Haven’t updated in a while. Time flies! Saturday we had a nice lunch in the park after a quick visit to the office to figure out lamps and various décor. Then yesterday we visited some animal friends. LD had found out somehow that the town of Sherborn was having a thing where participating farms could be visited for free for a time so we decided to check it out. As a bonus our friend Em came along (sort of a out-of-the-blue-last-minute-want-to-hang-out for the afternoon thing, to which we naturally said “Of Course!”. We do like hanging out with Em, she’s super cool.
Tallest cow I ever saw!Dudley!Dudley is a special cowGeese face offTwo guysDudley!The boysFinished off with an ice cream
After all that we hit a Trader Joe’s and got a bunch of things, then we were pretty fried so we got some take out and settled in for the night with some television watching. We finally finished watching every episode of the Shield (amazing show!) and are now starting to look for some good things to watch.
Currently Reading:The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI Ray Kurzweil
I went into the gym this morning that has an outside pool and large hot tub so I could use the hot tub. Ahh, that felt pretty good. It was a beautiful morning too so that adds a lot to it. Then it was off to Staples to return some Amazon things. They make the returns so easy now, just pop in and they scan a QR code and it’s done. Afterwards we headed to the office to hang up one of my photographic landscapes. This particular shot is a little old before I really knew how to shoot scenes better so there’s a newer shot that I want to do and hang, at least for myself. When I get around to having that done I’ll post that here as well. Finished off the afternoon with a short nap in my gravity chair on the deck (maybe that hot tub took more out of me than I thought!) and then some light grilling of burgers and salmon. A pretty standard Labor Day weekend thing to do.
Drove up to Beverly in the morning to pick up some more unique and somewhat large Dedham Pottery for display. It just so happened to be on the way to our planned destination of hanging out in our friends pool up that way, that is just about complete. All the hardscape is in, new deck, incorporated grill, firepit, etc. Just need to seed the grass areas so by next season it will really shine. Actually it’s a quite beautiful setup. I was in the pool for quite some time and had a blast just floating on the “Chill Chair” as can be seen in the photos. We were afraid at one point that it might rain, but thankfully it never did and ended up being a spectacular afternoon! Lucked out again!
Later in the afternoon we grilled. We brought up some shrimp and we had prepared some veggies and local sweet corn and brought up some of our tools like these grill cages to make kabobs. Mollie, their super cute dog, is getting bigger but she is still a handful. Of course she is still just a puppy but training her has been a bit of a challenge. She’s quite sassy, but I like that about her. She also needs to be a little more chill, which for her is kind of impossible, because her leg has a joint that can get out of place and then it needs to be massaged basically to slide back into place. Poor thing! She just doesn’t seem to know her own body yet, or maybe she gets so excited that she doesn’t even think of any consequences of her actions. We ended up staying so much longer than anticipated. Time just went by so fast! We got home just as the sun went down, all in all, another perfect day.
Finally got around to visiting LNU’s new location in Providence, RI this afternoon. It’s a more direct shot now to get to, but in a somewhat busier part of town and not as quaint, but the new digs are more spacious and the food is all still great! Also nearby was a mural with a message that said, “Most of Us Live Off Hope” which we thought was great.
Sometimes I post some of my photos to various Facebook groups and I’ve noticed now that it a picture gets over 100 comments it seems, that Meta AI will pop up a box basically summarizing all the comments that were left. Here’s a sampling of some of them. I’m glad that so many people seem to genuinely like my photography. Thanks to anyone who liked my pictures and left a comment. This sampling is all from our summer visit to the Cape this year.
Commenters are in awe of the stunning visual, with many expressing admiration for nature’s beauty and one observer noting a striking, cross-like formation. Overall, the post has inspired a sense of wonder and appreciation.
The post’s photo of a summer sunset captivated viewers, with many praising its beauty and serenity. One commenter noted that the image is “framer worthy” and appreciated the outstanding photography.
