Everyone Dies . . . . Life Moves On
Zach was my constant companion, every day, every minute, all day long. I have been at-home full time for the last 12 years; he just followed me around and sat down next to wherever I was and kept me quiet company. When you add it up, I spent more time in his company than with any person, ever, in my whole life. We had our morning ritual (he gets fed before my one-cup coffee brewer is done), our lunch time ritual (he gets a snack before I make my sandwich) and our nightime ritual (I leave the front door open after dark until he has seen enough and turns in).
He died unexpectedly of (probably) a heart attack. He was 80 human years old.
The (badly-timed) Yard Party
I never counted how many people showed up, but it looked like 50, at least 10 of whom I didn't know, or couldn't remember from before.
Having found Zach on the dining room floor that morning, I wished these people weren't there waiting to be entertained and fed, but there they were and so be it, and I was really glad when the last one left. Parties are always 2 hours too long for me, even on my best days. I just can't be witty and charming for as long as most parties last.
I didn't photo even half of the people, but here are the ones I got . . .
Hiking
Mike talked me into a hike this morning, and it was a neat, easy one. Then, for breakfast, we ate a few hot dogs and stuff left over from yesterday's bar-b-q. Mike stayed a while, then went home. Debbie is napping, I'm on the porch now on my netbook, but no one is here to keep me company.
Here is photo-art from our hike . . .
I might get a dog after a while goes by. A dog from the shelter. Then again, I might get a cat . . . .
or a cat and a dog.
Aug.17.2010
Happy Birthday, Dad !
(then again, some old papers say you were born on Aug.18 ! )
The Shot Heard 'Round the World
Dad was a NY Giants fan back in the early '50's, and I was a Dodgers fan, so I had to listen to him tell me the story of Bobby Thomson's incredible home run that won the 1951 penant for the Giants, against the Dodgers.
From today's NY Times . . .
It was the bottom of the ninth inning in the third game of a three-game playoff. The Giants were down by two runs and the count was no balls and one strike. Branca, who had just come into the game, delivered a high fastball to Thomson, perhaps a bit inside. In the radio broadcast booth, Hodges watched the baseball fly off Thomson's bat.
"There's a long drive ... it's gonna be ... I believe - the Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!
"Bobby Thomson hits into the lower deck of the left-field stands! The Giants win the pennant, and they're going crazy, they're going crazy ...
"I don't believe it, I don't believe it, I do not believe it!"
Thomson's three-run homer propelled the Giants to a 5-4 victory, he and Branca became bonded as baseball's ultimate hero and goat, and the moment became enshrined in American culture.
Dad told that story like no one else could, and I hated to hear it and I loved to hear it, a million times.
I bring this up because Bobby Thomson died today. But I can still hear dad telling me all about it (again) as I sit here typing this journal entry.
Daytrip to Ogunquit, ME Portsmouth, NH
After driving 2 hours, we found the quaint little old town of Ogunquit, ME jammed solid with . . . ummm . . . tourists . . . the traffic was absurd ! . . . we never got out of the car, but drove south to Portsmouth, NH and had a great lunch and walkaround. On the way, Deb found (yep) the only "Coach" shoulder bag that she does not already own.
Ogunquit has seen the last of it's "quaint" days. It is now like Cape Cod and Nantucket - condos, rentals, vacation homes, gift shops, cafe's, artist galleries, fashion "outlets" and "Life is Good" shirt shops.
We've been to Portsmouth a few times. It never was or will be quaint. It once was a seaport town and is now cafes, lunch bars (we ate at Popovers), book stores, craft shops, art galleries, and cute upscale babes walking about in their new fashions (Deb showed them how it's done when it's done to perfection). And there is plenty of easy parking !
Aug.19.2010
Happy Anniversary, Chris and Mike !
Chris: "Can't you smile for our anniversary photo ?"
Mike: "I am smiling."
Aug.21.2010 - Dinner at Margarita's . . . great place . . . (strange lights)
Middle East Peace Talks
I have been listening to this bullsh#t for 50+ years now. It is utter bullsh#t and the world needs to understand this. Peace between Jews, Muslims, Palestinians is not possible . . . just like it's not possible to make a circle that has only 3 sides.
The religions of these people, their political leaders, and their ancestral hatred of each other, will never allow peace to exist.
Rain
finally, after 6 weeks of dry weather, we have rain . . . rain is good.
Aug.26.2010 . . . still no internet service
Waiting for the Verizon installation for FIOS . . . I am at the local library using their wireless account, along with the middle aged unemployed folks sending out resumes, teachers getting course material ready for Fall, students returning all the books they didn't read this Summer and the homeless people with PhD's writing their memoirs and e-mailing their stories to the New Yorker.
Aug.29.2010
At last, we have internet service again (Verizon), and new e-mail addresses. Seems to be working fine for a day now.
I discovered the local library this week, not just for their wireless connection but for books !, and studied up on art - Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth and Mary Cassat to be specific. Learned a lot, and it was a pleasure. Helping my photographic vision and I am experimenting with more painterly postprocessing of my scenic photos (some of them). I added a few of these to my "artful photos" page.
Here is a before-after comparison of the latest one . . .
from the New Yorker . . .
