Archive for the ‘maine’ Tag
Let’s add up the tally for today. My better-half has a day off, that’s one. The sun is shining and the day is clear, that’s two. I’m sitting enjoying my morning caffeine, that’s three. The yard and home are in desperate need of attention and cleanup, that’s four. Do you have to guess what’s coming next or can you do the math.
A sunny yet cold day that’s deceivingly enticing can be instantly turned into a backbreaking, ball-busting labor camp by my better-half who’s heavily intoxicated with a killer dose of Spring Fever. I’ve again been assigned the position of worker bee while the Queen barks orders as she lays on her comfortable chaise lounge on the deck. I exaggerate a bit for maximum effect since I know she’ll be reading this later.
Clean that porch, lift that barge, tote that bale, rake the yard or you’ll land in jail. What more can you ask for but a huge amount of work that needs doing and a person who stands by to assist you in doing them in the proper order. This is just the beginning of another Spring that forces all Maine residents to get up and get moving.
You need to understand that the growing season in the state of Maine is about fifteen minutes long. Winter starts in late October and lasts into May. Then you have a few weeks of rain and mud and all of a sudden it’s June. If you plan on your garden being successful without fear of frost you must wait until mid June before planting. That gives you about ninety days to grow your garden, harvest the fruits of your labors, and begin preparations for the coming winter. So complaining about the Spring cleanup is a total waste of time. The work must be done quickly but never silently. I work a lot better when I can schedule a few “bitch breaks” to make myself feel better.
We made a great deal of progress today but there’s still a lot of work ahead. I finished up in mid afternoon and we returned to the house to be hit with the Boston Marathon bombing news. Our sympathies go out to those families who’ve suffered the ultimate loss and those with maimed or wounded members. It’s a sad fact of life that these killers are still out there and we’re still as vulnerable as ever, even after spending billions on prevention.
I only hope our current administration shows more resolve in dealing with terrorism than it’s shown in the past. The Presidents speech last night didn’t fill me with confidence. I would have thought that Mr. Charisma could have shown a bit more emotion or actual concern. I guess his charisma only kicks in when he’s talking about himself. I can already picture his possible cynical political maneuvers from this tragedy. This may give him the excuses to push for armed drones flying over American cities armed with Hellfire missiles to kill suspected terrorists. God help us all!
It’s raining here in Maine this morning and I’m hoping it’s Mother Nature’s last and final gasp of the winter. Listening to the weather forecasts for the last few days was too depressing for words. They were calling for sleet and a few inches of snow this morning but thankfully they were mistaken. A light coating of sleet that melted away almost immediately is something I can live with.
My better-half was up early to deliver her son to the bus station. He visited us for three days but now is on his way to somewhere in NY state for the wedding of one of his friends and then back to Los Angeles.
I was wondering to myself before his arrival just how he’d react to the new grand baby. It was fun watching the transformation from being my better-half’s son to the uncle of his younger sister’s baby boy. Babies have that special ability to take you out of yourself and your everyday worries and to really enjoy the moment you’re having with them. He was totally disarmed by the whole experience and found himself swept away by the baby and the new relationship they had begun to build. It showed a side of him I’d never seen before and I was glad to see it emerge. He was able to spend a lot of time with the baby and the bond between them was strongly made.
Things should quickly get back to what we call normal around here. Getting ready for Spring and the garden are at the top of our To Do List for the next few weeks. I’ll be off to Lowes to purchase paint and primer this week and hopefully the new room will done by midweek next week. If I time things just right I should be able to put the finishing touches to the room and then immediately move outside and get busy with the yard cleanup and garden prep.
We’ve already started talking about a few weekend photography trips to the northern part of the state. The Attagash region is a few hours north of here and is truly a beautiful place to visit. Hundreds of lakes, small and large, surrounded by thick and dense forests. Wildlife is plentiful with a million opportunities for excellent photographs. I love getting away from all the trouble with the economy, politics, TV, talking heads, cell phones, and any other BS you can think of. Peace, quiet, wilderness, and calm. It beats any kind of drug you can find anywhere.
I can hardly believe that it’s sixty-five degrees here in Maine today this early in April. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and I find myself doing yard cleanup and loving it. I didn’t put on a normal summer outfit like shorts and a t-shirt because I’m not a total idiot. All you have to do is walk into a shaded area and you’ll realize almost immediately just how cold it still is. I’m dressed in long sleeves, jeans, and a light coat. I’ve learned the hard way in past years when I dressed too lightly and ended up with a Spring cold that took forever to go away. My better-half has been complaining for the last couple of days about her cough, runny nose, and scratchy throat. I think she’s about to come down with something that I’m sure she’ll pass right along to me. Isn’t true love wonderful? Just one fantastic perk after another.
