Although officially the first day of winter occured just yesterday, here in New England we are anxiously awaiting the first days of spring and thoughts of warmer days, the smell of damp dirt, and the pop of color, that will come just when we think Mother Nature has abandon us. Enjoy these flowers from my father’s garden and think of the sunshine washing over your face….
A loaded question today as I start to sip my second cup of coffee on a 20 degree F morning . I have to say it completely depends on the time of year and if I won the lottery. Let’s just say for conversation sake, I did not win the lottery and it is midsummer.
My perfect day off would include sleeping in by just an hour and then load up the Mini and head to the beach. I like to leave early (to the dismay of my daughter or friends that accompany me) but I getting the perfect place on the sand is essential! You will find me up against the sea grass to limit the unruly beachgoers that don’t pick up their feet and kick sand all over the blanket and ultimately in my head and face. Once the perfect spot has been claimed in the name of Her Majesty Giselle, the blanket comes out (using shoes, the cooler and other objects to weigh down the corners), the chairs are set up (and slightly spread out to keep the late arrivals at a safe distance), the book is dropped onto the blanket, and the lathering of the suntan lotion shall commence.
For the next few hours before the beach gets overrun, it is all about relaxing… listening to the waves crash on the shore, watching the toddlers run in and out of the water laughing and clapping so hard they look as though they would explode from happiness, sizing up the college kids skipping a summer course or playing hooky from their summer job at the coffee shop or restaurant (hmmm you don’t look sick…), laughing at the people who put too much faith in nature and leave their chips out for just a moment to grab a drink while a bold seagull does a ‘fly by’ grabbing a free snack and fending off other gulls at the same time, and lastly letting the warm sunshine wash over me.
It’s always a beautiful day at the beach. No stress of work, no phones ringing, no emails to answer and the only surfing to take place is by the young men and women looking for the perfect wave.
Seals off the Cape
In response to today’s Daily Prompt question:
Sparkling or Still
What’s your idea of a perfect day off: one during which you can quietly relax, doing nothing, or one with one fun activity lined up after the other? Tell us how you’d spend your time.
The Leonard Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge can be seen from many angles but this one was taken by me while on our boat underneath (!) the bridge.
The bridge serves as the northern connection from and to Boston and is one of the widest cable-stayed bridges in the world.
During the summer we take the boat down the Charles River (love that dirty water) past the Harvard Yacht club, Boston College, the Hatch Shell, the Boston Museum of Science and finally through the locks which lead into the Boston Harbor. It is a lovely ride and beautiful view. If you ever come to Boston be sure to take a Duck Tour so that you can experience the Charles River and see the Boston outline with a completely different twist.
One thing to be said about living in Massachusetts, most of the time the bleeding heart’s win and sometimes they lose – and when they lose in a big way, I want to sing the National Anthem until everyone’s ears bleed!
The Board of Health in the sleepy little town of Westminster, MA (more trees and deer than people = sleepy) tried to ban tobacco in town. Apparently the Board members have not heard of the Boston Tea Party where people get mighty ticked when you mess with their rights as citizens.
Nearly 500 people packed a hearing at a local elementary school on Wednesday night held by the three members of the Board of Health. Passions ran high, and the hearing became so unruly that the board chairwoman could not maintain order; she shut down the hearing 20 minutes after it began.
The crowd started singing “God Bless America” in protest as the board members left under police protection. Angry residents circulated petitions demanding a recall election for the board members.
Tobacco is not illegal and trying to ban it from town, thereby forcing its tobacco users to buy in the adjacent town, simply takes money (and according to recent studies more than just a few pennies, try one third of their revenue on the whole!) out of the local retailer’s thinly lined pocket.
Roughly 15% of the town’s populations (as of last week) have signed a petition to stop the madness with only 17% of the townspeople admitting they use tobacco products. Even the town selectmen have voted unanimously to oppose the ban!
Here is what one towns person had to say:
“They’re just taking away everyday freedoms, little by little,” said Nate Johnson, 32, an egg farmer who also works in an auto body shop, as he stood outside the store last week. “This isn’t about tobacco, it’s about control,” he said.
Is it unhealthy? Science has proven it time and time again, yes it most certainly is. Is it proactive to try to keep the youth from lighting up and creating more health care financial burden on the future citizens? Yes, that is true too.
But the Board of Health has completely overstepped their boundaries and even stated that they have a moral obligation to try to stop the young people from smoking. Really? Since when? Is Westminster now a dictatorship with the Board of Health presiding?
I am not for tobacco products, I have my own vice; wine. And if I lived during prohibition times I would set up a speakeasy in my cellar, secret entrance word and all.
