Cape Ann Trip

We're spending a few days in Gloucester, MA for our 10th wedding anniversary, which was October 3rd. I rented a little cottage in the village of Annisquam right near Plum Cove. It's called, appropriately, Plum Cove Cottage. And, yes, Mother, it has heat. It also has a gorgeous kitchen (below) with granite counter tops which I'd like to take home with me. I mean, I'll take the whole kitchen, including dishwasher and counter tops home with me.

The lovely kitchen. Which would be improved greatly by having a teakettle. This world is so biased towards coffee drinkers!

I saw the most amazing and beautiful ripple marks on Wingaersheek beach in Gloucester.

Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester, MA. The sand is like velvet! I love it!

More velvety sand at Wingaersheek beach.
I could live here, easily.

A cute little pocket beach at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester.

Another pocket beach. This one is Plum Cove beach and it's 1/10 mile from our cottage.

Setting sun at Plum Cove beach.

Helpful Signage

This is what I woke up to this morning.

Thanks, Tiger Lily.

Thanks, Trevor.

Just leave it for me to clean up.

Love you, too.

As I write this Tiger Lily is barfing up houseplants again.

A mother's work is never done.

Why?

I'm not going to get ultra-philosophical or anything like that. I won't be asking WHY does the universe exist or what is our purpose in life. No, I won't be asking questions like that.

I'm going to ask:

WHY IN THE WORLD DO WE HAVE TO DISCOVER THE FURNACE ISN'T WORKING ON THE FIRST REALLY COLD NIGHT IN OCTOBER? WHY?

IT'S FREEZING IN HERE! Yes, Dad, I've put on a sweater. And Trevor has called the Landlord.

One of these things just doesn't belong...

Remember that little ditty on Sesame Street, "One of these things just doesn't belong..."?

I don't know why, but there's been a light bulb in our fruit bowl for a couple of days now. Can you find it? What else doesn't belong in this fruit bowl?

A Wicked Old Car in Island Pond, VT

One never knows what one will find on my brother's property in Island Pond, VT. He owns about 70 acres there. He built a small house there about 6 years ago. We like to joke about him being "near the grid" not really "off the grid" since he drives to East Burke to the parents' house to use the shower; do laundry; check his email; watch the Red Sox; drink beer and eat snacks.

On his property he has a brook, waterfalls, beaver ponds and even a sand pit! He's also cut lots of hiking trails around the property. The land is a drumlin - a remnant of the last glacial period (or "ice age" as some like to say; did you notice how I said "last glacial period"?) At one point the land was pasture but the trees have grown up and so far we haven't found evidence of a foundation anywhere. But perhaps the original farm house wasn't anywhere near his 70+ acres.

On Sunday when I was there for brunch, we went for walk to check out a new trail that he cut. Pete's friend Luke spied this old car in the woods and asked if it was new (?)! We went to have a closer look and it seems to me that it's becoming one with the earth. There's moss growing on it; its tires are long gone; a tree has fallen on it and even the tree is moss-covered!
Pete joked that he'd just made the last payments on the car. But the big question is: What kind of car is it? And what year?

My dad the Red Sox fan

My dad loves the Red Sox! And loves it even more when the Yankees lose. Here he is telling us how he feels about the season thus far...

Just Wondering...

How am I supposed to know which way a car is turning if they're not using turn signals?

How does the government know how many illegal immigrants are residing in the US? They say there's 8 million...how do they know?