We both felt the immediate need to rush out to one of the big box home improvement stores yesterday to begin our Spring spending spree. It’s never too early or too cold to begin loading up with seeds, plants, yard tools, and the occasional yard gnome. We both realize it’s way too early in the season to start this nonsense but we can’ seem to stop ourselves. We apparently aren’t alone because the store was crowded with shoppers filling their carts with anything and everything imaginable. I managed to escape the madness with an expenditure of just a few dollars less than a hundred. Madness I tell you, just freaking madness.
After returning home my better-half immediately changed clothes, grabbed a rake, and began working furiously in the yard. It would have been useless for me to try and stop her so I didn’t even make the attempt. I found a really comfortable chair and placed it on the deck where I could watch. There’s nothing much better than loafing and watching someone else work. She’s got Spring Fever so bad she’s almost out of control and I won’t be the person who tries to slow her down. She can become dangerous when fooled with.
After raking for an hour she finally gave it up and returned to the deck where I’d been saving her a seat. She lasted about thirty minutes longer than I thought she would. We enjoyed the sunshine for another hour and I do believe we got a pretty good start on our summer tans. It eventfully became a little too chilly for comfort so we grabbed up the cat and returned to the house. It was a nice start to better weather but we’re still a long way from actual warmth and real sunshine.
I’ll be returning to the woods later this week with camera in hand to begin my search for a few of those illusive creatures that escaped my notice last fall. Patience usually pays off in these matters or so I’ve been told. I love being out with Mother Nature without two feet of snow slowing me down. Another week and the snow will be history and the fun summer can begin.
I think I’m finally returning to my calm and normal self after the last two days of whining and complaining about every useless thing that was bothering me. It appeared to be a combination of finally finishing a difficult job I’d worried about for many weeks and the normal let down after the fact. Leave it up to my better-half to figure out a perfect solution.
She returned home from work in early afternoon and immediately advised me to clean up because we we going out for a Dutch Treat dinner. How could I possibly complain about that? Regardless of what you might think I clean up pretty good and it wasn’t long before I was ready for my night on the town. My chauffeur pulled up in her car and off we went.
We have a number of restaurants we frequent but for me it’s all about the food. If the food is good I can eat it sitting in the middle of a junk yard and still be happy. I worked for many years throughout the south and became hooked on that good old down home southern food that their so famous for. Catfish, collard greens, black eyed peas, somehow climbed to the top of my favorite foods list. No matter what northern restaurant chains claim their attempts to cook authentic southern cuisine is usually pitiful.
My all-time favorite southern dish is country fried chicken with that unbelievable white gravy and biscuits. One of our regular restaurants has a chef who must have been born down south and stolen his grandmother’s favorite recipes. That’s where my better-half planned our dinner and I wasn’t disappointed. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the biscuits and gravy were even better. Throw in a serving of coleslaw and a side of mashed red potatoes with just a hint or garlic and you’ve arrived in heaven. I pigged out and cleaned my plate like a freaking vacuum cleaner. I was fat and sassy as I downed an excellent gin and tonic to complete things.
My better-half was busy texting for few minutes and when she finished I was advised we’d be meeting some friends at another local establishment for a nightcap or two. She actually paid the bill, left a good tip, and we were off. We arrived at a place that is part sports bar, part restaurant, and part beach hangout in the summer. They were so busy it seemed a little like a hot summer evening with the place packed with beach people. I said that jokingly because it’s really April in Maine and cold as hell. Our friends arrived just as we finally were seated in our booth and we had a few drinks and a lot of laughs. My sober designated driver delivered me safely home at a reasonable hour to end a perfect night.
The night didn’t last much longer because the better-half had a 4am wake-up call. Fortunately she has a vacation week scheduled next week due to the anticipated arrival or her oldest son from LA. He’s in for a three day visit and that should keep her hopping and occupied for the entire week. Since next week is sure to a hectic one I plan on enjoying this weekend as much as humanly possible.
It’s been twelve hours since that great meal and I’m still tasting those garlic potatoes. Can’t wait to do it again.
Another winter in Maine is finally taking it’s last freaking gasp and will soon be gone. I have only one thing to say to that, "Good-bye, Good Riddance, and Go Away". In my opinion it’s overstayed it’s welcome by at least two weeks already. It’s much like a house guest who stays too long causing you to start out liking them, then disliking them, and finally detesting them.
