Life n Stuff

I've been trying to be a little less reclusive this summer, hating the season the way I do, so I've been walking at the Canal on the cooler days.  Still, it's hard to deal with the humidity.  On the plus side, at least I've lost some of the pasty Pacific NW pallor and have a farmer's tan going.  Which is fine.

Not much has been going on to be honest.  Crafting.  Cleaning.  Waking at the Canal.  I see Marsha now and again.  Go over to mom's a couple times a week.  Saw Sharon a few times.  Haven't been back to Dune 1 in part because of traffic, in part because the girls only go on weekends which is my only time with the squeeze and in part because I'm not paying $10 to park down there (I don't have a beach sticker for Sandwich and I'm not getting one).

At the end of June, we had to do all the re-registering for the truck, as well as maintenance on it, so that entailed dropping it off at the mechanic in Middleboro by 9:30 a.m., then driving aaaall the way to Hyannis, on the Cape, for one office stop, then aaaalll the way up to Boston (really Quincy) the same day to the second office, then waiting around all afternoon while they processed it.  It was a long, hot, hellacious day, but we did have a good meal at 99 Restaurant while waiting.  The RMV was really pressing for him to come back the next morning, since it was so late in the day, but he said no way, we were not coming back to Boston, on a Friday morning of a holiday weekend.  After being stuck in afternoon commute traffic, we finally got home at 6.  We put 179 miles on my car that one day.  

We picked up the truck at the shop a couple days later and I finally brought my camera to take pics of these cool doors in a rock wall, in S. Middleboro, that I have been meaning to shoot for the last year.

Pretty sunset

Pretty moon and tree.

We've been having nightly thunderstorms that kick up around 4:30 or 5, and last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, depending upon the direction of the storm.  This Canal corridor, which includes Sandwich, seems to get pounded a lot worse than other areas.  The pups do not like it at all and have been in a lot of distress.  Last summer I finally caved and bought Rescue Remedy for Dogs.  I'm pretty skeptical about herbal  remedies but I was desperate to help curb Pepper's anxiety.  By the time I'd ordered it, she'd finally calmed down so I forgot I had it till one stormy night when one of my friends again suggested it.  I got it from the cabinet and put it on biscuits for Bean and Boo, and wouldn't you know it?  The stuff actually WORKED!  Pepper settled down within minutes.  While Sagan was still in some distress, the frenetic pacing and trying to climb on me abated.  It didn't work so well on July 4th though...the fireworks were way too bad.

Anywho, one late afternoon when it was storming, all of a sudden the sun came out even though it was pouring.  I knew what that meant and I dashed outside with my camera to capture the rainbow.  Pay no attention to the black speck in the corner....the damn sensor was dirty again.

You can't see the rain, but trust me, I was getting soaked when I shot this picture.

The actual rainbows weren't as vivid as I would have liked, so I maxed the contrast on this and the above photo to bring them out.

The storm was then followed by a stunning sunset.  "Red sky at night, sailor's delight".

Reflection in my car.

I've been trying to catch the train going over the train bridge in town.  I have seen the bridge moving, or heard the train whistle through town, at about 5:40, every weeknight, of course when I'm unable to get there in time or don't have my camera in the car.  So one night I actually planned to go over there for 5:40.  I got there at 5:15 to be on the safe side.  Shot some pics whilst waiting.

Anyone wanna buy me this boat?  Anyone?  No?  Well I tried.  Incidentally, this is one of those pictures where my eyes see that cloud cluster on the left and my brain reads it first as Mt. Rainier.  

Wakes in the Canal are frowned upon.  A word about the Canal:  Some friends on Facebook have asked me why I don't take a dip in it when it's hot and I'm walking.  Not only is it illegal to swim in it, you will die.  If you aren't hit by a boat or ship, you'll get pulled under by the rip currents or swept out to sea.  I've never heard of or seen anyone in the water.

I walked around a little but I didn't wanna get too far away from the bridge so mostly just wandered aimlessly, checking the time.  5:40.  5:45. 5:50.  Hmmmm... 

The cloud formations were cool so I shot those.  6:00.  I can see people on the Cape side, also looking at the bridge expectantly.  There were people in lawn chairs on my side, all facing the bridge as well.

Rosehips anyone?  6:10.

6:15.  Absolutely no sign of the train at all.

So I went home.

Yesterday I had to do some errands & I brought my camera.  Damned if the bridge wasn't down!  I was just laughing by this point, but I drove over anyway.  If nothing else it's cool to watch it moving.  But it wasn't.  It stayed in the down position long enough for me to get there and park.  I asked some people if the train had come by yet and was told that it started to come across, stopped halfway, then backed up off the bridge.  WTF?!?!?! 

I waited, hoping that maybe it'd come back, but then the horns were blown, which signal that the bridge is in motion, and it began to rise again.  

I'll catch the train one of these days.

Finally, in other news, my friend Ginny has been nudging me all spring long to join her on Wednesday mornings at the Sandwich Bazaar, to set up a table and sell my stuff.  I dragged my feet during the coolest weather spells of course and have decided to finally do it.  In July.  What the hell am I thinking?  Oh well.  The other reason I've dragged my feet is that the thought of getting up before 5 a.m. to be at the gates before 6 bums me out too, but I guess I can deal with one day a week. And let's face it, the crafts are starting to pile up and I just do not have the room for them all.   So wish me luck!!