I finally got a chance to watch this PBS show called “Finding Your Roots”. The premise of the show is that they get two celebrities and basically trace down their genealogical tree. On this particular episode they looked at John Leguizamo and Lena Waithe. What struck me as so impressive was far back they were able to trace these people’s roots. In the case of John they were able to go to like the 1400s to the time of the freaking conquistadors and Lena’s went way back too, to early Barbados. It’s also fascinating to see just where their last names originated from.
“You must always know your roots if you are to know how sturdy the tree will grow.”
Zoraida Córdova, A Crash of Fate
It made me wonder a little bit about my own history because basically I only know on my mother’s side up to my great grandparents and of that very little, nothing before them, and on my father’s side I don’t even know his parents having never had any contact with that side, although I’ve heard tales that they may have been lawyers, but nothing about their story or where they came from. So my history is pretty much blank. I guess all those hereditary genes will end with me, a mystery before, an unsolved mystery after. However with my last name there is something about the Lebanon area and of course Bethany, a town near Jerusalem, at the foot of the Mount of Olives, so there’s got to be some middle eastern descent in there somewhere although I am mostly Portuguese on my mother’s side. I would definitely watch this show more moving forward.
I awoke to a strange sight outside the house as I was getting ready to get in my car to go to work. There was a rather large package waiting in the driveway which for a second thought might be ours but upon further inspection was not, It appears to be some kind of water filtration device after googling the company name listed on the box and appears to be quite expensive. Anyway the address is nowhere close to ours (the number and street are nothing alike) and upon further investigation I believe it may possibly belong to someone either in another part of town or a different town altogether. Looking up the tracking number I’ve noticed someone put in a ticket to investigate. LD contacted UPS later to tell them about it (UPS is the WORST btw). I’ll just leave it where it is for now and see what happens.
I went vegetarian tonight and cooked up a white bean and swiss chard stew along with some parmesan garlic bread. Now swiss chard is not normally something as part of my repertoire but this actually came out pretty good!
Went back to the wooden walkway and reshot the area again last weekend as this particular day had different lighting than the previous weekend visit, as it was more cloudy whereas last time had a lot of sun. Lighting differently can make some significant differences in appearance for sure. I plan on entering this shot along with 2 older ones to Duxbury for possible inclusion into their town calendar.
I don’t know if anyone else ever plays any of these puzzle games that I enjoy but here’s a new one: Long Haul Space Flight. I need these things to keep my brain going. Now if only I could get better at remembering things.
Guess who swung by this afternoon? That dude that wanted to draw my picture (again, why?) He gave me the drawing and I brought it home. It sort of looks like a mix between a kid’s drawing and some expressionist art, sort of a mix between an Alvar Cawén work and some 5 year old. It does look like me a little bit though? I’d take a picture of it, but it really needs to be seen in person. On the plus side, the canvas is rather large.
Apparently NECN featured another one of my photos, LD saw it flash up on the tv, by strangely this time I didn’t get notified. They do seem to feature my stuff now and again, I guess they like what I’m doing.
I got a golden ticket in the mail to the local BK, scratch off the card and see what you’ve won kind of deal. The big prize was free BK for the year but this kind only entitles me to a free Croissan’wich, which I got in the mail back at the end of October but expires Friday so I got to use it or lose it soon. Wasn’t that one of the most interesting stories you’ve ever heard me relate to you all?
As I was finishing up my shift today, a gentleman wearing a hat pulled over and came over to me and stated that he was an artist and drew various people around town. He even showed me some of his work. I suppose they were ok, but this guy was no Picasso. Anyways he asked if he could take my picture so that he could draw me, I guess, I mean I am rather adorable and cute, right? I obliged and let him take his shots. We’ll see what comes out of this one. I would have never believed all the weird stuff that I see these days out in the field.
Oh, I forgot to mention the other day when we were at the beach that we noticed all the au pairs again watching the kids and going in the water. Must be nice! For the Moms I mean, not so much for the au pairs who have to watch those kids constantly. Still, spending a day at the beach for work doesn’t sound so bad. We originally though they must live in the town but then we figured why would they spend time at the non-resident area, unless they just like the way the beach is there better? A mystery that most likely I will never solve.
When we took this picture it was because the sign said the place was established the same year I was. Somehow or other we never noticed the word “Hors” in the sign, and does it mean what we think it might mean?!