I’m sitting in bed refusing to get up and start another day with the same mind crunching routine which I’ve fallen into of late. I first wake up slowly out of odd and strange dreams which usually amuse me, but not today. I make a bathroom pit stop, feed the cat, get my coffee, and return to the bed with my IPad. As I begin writing I’m also thinking about my work list for the day and cringe a little. After ten minutes I return to the kitchen for another cup of coffee and more visualization of the tasks ahead of me.
The room remodel has taken over my days but is much c.loser to completion than this time last week. Ninety percent of the drywall has been installed with the final sheets in place by this coming Friday. Then it’s a few days of sanding, priming, painting, putting up the new fixtures, wall plugs, light switches and baseboards and then DONE.
In order to complete these kinds of projects you really must have the proper motivation or it could stall and never be completed. That’s the job of my better-half. I’ve called her many things over the years but for right now she’s my motivator. Part of her skill set is knowing just when to tweak my nose about things to restart my engines and then haughtily walk away pretending she doesn’t care in the least. Some people might call that passive-aggressive, but not me. I call that motivation with a twist. For example I hear things like this, "Oh honey the room is really shaping up and the drywall looks amazing. It always surprises me that you are able to do this work as well as you do. It looks like there’s a bit of a gap between those two sheets. Is it supposed to be that wide? Will it make the drapes I just bought look like their hanging crooked? Don’t forget to fix that before we start painting." And so it goes!
She has no subtlety at all. She started a week ago arriving home from her shopping trips with questions about what furnishings would look best in the new room. What kind of older, cool looking vanity she would purchase for her huge collection of makeup and lotions. She dragged me out one day to just visit a few stores for an hour or so. I ended up looking at throw rugs and other assorted furnishings for the new room. She’s about as subtle as a hand grenade.
Regardless of all the gamesmanship the room will be completed at least two weeks ahead of schedule. Hooray for me because I’ve been assured and promised there would be no more major projects until next Fall. The translation of that promise is actually this, "Honey, I think the living room is looking too peachy. I’m really sick of that color and maybe we should change it out before any of the summer guests arrive. What do you think?
Like I said, subtle!
I had a relatively interesting day today. I was able to accomplish a few things that weren’t planned and somehow those always seem the best. People joke about spontaneity when discussing love and personal relationships but you never hear it in relation to other things. I have to admit that everything usually returns to people relationships but every once in a while it’s possible to be pleasantly surprised by an unplanned encounter.
My first spontaneous conversation and introduction to someone new occurred this morning. On a regular basis I turn into a recycling, take care of the environment, conscientious "Greenie". Every few weeks or so I trek to a place to recycle bottles, cans, and plastic containers. It’s one of my assigned duties from my better-half to religiously collect all this crap, save it in large bags, and then deliver it for CASH. All of a sudden I didn’t mind recycling if there was cash involved. I agreed to this chore as long as all those nickels remained in my pocket and not into the household general fund. And so began my adventures in doing my part to save the freaking environment.
I manage to make about $20.00 every six weeks thanks in great part to my better-half’s beer bottle contributions and a great number of plastic water bottles. Truth be told it’s a huge pain in the ass but I do it to keep peace in the household which makes the effort worthwhile. Also the cat loves it because all of my pet related expenses are paid for from this small but important fund. If by chance we have a party or a lot of visitors during the summer months I might even I be able to embezzle enough of the cat fund for the odd bottle of gin. Don’t tell the cat because he’s a major league nag and I’d never hear the end of it. Any purchases that aren’t Fancy Feast or special treats will really make him hard to live with.
So I arrive at the recycling center which is a cross between a gigantic, stinky and smelly garbage can and a college frat house on Sunday morning. It truly is a disgusting place where no one stays any longer than necessary. As I enter the building dragging two huge bags of containers I bump into Ryan, the man in charge. In his twenties, six foot three, 60’s hairdo (not quite a mullet), raggedy ass clothes, and an odor just a little less awful than the surrounding piles of bottles and cans that are apparently his entire life. He manually sorts through my bags on a large table, plastic here, cans there, brown bottles over there, and white glass over here. He never writes anything down but when he’s finished, he spends a few seconds on a calculator and hands me a credit slip with my total redemption amount.