So to the smokers and townspeople in Westminster, MA I say – –
LET FREEDOM RING!
this is just one of the many articles you can find online about this subject but is being cited as to where I was fired up enough to write about it and lifted some of Ms. Seelye’s info. http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/disgusted-by-smoking-outraged-by-a-plan-to-ban-tobacco/ar-BBejwhZ?ocid=mailsignout
My daughter and I use to go to Salem, MA every year. It is the mecca for all that are in search of spooky during the October months due to its history relating to the witch trials in the late 1600’s*. The majority of the visit is walking; walking through haunted houses and museums, walking through somber 1600 -1700 graveyards where women and children died so very young, walking through town to see all the vendors sell their wares and jumping headfirst onto the Halloween bandwagon, etc.
The last year that we went, we were walking down a semi-main street as nighttime was falling… checking out the buildings and the fabulously old architecture… when something ahead of us caught our eyes. An older home not well maintained with a farmers porch, a refrigerator stuck in the corner, and a man, a rather LARGE man who could pass for a 6′ football player standing at the bottom of the steps from the porch.
This was no ordinary man; this was Michael Myers come to life! Full-on one piece jumper and perfectly fitting mask. Upon realizing who this large man was, we (what we thought was discreetly at the time) crossed the street and continued to walk toward the house. We were whispering to each other– what do we do? do we keep moving forward? He has seen us! It would be awkward to turn around now… we have to keep moving forward. All the whispering without taking our eyes off him…he stood there watching us. Ever so slowly moving his head… watching us from across the street, walk past the house… and then he started to move, to walk slowly but deliberately, as only Michael Myers would do, down the sidewalk following us…never breaking character, slowly…very slowly following us… the electricity between my daughter and I rose significantly as we tried to keep the scream to ourselves – oh my God he is following us – and quickly picked up our pace. The shrieks were mixed with laughter and many MANY high pitched “oh my God! oh my God! oh my God!” as only two frightened young women can do.
He stopped following us at the end of the street, turned and walked back to the house only to wait for his next victims. Meanwhile, my daughter and I laughed so hard we cried… how that nameless man in his spot-on Michael Myers impression, made our trip to Salem a moment we will never forget.
*Side history lesson: due to changing town lines since the trials, the ‘Salem Village’ where the trials took place is actually present-day Danvers Massachusetts. The current town of Salem is not the original site but is widely accepted as where the witch trials and hangings took place.
Today you can write about anything, in whatever genre or form, but your post must mention a dark night, your fridge, and tears (of joy or sadness; your call). Feel free to switch one ingredient if you have to (or revisit one from previous trio prompts).
Seeing as Trulia, yes the honest-to-goodness real estate website, has put so much time and money into figuring out the first cities the zombies will attack, I thought I would pass along not only their findings, but my insight on the subject for this ten minute prompted writing.
The Huffington Post posted the following with a map:
If and when the zombie apocalypse is nigh, we will all have to make one monumental decision: Where to seek refuge?
When the undead rise up, hitting the beach in zombie-free bliss will not be an option. Honolulu is ranked as the most appetizing city for hungry zombies.
Residents of Honolulu will make easy targets for the walking dead, what with the city’s high walkability and lack of hardware stores (where there are potential zombie-killing weapons). Honolulu also has a high hospital density, making it easy for zombies to find weak victims, and it is extremely congested, with some of the worst traffic in the nation.
New York is number two on the list, followed by Newark, Boston, and Washington D.C.
Trulia calculated the survivability of the cities using the following criteria: highest walk score, lowest hardware store density, highest hospital density, and most congestion.
MY TAKE: Hello Trulia! Zombies can’t swim! The best place to be is on the coast on a raft, boat, etc., tease those brain-eating asshats to walk into the water and presto! They drown before reaching you and shortly thereafter, no more zombies.
I wish to have it known that this idea is now public and mine, all mine! (insert evil laugh here). Those of you that wish to purchase a ticket on my boat, please contact me, there are limited seats, and one small port-o-potty on board. It is your responsibility to make it to the New England shore line, travel not included. Gifts will be accepted and move you to the head of the line regardless of ticket bought. I like red wine and dark European chocolate…why wait until the apocalypse? 😉
This post is in response to the daily prompt:
Our ten-minute free-write is back! Have no mercy on your keyboard as you give us your most unfiltered self (feel free to edit later, or just publish as-is).
There is not enough time to get you up to speed to understand all of the nuances of Boston. So I will just concentrate on the verbiage you will hear on the street as you are lost wondering the streets because the signage completely sucks. Even the natives get lost because you never know where you are or all the new construction popping up that detours you into a one way, going the wrong way (of course).