Commenters admire the serene and naturally beautiful photo, appreciating its authenticity and nostalgic value. One commenter shares a personal connection, continuing family traditions despite loss. Others express gratitude fir the uplifting image, describing it as a “love letter from God” and “peaceful perfection.”
This photo received widespread acclaim for its beauty and serenity, with many commenting on it’s exceptional quality and the sense of calm it evokes/ One observer noted that it resembles “The Scream” by Edvard Munch, while others praised the photographer’s skill and use of perspective.
Diners rave about the Lobster Pot, some visiting annually for their “lobster fix.” The seafood is highly praised, with one commenter claiming it’s the best in the world. The restaurant’s connection to Anthony Bourdain and its status as a landmark are also noted.
The post’s beautiful sunset photo drew praise, with many commenters admiring the vibrant colors. One commenter noted that the clouds enhance sunsets, while another mentioned a personal connection to the location, finding it both pretty and historical.
I loaded up the lawnmower last night and trudged it over to Earth-1. My mom’s grass had become way overgrown and she only has that old dull pull kind the spins as you push it. It was actually my grandparents and I don’t think it’s ever worked well. Anyways, the mower fit in the back of my car and I got over there and mowed it all down, weeds and all. I was done in about five minutes, it’s not a huge area. Seemed like there were a lot of weeds. My mom was very happy that all the vegetation was now gone. In fact, after you could see the lawn area again I noticed a bunch of Wooly Bear caterpillars! They’re kind of cute. I left them to fend for themselves on the edges of the now shaved lawn area. Afterwards after a day of hanging out, I brought the mower back and got it back in the shed over here. Mission accomplished!
Family came to visit this weekend. Sort of an impromptu visit but it was a good one. Friday night I grilled and we did a firepit as everyone got settled. Saturday we went to the DeCordova Museum in the afternoon to check out some sights, get some photo ops, etc. The hearts are the best thing there in my opinion but that slanted house which is a newer installation was also pretty cool. Naturally we had to pose with it, along with some other installations. Had pizza in the afternoon at the hotel, and then headed to the beach in the late afternoon for some swim time. I think the dog had the best time of all!
Sunday was another low key day, breakfasts and then I watched the dog while everyone went to the pool to cool off and/or exercise. I will say the dog was extremely well behaved and such a pleasure to be around. Such a sweet dog. Not sure how Carson felt about everything but he got through it. Late afternoon was another grilling session, LD and one guest helped with some amazing sides, and even had the landlady down the street over to join.
All in all it was a pretty amazing time! Go figure!
.I will admit, I am a little fried at the moment. Geez, it’s tough to get older!
Got another good lead on some dollhouse stuff. Amazing detail – like a 1940s radio with a dial that actually works, and Campbell soup cans and musical instruments, even a pool table, are you kidding me!? – the detail of these tint little things is amazing. You can tell some of it is pretty vintage. They’ll be great additions for the kids to interact with.
Spent the afternoon doing a bunch of weeding since it’s a bit on the cooler side today, but pleasant. The weather, not weeding. Weeding is not pleasant.
We watched the Connecticut Sun rip it up at the Garden last night. So cool that LD’s trainer has a daughter that plays on the team and another one that does the sportscast! Women’s Pro Basketball has really exploded in the last year or so! It was great to see so much positive energy on display. It’s a really good thing.
I heard today is world Goat Day so here’s some Goat pictures to celebrate!
It’s our 1982 Ms. Pacman machine’s 10 year anniversary! In 2014 we brought her home and has been entertaining us and our guests ever since.
I need to open up the coin mech and see how much money is in there!
I can sort of remember how we obtained this. I think it was from a craigslist ad from someone down in Rhode Island, and it was a really good price so we made a trip, back when we used to do stuff like this. I just remember this guy had a ton of games and pool tables in his basement, and some motorized vehicles in the yard that all these kids wanted to keep riding on. Anyways we could see in a booth down in the basement with what we assumed to be his very pregnant wife. We got the feeling she really wanted him to part with a bunch of this stuff, and quickly. We got a really really good deal on this fully functional machine – it was our lucky day! We got the machine somehow loaded into the back of LD’s Saturn SUV and it just made it. In fact I believe the top of the machine was right between us up front. It made it all the way back and the rest is history!
