A Catch-Up Post

It's been a busy ten days. Deep snow in Maryland and Connecticut complicated our lives. The highways were great driving to and from Connecticut (Wednesday and Saturday, respectively.) Getting out of the condo here and parking in Norwalk were our biggest challenges, thanks to ubiquitous snow piles and icy patches. 

We are no longer Norwalk property owners. I had a few things to do before we met with our attorney on Thursday. Despite a few glitches, everything worked out. After we signed the papers, I ran errands. Then, I got takeout from Little Kitchen, our favorite Chinese restaurant in the area. We enjoyed our favorites: Sauteed Sliced Chicken with Hot Peppers and Crispy Spinach and Dry Sauteed Shredded Beef Szechuan Style, as well a Bean Curd with Vegetables Country Style for Jen who graciously hosted us again. We already miss Little Kitchen.

We vegged on Friday, and I finished Badlands. On Saturday, we drove back. There had been talk of more snow, plus I couldn't wait to get home. 

This week has been a blur of medical appointments and paperwork. Today, I stocked up on food in case the predicted snow amounts to more than an inch. I also picked up a welcome mat and some baskets we've needed. Now, I can really focus on our new home.

Update

Once again, I've neglected this blog for too long. I wish I understood why.

We've been back from Delaware and Maryland for a week. We finally had a little luck. We found two places that we liked. We've been doing research since then, trying to get a better sense of both areas, considering what work we would want to do to the bathroom in one condo, etc. I've been going back and forth on which place I prefer. Our Baltimore realtor sent us listings of six other places. There's one that will work for us and I hope we can see it next week. I think we'll be returning Sunday or Monday.

We finally caught up with a friend we hadn't seen in months. We talked, listened to music, ate some munchies, and drank some wine. It was a relaxing afternoon.

I had volunteered to work at the Merwinsville Hotel last Sunday. Unfortunately, I had a bout of colitis and had to cancel. I ended up sleeping most of the afternoon. My sleeping patterns have been a mess lately. I'm waking up in the early mornings and having trouble falling asleep again. It's been frustrating, but I'll muddle through it.

Back to Delaware

Tomorrow Jeff, Jace, and I are headed back to Delaware. We're seeing some new places and one we saw before. I didn't like the hallway; it gave me an eerie feeling.

We're hoping to find something we like. 

Delaware Getaway

I completed one item on my summer fun list. We went on a mini--two day--getaway to Lewes, Delaware. We talked about it for a while. June was over before it started (or so it seemed) Jeff's starting a new work project next Monday, and we wanted to avoid the 4th of July weekend. So it was now or September.

Tuesday wasn't so good. Half of it was just driving. We hit a ridiculous amount of traffic in Rehoboth Beach returning from Dogfish. 

Parking at the hotel was a problem. Whoever took Jeff's reservation gave him wrong parking information. The room was smaller than we expected. At least we got settled before it started pouring. So much for exploring the block. 

Wednesday was much better. 

To be continued. 

2020 Goals Review--Part Two

Writing: I had a modest goal--write 500 words two days a week. It's pitiful that I didn't do it. Now I did take writing classes. Originally my flash fiction class was supposed to start in person in mid-March. Instead we started a Zoom class in April. That class ran to mid-June. We started another on July 6 and this class ran until August 17. The last class of the year ran from mid September through November 30. Our classes were on Mondays and we missed several Monday holidays over the year. I'm happy with my work in these classes (for the most part) but most of my work was short pieces--the longest was 867 words. I can't let class assignments keep me from other writing. 

I participated in other Zoom writing classes/seminars: CrimeConn, memoir, and how to keep writing over the holidays. 

I also wanted to read and write more poetry and return to the poetry group. I wrote four poems this year. I started reading Leaves of Grass but haven't picked it up in at least a month. I am getting a Poem of the Day email. That's a start. I have not returned to the poetry group. 

I had vague goals concerning health. I went to the gynecologist and the eye doctor, got a mammogram and bone density test, got flu, pneumonia, and shingles shots. 

Finance and legal goals were also vague. I am working on these slowly. My mother's estate is still hanging over my head. Thanks IRS--we're waiting for a refund from 2017.

I said I wanted to do more "arty" things. I succeeded in this goal, despite the lack of opportunities to go to art shows. I took two in-person socially distant collage and mixed media classes September through December. It was a lot of fun, the instructor was encouraging, and I'm wondering if maybe it's possible that I am an artist. I visited the Vida Americana exhibit in NYC. Sono also held an art gallery walk from October through December. 

Cleaning/organizing: Covid-19 made a big impact in this category. I never disinfected so much; I even became a bit of a disinfecting wipe hoarder. 

Covid-19 also wiped out our travel plans to explore new areas to research for a potential move. I doubt we do any traveling for months (at least.)

2020 Goals Review--Part One

I'll start with some successes.

I stopped drinking for about six weeks. Some variation of this has been an annual goal for over 20 years. I only remember failing once. I was at a work dinner; a co-worker ordered a bottle of white wine and no one else was drinking it, so I had a glass. A dumb reason to miss a goal. I was proud that I kept my goal the year I broke my ankle--that would have been a good excuse to drink. 

Blogging: I selected 200 posts as a reasonable goal. I didn't want to write posts just for the sake of writing posts when I struggled for something to say. I wrote 207 posts in 2020.

Exercise goals: I wanted to go to the gym 150 times and exercise at least one half hour every day. I had been on a roll--going to the gym often since sometime last fall. This year I only went to the gym 39 times. I last went to the gym on March 16th before the state closed the gyms that night. In Connecticut, the gyms reopened in July, but I haven't returned. I had hoped to resume visits in September, but I still don't feel comfortable working out in the gym. 