If you like this picture I would appreciate a vote! You have to scroll to the bottom of the page, which is dumb. If I win, I promise to make good on your contribution to me in some way!
It being so wet and rainy these last few days gives us a chance to catch up on some entertainment viewing. The latest go to was a documentary called Class Action Park, detailing the history of an amusement park in New Jersey in the 80s called Action Park, where basically “you controlled the action.” Basically the owner let drunk teens practically run the place and the rides he created were unsafe. Many people got hurt there, some even died, and yet the place was allowed to continue for years. It became sort of a badge of pride and courage if you made it through alive. That’s how it got the nickname Traction Park by all the kids. So Jersey! Definitely worth a view if you have Amazon Prime Video. Another movie I heard about that I might want to see is called The Fare. I read it’s a trippy time loop sort of movie with some major twists toward the end. Update: We’ve watched it and it was weird, not bad, bur I thought it would be better. Very Twilight Zone-ish vibe. Also tried to watch a bit of the series called Hunters, an episode of Booker, a old 20/20 episode and a show about Jodi Arias’s cell mates.
I finally set up the sound bar to the smart tv. Sounds good! It can also be used to stream sounds from our other devices as well. Get ready for booming bass and theatre quality sounds! Think I’ll hook up a Bluetooth keyboard we’ve had hanging around here as well since typing letters through the little remote gets tedious. Ahhh, technology.
In the afternoon after running an errand to the bank and LD getting us some hot chocs from Starbucks, I happened to take this photo of the fire lilies all in bloom with the raindrops all over them.
Skaket Sunset March 4, 2021 Blustery Cold but Beautiful.
This post has been updated since first posting.
Took my mom to her appointment to talk with the surgeon regarding her hand troubles and the results from that test she had done in Malden a week ago. Decided to get the Carpel Tunnel Bilateral surgery – both hands – one on May 3rd, the second on the 17th, so I’ll be nervous on those days. Have to get up really early too because it’s scheduled for 6 am both times down in Cambridge. She also needs to get a Covid test a few days before each even though she’s been fully vaccinated – procedure and all. While she was in there getting all her details I took a walk around Assembly down by the river and over past the old boat club on the Mystic just trying to waste time. – but I found it a little boring. Tried taking some cell shots but nothing really caught my eye – you know me! It’s got to be just right!
After that was all done pretty much just hung around for the afternoon enjoying the unseasonably warm day today. Hit Porter Square briefly to run an errand and took a trip through my old haunt, Davis, just to see what it looked it, Seems some places were already building outdoor dining spaces in anticipation of the spring season. Needless to say it doesn’t make driving through there any more enjoyable than it ever was. Came back to Earth-2 just before the setting sun – traffic kind of sucked on the way back, took double the time it usually takes – reminding me of a time when we all commuted and realized how much time we actually lost waiting in that crap. I suppose we’ll eventually get back to that somewhat anyways but I’m not looking forward to it.
I bought some flowers the other day for the vase on the counter (and LD). We like to look at them and I felt the room needed a pop of color. Until we can start growing our own I might do this a few more times as the old ones fade.
I think NECN might use this picture in this entry that was taken by me last week down on the Cape. Usually when they feature me on their Insta I sometimes see it on the television. I’m grateful that folks think my pictures of worth of being featured! This was taken on LD’s birthday when we went down to Skaket to catch the sunset. The picture doesn’t really do that day justice – it had one of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of sunsets! I also saw this dog playing in the water so I thought that might make a good focal point. It truly was a beautiful sunset but it was so blustery cold that day, but we stuck it out and were rewarded. Of course afterwards LD pretty much had to lie in front of the fireplace for a couple of hours to warm up. Must still be working on getting her New England hardiness up. 🙂 It was cool to see snow on the beach with the sand too.
Lastly, a late addition, I found some information on that grave I saw in Malden a few weeks ago about that man that lived to 92 years of age during the 1600s, which I thought was pretty amazing. I read about who he was and his life here. Addtionally, when Ralph Shepard was born on 3 June 1603, in Limehouse St Anne, Middlesex, England, his father, Isaac M Shepard, was 32 and his mother, Jonie Hardman, was 19. He married Thankslord Perkins on 21 May 1632, in London, England. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 3 daughters. He lived in Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America in 1644 and Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America in 1666. He died on 20 August 1693, in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, at the age of 90, and was buried in Bell Rock Cemetery, Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America.
