my brain sharp! I need to, I forget stuff all the time and can’t remember half the shit I need to!
Went biking along the path again this afternoon. It was hot, but it felt good to get the endorphins pumping. The pics in the middle are about 1/20th of all the cat candidates running for mayor of the bike path in Somerville. (Don’t ask me!)
I’m having a nice birthday weekend so far. Yesterday we went to our friend’s pool and hung out which was just what I needed. Between the water, drying off in the sun, enjoying a nice BBQ they made for us, and just chatting away the hours, I was pretty spent by the time we finally got home in the evening. Playing with their dog was great too. I’ve given up soda pretty much, been almost two weeks now, all I drink is water (and some coffee in the morning). I’ve been conscious about hitting my steps goal daily.
Today I’m just going to hang out in my gravity chair on the back deck in the sun, work on some puzzles, and just relax. I do have some stuff queued up for this week that I can’t wait to experience!
It’s been a while since I did one of these. I had some extra time this afternoon to hop the subway on into Beantown to visit a very special lady. This grave in an old Boston cemetery is promoted to tourists as Mother Goose’s burial site — the 1690 tombstone of Mary Goose, first wife of Isaac Goose. His second wife, the Mother Goose who is said to have actually inspired the fictional character might be buried here too, but no one is sure. While there I checked out a few other nearby sights, such as the Greenway Carousal. There’s a new display in Faneuil Hall towards the end of a minstrel like being. Click the pics for captions.
A moment is not complete until you realise it is fleeting…
Last weekend down the Cape is in the books! The high point of Saturday though would have to be getting invited up to the deck above the restaurant there at Rock Harbor to enjoy the sunset. Mind you, the deck is someone’s apartment and a restricted area, so it was cool to be invited up there, just us and our two friends. Felt like a real excusive VIP experience! I also finally also get to check out “Staples Rock”, a silly little Orleans ‘attraction’ that’s gained a lot of traction lately. On the way down we usually stop at a place by the canal for lunch, I was jonesing for a clam plate. It did not disappoint. The Airbnb we were staying at had a piano which I played a bit.
The next day was even more fun. Also the weather has been gorgeous, but I digress. We started by hiking the Eddy Trail in Brewster, a favorite of ours. We love to get to the end where the cliff overlooks the miles of Brewster Flats below. It’s a great trail and pretty easy going. Then it was off to the pool and sun and some outdoor fun and games. Wrapped it up with a dinner with out friends and another beautiful sunset evening. (You can click through each pic for the captions).
I brought my professional camera down and took some shots but I haven’t processed them yet. I’ll post some of those up and soon as I find enough time to do so but the top photo of this post is a quick example!
High point though was getting to meet a star player on the Valkyries, Veronica Burton Number 22. These women players are Bad Ass! As a bonus we even got to hang with her sister Kayla, who is a sports reporter and anchorwoman on the NBC Boston network and does the Celtics games too! Oh and their mom and dad too, who is also a big name sports reporter here in Boston. Mad props to Ginni for making it happen! Oh, and Suns actually WON this game and by a considerable amount so the place was going crazy! These fans are serious! (You can click on the pics for descriptions).
Currently Reading: Unshrunk: A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistance by Laura Delano.
Now you’ll have to excuse us for a bit as we need the water heater replaced as it decided to go belly up this weekend. *sigh*
I wanted to check out this rooftop garden in Kendall Square because we might see some free outdoor movie there sometime next month with another couple possibly. (Pretty in Pink, if you must know!)
I had some business at Earth-1, so after that was done I decided to bike on down there and scope it out. Found it pretty easily. Basically next to the train stop a door down from Legal Seafoods. It’s cute but small. I’d be down for hanging out there tho. Google has a huge office space there and there’s a bunch of MIT stuff.
On the ride home I trolled thru Central, passed by some places I hung out at back in the day. Although it looks pretty different now. The Middle East is where I’d see local rock acts in the early aughts like Angry Salad, Tootsie/Jaded, Waltham, and Damone. And at TT the Bears next door (long gone now).
There’s a Target in Central now??? Guess I’ve been out of the loop for a while!