I was extremely skeptical when I first started using this facility and for the first five or six deliveries I pre-counted them at home just to check their counting procedures. I never found an error. The guy is freaking amazing but always accurate. I made the mistake today of starting a spontaneous conversation to see if I could distract him or trip him up in some way. We talked for approximately ten minutes while he scurried around sorting and checking the containers. He never missed a beat and his count was right on. The downside was the actual conversation because Ryan is really passionate about bottles and he spent those ten minutes telling me how he counts bottles and then a few war stories about some of his more unusual customers and their quirks.
I was trapped like a rat and couldn’t escape. He held me captive and talked about empty bottles until I just wanted to scream. OMFG! I now know way more than I ever wanted to know about his career choice and why he had the best job ever. I picked up my credit slip and got the hell out of there.
It was a smelly and disgusting experience but interesting in it’s own way. As a former business professional I always appreciated people who were passionate about their jobs. My good buddy, Ryan, was as passionate about his job as anyone I’ve ever met. He loves his job and tries desperately hard to excel at it. He actually tries to supply friendly and smiling customer service in an a garbage pile atmosphere which is amazing in and of itself.
I now know I can finally stop pre-counting my contributions because my bottles and containers are in good hands with Ryan. My cat need never worry about starving because Ryan is on the job.
Well, we’re buried under another foot of snow and I’m beginning to hate it. Mother Nature’s taking it upon herself to be annoying and there are a few hundred thousand people here in Maine who are no longer amused. Today was spent sitting in the house and looking longingly out the window for one ray of the ever illusive sunshine. After a few hours of that I was ready to fire up the snowblower and get to work. After clearing the snow I returned to the house to again sit and look out the window until the snow again piled up. Today that is my life.
Around 2 pm I retired to the man-cave for a few hours of computer time and some quality time with the cat. He was no help at all so in frustration I returned to my dry walling project. I set up an area in the garage and began to cut the drywall panels for the room remodel. What a mess. I finished enough panels to do about half of the walls and called it a day when I realized the longer I worked the more mess I was making. Falling back to an always available old saying, "all things in moderation", made it easy for me to clean up the area and walk away. My better-half, that burley female construction worker (sarcasm), assisted me in carrying the panels up to the second floor which was a real backbreaker for both of us. I felt a little better about returning to my snow watching after having accomplished something today. From weather reports it appears the storm will be lasting until sometime tomorrow so I’ll be snowblowing well into the night. Oh joy!
Fortunately my Harry Potter-2 X-box game arrived two days ago (thank you Amazon) and I was able to spend an hour or so creeping around Hogwarts castle looking for trouble. It’s was a great way to clear my head and relax (at least for me) for a little while.
Tomorrow the snow will stop, the roads will be cleared of snow, and I can get back into my spring time mindset. I can’t let this snow ruin my Spring Fever feelings.
I just spent a little quality time with my snowblower this morning. With another huge snowstorm coming our way I thought she might need a little pep talk before I send her out into another nasty old snow storm. I don’t think she was too happy to hear about this storm because she refused to talk to me or even look me in the eye. Snowblowers can be so temperamental if they’re not treated like God’s gift to all snowblowers. I gassed her up, wiped the dirt from her beautiful red body, gently checked her oil, and then rubbed her all over with a clean rag. It’s strange that this entire routine reminds me more than just a little of most of my previous relationships. I baby them, pamper them, feed them, clothe them, make love to them, and then maybe just maybe they’ll do something I request. I did say MAYBE because it’s never ever been a sure thing anyway.
It’s always amazed me just how all things seem to be related in so many ways. There are millions of men out there who love using sports metaphors to explain almost everything but since I’m not a sports fanatic I tend to go my own way. As with women most vehicles and machinery require exactly the same treatment if you expect to get anything in return. Cars, garden tractors, leaf blowers, wood chippers, and even things as small as battery operated face massagers need some TLC occasionally. I’ve found that bathing them regularly and talking softly to them really goes a long way to keeping them happy and working properly. As in all things a few loving caresses here and there won’t hurt either.
They all require constant attention and if they don’t get it then problems will almost certainly ensue. So men, always remember that all of your mechanical devices require all of your time and effort to keep them happy. God help you if they think they’re being ignored, there will be hell to pay.
All of my former vehicles demanded on occasion a nice warm bath as well as a vigorous rubdown with scented cleaners. I recommend that you make that part of your maintenance regime, you won’t be sorry. Spending a little time, effort, and gentleness will pay off in a big way if you play your cards right.
Talk to your vehicles as much as you can and never walk by without a gentle touch and a kind word. Snuggle up in those nice soft seats and don’t be afraid to gently stroke her every so often.