I remember being a kid and my mom would take my sister and me to this arcade that used be at North Station in the old Boston Garden. I would fantasize about owning all the machine one day. I was especially fond of getting a Ms. Pacman and another game called Venture. Well, at least one of my fantasies about this came true 35 plus years later!
Today’s little mini adventures were that we had a nice lunch at a steakhouse that was participating in Dine-Out Boston. As today was the last day it made sense to try to take advantage of the deals they were having.
Later in the afternoon Karson and Kennedy were having an ice cream social to help support a local hockey team. To be honest, I really had no idea who these people were but apparently they are some pretty popular radio personalities around these parts so why not check and out and help support a good cause? Plus it was literally right down the street.
You can learn more about why and the “karens” etc. here.
I finally got around to planting the irises we picked up last night. Hopefully by next spring they will be blooming and brightening up another part of the yard. Lastly, planning on going to light a fire pit tonight! It’s appearing to be a great night for one.
Woke up early this morning to check out the final Boston Fox25 News Ziptrip of the year. It ended up being over in the next town so I figured why not check it out. I got some free swag while I was there (I had gone one time before probably ten years or so ago – I actually got on tv that time and people watching in their homes actually recognized me!). It seemed a bit smaller this time. In all honesty once you get over the novelty of actually seeing the people in person that you see on tv every morning it’s a little boring. There’s a lot of just standing around as they just film in-between the news segments. One cool thing is they had all the ducks there. Scroll back in time if you want to see them all individually when we went to check them all out.
Now on to the main event of today!
One of our couple-friends were coming over today and I had suggested we do an activity. Originally I had wanted to do a glass blowing class but that sounded too expensive and somewhat of a time commitment (might still do it some other time though!) or axe throwing but one of our guests threw out his back a few weeks ago so that was out for now (still want to that that though too!) . Eventually just settled on playing a round of Minigolf. There’s a great course over in Dedham – supposed to be one of the best which is good because a lot of the mini golf courses around here are ass.
Finished off the day with a lead on three small Dedham pottery bunnies so we picked those up and then someone in town was getting rid of a bunch of their bearded irises so we went and picked those up and I’ll try dropping them in the ground tomorrow.
Here’s another shot I took of Sankaty Light on the island of Nantucket earlier this year when we were invited to stay for a bit by some wonderful kind and caring friends. I remember this day quite clearly, partly because it wasn’t that long ago, but also because I wanted to walk along the cliff trail which basically ends at this location. So I got to walk the entirety of the trail and finished up by hanging out at the lighthouse trying to figure out what would make a nice picture. I think I did pretty good with this one – I am satisfied with it!
That circular object in front of the light is where the lighthouse previously stood. It had to moved a bit a while ago due to erosion of the cliff side. Some of the other structures that were there originally are gone, although you can still see the foundations of one of them.
Oh, if you were still wondering what the pickup was yesterday from the marketplace, I will now divulge the deets. It was a turntable like device that we placed under the dollhouse so that it can be spun from front to back quite easily. It was great that it fit the job perfectly and fit just right and that the guy wasn’t too far from the office. We also did some minor repair work on the windowpanes.
A surfer heads out with the Narraganset Towers in the background.
Don’t Worry, Be Capy!