Thankslord is a woman’s name you just don’t see anymore.
King Phillip’s Cave is a cave in Norton, Massachusetts near Lake Winnecunnett.
The cave is so named because Metacomet, the Wampanoag sachem also known as “King Phillip”, is said to have hid here near the end of King Philip’s War before meeting his death in the Great Misery Swamp in Bristol, RI.
We happened to be in the area so we checked it out. Very cool rock formations. I think I need to read up on Philip a bit more, sounds like he got a pretty raw deal. I wouldn’t really call it a cave though, more like two boulders that crisscrossed on top of one another and provided a gap beneath them.
We also checked out a quick hike over in Taunton at a place called Boyden Wildlife Area. This area is beautiful and quite scenic with some nice overhangs overlooking a nearby river that parallels it. Definitely going back to this location again.
I know I’ve watched too many of these Dateline/2020/48 hours type shows when I can recognize a case on one show that was featured on a different show at a different time!
Little annoyed this morning that when I went to look in the weekly town newspaper there was an article about the town calendar. The annoying part was they listed the winner of the cover (I came in third so it wasn’t me) but they used the picture I TOOK and credited to that person. Now granted hers and mine were quite similar but mine was better and showed a greater panoramic view of the scene, but I’m biased. I thought about writing the editor to correct it but of course this particular week didn’t have that column so I don’t know where to write. Ah, it’s probably not worth it anyway since it doesn’t have a great distribution, and who really cares?
After writing the above paragraph to y’all, I did some digging, and was able to email the journalist of the article, asking for corrections and proper attribution. Whether they correct it not time will tell but there it is. BTW, if any of you want to purchase this calendar I can get you the details. Just contact me and I’ll let you know. Update: Heard back and a correction is coming!
Last night’s movie watch was The King of Staten Island, mostly because LD really, really needed a distraction. Although I felt it was really weird at the start it got better as it went along. Overall, I thought it was pretty good. I’m a little ashamed to admit this, but I did record something off the Lifetime channel after seeing that Killer Prom movie. Admittedly just because of it’s title – From Straight A’s to XXX – a college student endures cyberbullying and even death threats when it is revealed that she has chosen to become a porn star under a pseudonym to pay off her sizable tuition expenses, based on a true story! (Aren’t they all?) Now doesn’t that sound appealing!? Needless to say, it’s still on the DVR unwatched as of yet. Maybe tonight? It also has Judd Nelson in it from the Breakfast Club so that’s another reason why I thought about looking at it. Stay tuned for my review.
Finding this amazing heart shaped rock at the beach today was a high point.
Went to the beach this afternoon just to get some fresh air and some new surroundings for a little while. Walking along the shoreline looking for rocks I came upon this heart shaped rock and thought it was amazing. The little groove in the top was just perfect. I was so lucky to have seen it lying there in the sand among all the other rocks. As a plus it also looks like a whale if you tip it sideways. It was a great beach day, a little cloudy but not too cool, and the beach wasn’t busy at all. I thought taking a picture of it with the waves crashing in the background might make a cool shot and here it is.
Maybe this could be a sign, who knows, but even if not, I’m definitely keeping this one. For the longest time I told LD I could never find any decent heart shaped rocks at the beach, but then I find this!
Playing around with some black and white photography. What do you think?
Saw the hummingbird again this morning flitting around on the back deck. Such a cool little bird – wild to watch it just hover. I’m hoping maybe someday I could photograph him. He stayed for a while this time too but never long enough.
I had an interesting thought yesterday as we strolled around a local cemetery (always looking for different places to walk and get a change of scenery). It occurred to me that unless you did something noteworthy and had some renown, most of us would be forgotten within a generation or two. The newer graves had flowers and other things left behind by loved ones, but the older graves had nothing. People who remembered them are probably gone now as well. I mean, I know nothing of my grandparent parents, who they were, what they were like, and same of their parents and so on up the line. I know, what an uplifting thought! But then I thought, well, as long as you made a difference, no matter how small, to the people around you now, perhaps that’s all that is needed and that’s enough for me.
Tonight’s movie watch was Patch Adams. Interesting role for Robin to play, in hindsight.