I've been walking Lola every day, and I try to do some other exercise. I miss going to the gym, but the risks aren't worth it. 

Reading: My goal was to read 25 books. I read 23, including most of the books in the house. I read a few poetry chapbooks and part of Leaves of Grass that aren't included in the 23. This was a doable goal; I'm disappointed I didn't met it. 

More on Our Cornelius Christmas

Jeff's illness put a damper on our Christmas vacation. He called in sick on Thursday, and once again slept most the day.  He did manage a visit to the dog park and a dinner with me and his mother. On Friday, he was back to work--remotely that is.

The other guys went golfing and the women went to Latta Plantation. Latta is not a Gone with the Wind style plantation. The homestead and other buildings show a way of life in 1800's North Carolina. The tour covered only the main Federal style house. The thing that struck me most was when the guide mentioned how the enslaved persons (he didn't use the word slaves) would stand in the doorway of the back parlor when it was being used as a dining room, ready to serve as needed. The tour guide mentioned that the floor of the doorway was more worn than the rest of the floor. I stood in that spot and tried to imagine the lives of others who stood before me.

We walked around the grounds and saw the outbuildings including a kitchen, slave cabin, smoke house, overseer cabin, and animals.

***

Latta Plantation is part of a 1500 acre nature preserve that includes the Carolina Raptor Center dedicated to environmental education and the rehabilitation of injured raptors. I was the only one really interested, but everyone agreed to walk the Raptor Trail. On the trail, two women showed us different types of hawk feathers. I talked with them about the hawk I had seen at Oyster Shell Park. 

When I saw them on the way back, they said they thought they had identified the hawk and showed me a picture of an Osprey. I told them I had considered the Osprey, but the head wasn't right. I remembered I had a picture on my phone. Despite the small image, they identified the bird as a Red-shouldered Hawk. I was psyched because that was one of the hawks that I had considered.

***

Friday was our last night in North Carolina, and we planned a family dinner at the Melting Pot. After dinner, we stopped at a local bar. I ordered an Irish whiskey, and the waiter asked if I wanted a Pickleback. I tried it and loved it. It made my evening.

Two Weeks

Yesterday Jeff and I finalized our holiday travel plans. We decided to build in some extra travel time to have an easier drive. We even made a motel reservation for a night on the road.

Then Jeff said we only had one more weekend before we leave. Realizing I only have two weeks to shop, pack, wrap presents, etc. hit me hard. I have a lot to do and not as much time as I thought I did.

It's been years since we've traveled for Christmas holidays and this will be our first time with Lola. Luckily we're only going to North Carolina and not farther south.

Here's hoping for a fun road trip.

Remembering Spike

15 years ago today, Spike came to live with us. 

Jeff and I still miss him; he was a big part of our lives for 13 years.

We explored new places such as parks and beaches because of Spike. We found interesting buildings and met neighbors on daily walks. We made many friends with other dog-lovers.

Spike was a great companion on road trips. He traveled up and down the East Coast, from Plymouth, Massachusetts to Stuart, Florida. Spike visited Shea Stadium, Citi Field, a museum, an art gallery, wineries, many stores and countless restaurants. He was a regular at Interlaken Inn, better known than we were.
 
These photos represent just a few of our happy memories.

Spike on the beach in Hobe Sound, Florida.

 

In the car in Plymouth, Massachusetts

Circling the warning track at Shea Stadium.

Oh, The Places We Could Go

Jeff and I haven't been on a real vacation for years. It's mostly an issue of money. In our current work situations, if we don't work, we don't get paid. For several years, we had parents living in the south (South Carolina, Georgia and Florida) and they pressured us to spend vacations on family visits.

For the past few years, we've been doing weekend getaways, often at Interlaken. Interlaken is close enough for an overnight stay; there's a lot to do in the area. We love Morgan's Restaurant. And Interlaken is pet friendly--we enjoy traveling with Spike.

A few weeks ago, The New York Times ran this article on places to go in 2015. I doubt we'll make it to Milan or Turkey or Shanghai. But number three on the list is Philadelphia, subtitled the making of an urban outdoor oasis.

Philadelphia is close enough for a weekend trip. Pedestrian friendly spaces with public art and open air beer gardens sound pretty good to me.

Hampton Court Memories

I wasn't feeling well earlier this week, so it was a good time to catch up on some DVR recordings. I wrote about a few Bette Davis films I saw. I also watched a show about the secrets of Hampton Court.

In 1982, I went to London with my father, sister and a few of my sister's friends. My sister Joanna was good at finding tours and bargains. We got a good fare but didn't spend much time with the tour group. Joanna had lived in London for a year and was able to show us around.

Anne Boleyn's home, Hever Castle, was closed when we visited London in November. Of course, we went to the Tower of London, but we also visited Hampton Court Palace. We took the train from London one morning. I must have heard about the influence of Charles II, William and Mary, and Queen Anne during the tour, but I only remember the Tudors. I loved seeing the intertwined H and A that remain in the gateway despite the workers' best efforts to remove all traces of Anne. I also imagined Catherine Howard running down the Haunted Gallery in her attempt to reach Henry. I remember our gift shop purchases: I got an Anne Boleyn paperweight and a Six Wives of Henry VII tea cup. I think Joanna got a Six Wives dish towel.

We stopped for lunch at a local pub around the corner before heading back to London. It was one of the best meals we had that trip.