Fri: I really enjoyed my first time trying out Reflexology (I would definitely do it again and at the place where we got it done) and then after we had a terrific lunch at a great little Turkish place called Cafe Mangal. Maybe a little pricey but the food is truly excellent. Sat: I got around to installing the new firefly in the back and they work and compliment the other ones flawlessly. We took advantage of some down time and finished up the night with my barbequing some salmon which we made into salmon burgers and then we did a little firepit and had some s’mores. Sunday: Took a ride to pick up something LD saw on the marketplace that will come in quite useful and happily we’ve tried it out and it works wonderfully! I’d mention what it is tomorrow sometime but I’ll leave it a surprise for right now. Also picked up a pasta dish of eggplant parm from Comella’s (a place we’ve been wanting to try) to prepare at home tonight.
For my Birthday yesterday I got to check out some amazing sights in the beautiful coastal areas of Rhode Island. First up, was a drive down to the charming community of Charleston, RI, a place we had never been. We were there to see the trolls Greta and Erik. There’s a bunch of these trolls up in Maine at the Botanical gardens, which I may get to check out and some point, but these two are newer and closer. I had a little bit of a hard time finding Greta, but LD, with her mazing tracking skills, was able to locate her pretty quickly. A nice woman who works at the senior center there nearby gave us some great tips on where to go and find them! (Each picture below is clickable to see a larger version).
Greta!ErikIf you’re a troll park here
We were going to eat at a local place in Charleston but after a while that didn’t seem like the greatest idea so we headed over to Narraganset and ate at a place called The Coast Guard House, which amazing is literally right next to the Towers in a building that used to be a Coast Guard Life Saving Station back in the 1880s until the 1940s. The views there are amazing and the food was excellent, also the prices weren’t that bad! (I did get a little tipsy again on some drinks).
tipsy!
Then it was off the beautiful town of Newport to check out the installation of the elephant migration. We ended up going to the ones at Salve Regina University, although there’s some at the Breakers and a couple of other locations. The amount of detail on the elephants is truly amazing! We spent quite a bit of time there, plus it’s right along the cliff walk which is beautiful.
We finished off the day with a giant pizza! What a great day! Today I’m off to my very first ever reflexology appointment – we’ll see how that goes!
Oh, I almost forgot! I got some great gifts too! A Dunkins gift card from our friend Em, a foot massager, some capybara socks and a capybara shirt (I love capys!) , and some more fireflies to help light up the night in the back patio!
I’ve always loved lighthouses, just everything about them, their location, their various looks, their history, the people who lived in the them and tended the light, their bravery. I just think it’s pretty cool. I’m sure many people feel the same way. I’m very lucky to live in new England where there are so many. Boston was home to the very first lighthouse in America after all (and it’s still there!)
I really lucked out with this shot – just as a storm was getting ready to roll in. That’s exactly what a lighthouse was built for! (also mad props have to go to LD for taking the shot and getting me there! I love you so much!)
Got to try something of a novelty today! Finally went down to try this place called Boston Pizza Cupcakes.
I ended up trying the ones with Buffalo Chicken topping and double pepperoni! We also considered getting as s’mores topped one but maybe for another day. Definitely a novelty item but fun, in a way.
Yesterday, my mom was nice enough to take me to Legal Seafoods in Burlington because I had a craving for seafood. I didn’t feel like going to Summer Shack or Kelly’s or anyplace like that, so this place was perfect. The food was delicious, and I had a really fun time.
I think we’ve got some more fun stuff lined up for the week, including a couple of things I’ve been wanting to check out for a while. Stay tuned! 🎸🍦
In the meantime, I’ve been going through some of my photos and found this one from Acorn Street around this time perhaps last year or so. Most photographed street in Boston you know!
I might go check out that national Night Out thing later this evening….
Alright I’m back. I did go and hang out for a little bit. Wolfed down a couplie of slices of free pizza!
The Ladydoc had heard that there were painted ducks all around the town of Walpole, so we wanted to check them out. There were only five, so they were easy to find. Plus, they’re in different parts of town so it’s a great way to see some of Walpole. These ducks were designed and painted by a group of students from Walpole High, and they’re a fun way to celebrate the town’s 300th anniversary! The ducks names are Maggie, Lewey, Wally, Morgan, and Birdy. I never expected to be checking out ducks this afternoon but spontaneity can be fun!