The story behind the photo: Back in 2014 took a trip to a place just out of Princeton, NJ called Grounds for Sculpture which has all these various famous artworks recreated as giant statues around the grounds. This one of American Gothic is right outside of the place. I’ll post more from the trip over the coming weeks, such as a famous WWII photo, Marilyn Monroe’s Seven Year Itch, the Mona Lisa, and a bunch of other ones. This was right in my wheelhouse, so to speak. Quite the roadside attraction.
I just don’t see how kids going back to school in the fall can really be done. I’m just talking about K-12, never mind the university kids, which is a whole another ball of wax. Can they really deep clean every high-touch surface as much as may be needed? Most school buildings are old and the ventilation sucks. Paying the price now for not keeping up infrastructure. Can’t use fans to blow anything around either. Could try to teach outside but how many days aren’t going to be cold or inclement? Again, most places probably won’t have the space – especially in the metro-urban densely populated areas. Kids are going to wear masks all the time? Good luck. Don’t really have the space to social distance. A classroom is going hold, what, like 8 kids per class? Some elementary classes have 25 students. Who is teaching the students that are remote while others are in school? Also, how does this work with upper elementary, middle school and high school students who see multiple teachers for different subjects? Limiting interactions is almost impossible in some buildings, especially with limited bathrooms. Teachers don’t want to be exposed. School nurses cannot work remotely and some have small children or work in Boston hospitals, their hands are full. Group activities are out. What a depressing time to be a kid (adults too for that matter)! Sounds almost like prison. And what about transportation? Going to need a lot more buses or take the kid yourself, there goes the traffic counts. That’s even assuming it won’t affect the job you might have and need to get to or try to do. I’m not even taking into consideration the special-ed kids. School budgets for school needs will now need to be spent on PPE. Plus, there’s nothing coming from the Federal side, a real disgrace in my opinion. The whole thing is just one big mess. Finally, what happens when a teacher or student tests positive? Does the whole class quarantine? What about siblings, do they quarantine as well? What about teachers that have health conditions which deem them high risk? Do they risk it or are they forced into an unpaid leave?
Yes, we all want kids to go to school. They need the classroom, their friends, the social and emotional growth and development and structure that comes what all that. But it has to be safe, and I just don’t see it happening at this time, and that’s going to be very detrimental too. This year needs a do-over!
I was just thinking, I haven’t noticed their being any Doberman Pinschers around, or at least I don’t see them around anymore, though I imagine they must be. I used to see them all the time but now I don’t see them at all. Have you? I’m not really a dog person anyway having grown up with cats. I haven’t seen any poodles around anymore either now that I think of it, although I don’t know why anyone would want that kind of dog to begin with. Am I wrong with these assessments?
I never see Dodge K cars around on the roads or anywhere else really anymore. My grandfather had one of those. It was pretty much an old man car. Have they all been destroyed?
Question: Why does sour cream have an expiration date on it?
Why is it that if you have a candle lit, and you have a plain potato chip in hand, and hover the chip over the flame for a second or two so it turns black from the heat, and then smell that, it smells just like popcorn. Try it.
I remember awaking from a dream that I had insomnia and couldn’t sleep. In the dream! While I’m really sleeping! That was whack.
Things that all people can agree on: Pizza and Music. I’ve never heard of anyone saying they don’t like pizza or music. So there. Random things that pop into my head.
If the show “Hoarders” was in 3D it would be awesome. Just saying.
If I got a tattoo of a Rorschach inkblot, then when people ask me what it is, I could say it’s whatever you see it is? Might actually be a cool idea?
If Jimmy cracks corn, and nobody cares, then why does he keep doing it? We were discussing this with our other couple friends a while back, but now I forgot what conclusions we came to.
Ever notice you can turn any movie into a Broadway production just by adding an exclamation point on the end? Terminator! Better Off Dead! An Officer and a Gentleman!
When do oldies stop being oldies? Like, when you put on an oldies station and they play music from the 50s, well, when does that stop getting played and then it’d be music from a different decade? Or will they just always play 50s music and call it oldies? I seem to be having a hard time wording this but do y’all know what I’m getting at? Sham-a-lama-ding-dang.
Why is it that flies seem to have no problem flying into a door of the house that was opened for a second, but can’t seem to fly out of the house the same way? Maddening. These are the things that I think about.
Also, while watching Wheel of Fortune like old couples do, Vanna doesn’t appear to be necessary anymore since the letters are electronic now and no spinning of tiles is needed, so why is she still there? Eye candy? She still taps the letters to show them but when contestants solve the puzzle all letters appear without her touching them. .