Give it a try and you won’t believe the results. Buy her a sweet smelling air freshener and maybe a cute set of floor mats and she’ll follow you anywhere. Gas her up regularly and maybe she’ll let you take her out on the expressway and blow the carbon out of her pipes and yours as well.
Just saying.
More good news today. After an entire week of forty-five degree sunny days, we have another effing snow storm working it’s way here from wherever the hell they come from. Once again we’re to be buried in more than a foot of snow. There goes that good old Spring Fever feeling right out the bloody window.
Today is sunny and wickedly cold but I’ll deal with the cold to have this much sunshine. It’s amazing what energy a little sunshine can create to help motivate me. I’m doing a small amount of work on the remodel this morning but nothing too strenuous. After all it’s Sunday and that supposed to be a day of rest, right?
Since it’s a lazy day for me I’m determined to do a few things that I’ve been procrastinating about for weeks. I spent some time cleaning my camera and lenses. Removing the silicon skin used for protection against my clumsiness is a pain but the camera needs a thorough cleaning. It’s something I should be doing on a regular basis but for some reason I never seem to make the time to do it.
Next is my work shop. It’s a freaking disaster area and while I might make some progress in cleaning it today, it’s going to take many more days before it’s anywhere near clean and functional enough. What I really need is a huge dump truck, a five gallon can of gas, and a pack of matches. Nothing says cleanup like a raging bonfire. I’ve promised myself that fifteen minutes after the last of the snow has melted there’ll be a huge bonfire and I’ll be feeding it until the workshop is emptied of trash and old wood scraps.
This snow storm is really screwing not only with my head but my Spring schedule. Mother Nature truly is a "heartless bitch". Our Spring and Summer seasons here in Maine aren’t very long as it is but these late snow storms are just salt in the wounds. I guess I’m becoming something of a whiny little bitch so I’ll shut and get on with things. Thank God It’s only a few stupid chores that are irritating me. I mean it could be much much worse. I could be returning to the workforce, right Lily?
It’s time for me to get to moving, stop complaining, and become a useful citizen once again. I hate that.
Finally a day out of the house. I’ve been granted a day without thinking of the on going remodel or anything house related thanks to a few of my better-half’s relatives. They’ve decided because of their enjoyable visit to see us last summer that spending a week here this year is just the ticket. I’m assisting them in their endeavors in finding a home or cottage rental somewhere near the Scarborough or Old Orchard beach areas.
They’ve apparently been looking on-line but haven’t had much luck. I’m on my way this morning to check out a place located at Camp Ellis, Maine. This is an area along the coast just north of the city of Saco and has been a harbor for small boats and lobsterman for years. There’s a large breakwater protecting the harbor and a small beach nearby for sunning and swimming. My job today is to find the building at the address they’ve given me, evaluate the area, and report back. The renter is asking $1800.00 a week which to me is ridiculous but what the hell do I know. I’m told it can be as much as $3000.00 a week just a few short miles further north in the Old Orchard Beach area which in my opinion is again highway robbery.
Before any investigation can begin I’ll be forced to stop at Dunkin Donuts for a jolt of fresh coffee and something sweet to make me extra happy. I want to be as alert and clear headed as possible as I make this evaluation so an extra turbo shot of espresso will be required.
I should mention that this winter has been difficult in certain areas of Maine with terrible wind storms and heavy snow falls. The Camp Ellis area was hit pretty hard in the last storm which I was made aware of as I attempted to reach the address I’m supposed to be checking out. It’s located on a short little street a short distance from the beach but not only is the road closed and a detour in place but the small beach is only half the size it once was. I’m told that the beach was partially washed away in the last storm as well as a few yards of the shore road. Scratch one potential vacation spot.
I’m now forced to cruise north along the shore road to Old Orchard Beach and Scarborough, a trip of approximately four miles. It’s a chilly but sunny day making the ride a real pleasure and a perfect opportunity for a little photography. I hadn’t driven more than a mile when I came on a huge flock of geese that stopped for rest and food in a nearby protected wildlife area. In just a few minutes I was able to take a few terrific pictures and for a change I had my telephoto lens with me and it worked out perfectly.
I began writing down telephone numbers and the names of local realty companies as I rode along. I then dropped a voice mail to her relatives with all the information I’d collected. I hope they find what their looking for at a reasonable price because I’m really looking forward to their visit later in the summer. Spending a week on the beach with them would really kick-start the summers festivities.