Did a bunch of things around the house yesterday. I finally got around to installing the new doorbell. It’s pretty sweet how it senses when someone’s outside. Mostly good to know when an package has been delivered. Went to the hardware store and got some screws to help address some issues with the side door and got a new hibiscus plant to be planted in the corner now that the new fencing is just about done. Ended up watching some tv, the first part of that Billy Joel documentary for one. It’s really good but be prepared to watch it for a while – the first part is almost 2 and a half hours long. For lunch LD drove me over to the Bubbling Brook in Westwood where they have different food trucks on different days and yesterday was Capt. Mardens. I was jonesing for a clam plate. Must have been all that beach time we had the other day.
I was planning on going to Maine this morning but I was too tired so instead I went to LD’s gym and used the hot tub, which I needed since my arm and shoulder were a little sore from all the throwing and splashing in the water yesterday. Ended up chatting with the trainer there today. Pretty cool.
Then, this afternoon we decided to hit the beach and meet up with another pal! Why not?
Also starting to set up a new doorbell this weekend with video capabilities as a side project.
Above, another shot from Cape Porpoise, Maine. I might attempt a quick jaunt up there tomorrow morning if I can get up early enough for an event, but that’s iffy. Going to spend the afternoon today at our friend’s pool. Ahhhh!
Mark stood in front of the bathroom mirror, adjusting his favorite t-shirt and let out a long, exasperated sigh. “This is just perfect,” he muttered, running his hand through his thinning hair. “Twenty years ago I could play basketball for hours, now I throw out my back reaching for the cereal on the top shelf.” He stretched gingerly, feeling the familiar twinge in his lower spine that had become his constant companion since turning forty-five. The irony of his shirt choice wasn’t lost on him as he contemplated the growing list of daily aches and pains: his creaky knees that predicted weather changes better than the meteorologist, his shoulder that protested every golf swing, and his neck that seized up from sleeping wrong on his supposedly ergonomic pillow. “When did my body become a walking complaint department?” he wondered aloud, though deep down he knew the shirt was both a badge of honor and a cry for help—a middle-aged man’s way of announcing to the world that he’d officially entered the phase of life where comfort trumped style, and ibuprofen had become a food group.
Yesterday was a good afternoon to hang by the pool, even if only to watch LD get some more yards in. What else happened? Not too much, kind of a rest day. Went to the lobster food truck for lunch, watched the Indiana Fever game, did some weeding and cleaning of the back deck, had a pizza for dinner. Pretty chill for a hot day.
Woke up this morning to some kind of screeching. Couldn’t tell what it was. Eventually we figured out it was a Common Raven! Never encountered one of those before, it’s always been crows.
Checked out the Blueberry Festival this afternoon in Mendon over at the Vandervalk Winery. There was a giant Santa there and we got some really cool stuff from some artisans that had a few tents there. Before that we hit this Hosta place in Mendon that sells very specific varieties of Hosta and Lillies that they grow themselves. Got a few of those. They also do a great job with Lotus plants, but that’s really tricky stuff to grow, plus you need a body of water. I ate some grilled cheese from a food truck that was there as well for a quick bite.
My Princess Cheyanne book arrived just as we were leaving the house. I grabbed it up but LD wants to read it first, so I let her. She actually knows the person, from a different time and career path at the time. Anyways, I’m going to see if I can find the former Princess and see if I can get her to sign the book.
Gametime: Blobun Mini. Get the snake to cover all the squares!
Sun’s Out – Tongue’s Out! 👅 Also highlights: Enjoying lunch at the Pompton Queen Diner after a long drive down, watching LD do forty lengths at the Madison Y – amazing facility and great job LD! A dinner at a place called the Thirsty Turtle – the pretzel buns are shaped like pretzels! A doggo falls asleep on my foot after I took him for a couple of long walks – think he enjoyed! Finally Cowboy Up before leaving – also I learned something new called “Alabama Apple Sauce!” – you had to be there.