Hanging with Maggie at the Aggie
BirdyWallyMorganLewey
You can learn more about the ducks as well as some Google map links which I used to find these guys at this website.
Even though it rained later in the afternoon we went ahead and grilled some chicken, shrimp, and salmon. I dodged the raindrops as best I could!
Enjoy another shot from our Cape trip above. Today in the late afternoon we hit Revere Beach because it was so hot out today. I even went into the water which even though I go to Revere quite a bit lately, I actually had not gone into the water there since I was a kid, if you can believe that! The water was a little on the cold side which I wasn’t expecting, but refreshing and cooled me down as I sat on the beach chair afterwards. Finally went to check out the sand castles there. The two that caught my eye were cat-inspired ones.
Took a quick jaunt today over to Bow Market in Somerville this afternoon. Luckily I was able to get on street parking right across from the place because parking down there is brutal, assuming you can even find a spot. There was a roast beef place I wanted to try called The Hotbox, which I had read about in a magazine that I was perusing whilst waiting for LD at a doctor’s appointment a few weeks ago. It was pretty good – I ended up getting a junior three way. The sauce is a little spicy but not bad at all, perhaps that’s why they chose that name? anyway, the whole area has a bunch of little local shops and a very cute outside seating area, which I partook of. Also while there I saw they what appeared to be a small pinball parlor, so I went and played some of those classics, the machines range from from the 70s through the 90s, and I guess they swap them out with other ones every so often. Pretty cool little place.
Finally, toward the end of the afternoon I had to hit a grocery store and they had these cute little roses on sale. I couldn’t resist and picked up one that had light purple flowers.
And finally, to close out the afternoon I went to see this band play over at the local gazebo playing some pop hits from the 70s and 80s. They sounded really good!
Lately I’ve kind of loved just going down rabbit holes and learning some things. Did you know Anthony Bourdain worked here at the Lobster Pot? He got his start there as a dishwasher and fell in love with cooking and so went along that path. Amazing to think that all started right here!
I’ve had a bit of a busy day flitting about town doing my rounds, so that might just be the update for today.
Yesterday was such a good day to take it easy. I hung my gravity chair on the back deck and relaxed, maybe even dozed off for a bit. Then I hit the local market and bought fresh zucchini, chicken, and salmon to grill. I was able to finish it all just as it started to rain lightly. Otherwise, I would have had a fire pit outing, which would have been nice. It was a pretty chill Sunday.
Here’s another shot I took from my outing to Grey’s beach in Yarmouth down on the Cape. I love this span, it’s so long and the names and sayings on the boards are really nice. Anyone can have their own for a price. This shot is sort of giving me vibes of The Scream, the painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch!
I have a bunch of things that I’ve been wanting to check out coming up soon. Some of it historic as I’m always trying to learn new things about the places that we live at – a little bit of hidden history you might say, along with some what may be interesting food choices and the usual fun stuff.
Yesterday we had lunch down at a place I like in South Yarmouth called The Skipper. I was jonesing for perhaps one late Chatham Clam plate for a while. Come to find out Pete Davidson was there a couple of weeks ago. Before that I hung out for a little bit by the Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters, well actually, behind them, where there is a little conservation land but filled with all kinds of places the sit and simple artwork and lovely flowerbeds called the great Cape Arboretum. Today we are off to hang out at our friend’s pool for the afternoon before we all go to see the new Deadpool movie. I plan on getting that Wolverine Popcorn thingy. I know it all marketing hype and probably overpriced crap, but I can always add it to my tchotchke collection! Maybe tonight when we get back if I have any spoons left I light up the firepit.
Update: The movie was alright, (ended up going to an AMC in Danvers – not our preferred choice but.what can you do…) but swimming in the pool and hanging out with Mollie was still the highlight. Can’t believe how big she has gotten! Got back too late for firepit but maybe tonight and some grilling later.