Had a fun fourth over at a friend’s house down in Fairhaven along the water yesterday. I ate a bunch of burgers, dogs, chicken, chips, desserts, etc. Hung with with 4 dogs. So cute. This was right after we celebrated LD’s achievement again at the pool at the gym – there were treats and balloons and a lot of fun. Also picked up a bunch more Dedham pottery bunny stuff in Swansea which was sort of on the way and today in Dedham of all places, obtained a bunch more, some of them cats with their kittens. So it was a good haul this weekend to be sure!
Enjoy this pic of the lilies on our friends property from yesterday.
First off, I have to send out a Congratulations to my one and only, Ladydoc, for completing 5 miles of swimming to benefit the American Cancer Society! Awesome job! This morning I went down to the pool with her and watched her take the final laps and document the occasion for posterity!
The town of Dedham had some all afternoon bunny events. We chose Bunny Yoga!
We had some guests over and I BBQed, a bunch of things, salmon, angus burgers, and veggies we put into grill cages. We had smores and great conversations. It’s nice to have people over sometimes.
Actually it’s a Ruby Spider but I’m still calling them our fire lilies which are starting to pop now!
It’s been a pretty busy week, between walking around the town in over 100 degree F heat, to trying to get my mom set up with a new cell phone, to doing all the other stuff. It’s all good though.
Mr. History Post #14: The Most Photographed House in America at one time and I believe still the most photographed house in the state of Maine. It’s the Wedding Cake House! It’s up for sale if you want the slice! If you want a look inside you can check that here.
We headed off to Cape Porpoise for a little mini weekend getaway. I really enjoyed this trip. The Airbnb we stayed in was really great – I would surely return to it. It was so spacious and the hosts were super great. The first night we headed to the town over called Biddeford Pool because there was a food/store place called Goldthwaites that we wanted to try. It was good and the views from their back outside area were wonderful. I noticed you could even see the Stage Island Monument in the distance. I do so love this area of Maine. We also saw deer and what appeared to be a company of black swans, but could that be true?
Next day we did a bunch of things. We hiked a part of the Carson trail, which is part of the Rachel Carson Reserve Wildlife area. It was kind of too hot to really do too much of that though plus it was a little buggy so we didn’t stay there too long. There were a ton of chipmunks around I noticed. For lunch we drove into Kennebunk and I ended up getting a burger at a place called Duffy’s. We then headed back for a little rest before hitting Goose Rock Beach for the afternoon. While there we saw piping plovers, a cool sandcastle that someone built, and a very cute Bassett Hound named Baxter that we had to greet.For dinner we got some good eats at Mabel’s Lobster Claw.
Next day we went to Sunday services at St. Ann’s Church, What’s cool is that they do the service right by the water weather permitting. It was a bit rainy when we went so the service was actually indoors but even that was pretty cool. I actually really liked everything about this location and plan to return for some other services soon. We got breakfast at a place next to Mabel’s from last night called the Pantry. I decided to try the eggs benedict with lobster and it was damn good. Another afternoon at the beach afterwards I wanted to catch a sunset at the famous fish shacks. Thanks to LD for finding the perfect location for me to shoot from!
The fish shacks. I was always curious about these buildings. After taking these shots we eventually found a place where we could get some eats (a pizza actually) which was a bit of a struggle to find food since it seems all the places around here close at 8 or 9 o’clock. I caught the tail end of the Valkyries WNBA game as they beat the Suns. It’s nice that this Airbnb had all the stations you could want, they aren’t usually like that in my experience.
Finally on Monday it started to get really hot. We checked out, hit Stonewall Kitchen for a quick bite and Yummies to get some candy fix. Our freinds up in Georgetown were kind enough to let us stop by and use their pool for a bit so we could cool off before going all the way home. So we took a dip for an hour or two and were then on our way back home.
All in all, this was a fantastic trip! I probably left out a ton of stuff but these were some of the high points!
Currently Reading: Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers
I was saddened to hear last night that the two capybaras that I love to visit both sadly passed away, The owners are still trying to figure out what happened, including bringing in a capy specialist doctor from Brazil, but in the end it was to no avail. I will never forget the experience and joy they brought to me and so many others. This is heartbreaking to say the absolute least.