*DO NOT ask someone a random person or bartender to repeat the phrase – Pahk the cah in Harhvad yad, (park the car in Harvard yard). We get it, we only have 25 letters in the alphabet. You talk funny to us and we don’t bring it up. And don’t try talking like you have a Boston accent, we can tell you are trying and no, it’s not working for you. If you think I have an attitude, please read my early post on Boston and it explains it all.
bang – to make a left turn (often, “bang a left”; also used often as “bang a U-ie” – make a U turn); sometimes used interchangeably with hang
barrel – trash can
The Basement – Filene’s Basement, a department store in Downtown Crossing, This store does not exist any more but many people still use it as a landmark
Beantown – Boston (never used by Bostonians unless we are making fun of visitors. If you want to blend, do not ever use it)
breakdown lane – right margin or shoulder on highways used for broken down vehicles.
bubbler [pron. bubblah] – water fountain, drinking fountain
The Cape – Cape Cod (there is a Cape Ann but when you hear some one say they ‘went to the Cape’ they are referring to Cape Cod. Cape Ann is just as beautiful)
chowdah [chowder] – New England clam chowder, or occasionally fish chowder. There is no other chowdah, so if you want that red Manhattan stuff, don’t even bother coming here.
The Common – Boston Common. There is only one Common. If you are getting directions, don’t ask, which one. We will give a big sigh and begrudgingly give you the rest of the directions, and may be not the correct ones. Just the way it is.
frappe [pron. frap] – a milkshake; the term milkshake has a separate use. Frappe and milkshake cannot be used interchangeably. Milkshakes are flavored milk of a sort, frappes are super thick with icecream and rock. Try sucking one through a straw and get back to me on your headache.
The Gahden – a reference to the Boston Garden or the TD Banknorth Garden, home of the Boston Celtics and the Boston Bruins.
grinder [pron. “grind-ah”] – A submarine sandwich or Hoagie for you in the Philly area. Some insist that a grinder is toasted, while a sub is not.
Hoodsie – A small cup of vanilla and chocolate ice-cream from the HP Hood Company. Eaten with a thin wooden spoon that comes with the Hoodsie. Beware the splintered tongue.
Massholes – derogatory term for residents of Massachusetts, especially of Boston drivers (popular in New Hampshire). Yes, I am a Masshole. I will admit it, a little proud of it too.
“No suh!” [No sir, compare “no sirree”] – “No way!”. The appropriate response is “Ya huh!”
packie (also package store) – liquor store. Back in the day, we called it a packie because laws prohibit walking in public with an alcoholic beverage in plain view and a bag was required.
The Pike – the Massachusetts Turnpike, also the Mass Pike
pissa – cool, good: “You hit the Lottery? That’s pissa man.”; less commonly it can be used instead of pissed to mean drunk: “I had ten beers last night. I was wicked pissa!”
Salt and Pepper Bridge – Longfellow Bridge. Yes it is a longer to say Salt and Pepper Bridge but if you saw it, you would too. Look it up.
sketchy – A term used, most often by teenagers, referring to something strange or out of place (such as a suspicious person).
skally – a driving cap or an cap that has snap button front.
So don’t I – pleonasm, used to agree with a statement; a replacement for “me too”; (“I like the Red Sox.” “So don’t I.”) I would be shocked to find out that other places do not use this term. Please comment.
Southie – South Boston; also used for residents of the area. Not to be confused with the actual South Boston, two different places, go figure.
spa – neighborhood shop that sells groceries, soda fountain drinks, sandwiches. A mini mart of sort but owned by a family not a chain.
The T – the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; also used for services run by the MBTA, particularly the Subway. Taken from the MBTA’s logo, a block-letter T within a circle.
townie – In the strictest sense, a resident of Charlestown, Massachusetts; I do not recommend you using this term unless you are from the area. You may get your butt handed to you.
triple decker – a three-story, three-family house, also called a “three decker”.
The Vineyard – Martha’s Vineyard
wicked – very; or occasionally cool. Used indiscriminately, can modify anything (e.g.: “Wicked good.” “Wicked bad.” “Wicked boring.”, etc.). Almost always used as an adverb, rather than an adjective; some Bostonians feel it is grammatically improper not to put an adjective or verb after “wicked”.
wicked pissa – awesome, very cool
The above are excerpts from the online dictionary http://www.aboutlanguageschools.com/slang/boston-slang.asp because I didn’t want to overlook any but I am sure there are plenty more to list.
Did I miss some? If you are from town or visited and need clarification, please ask.
Coming to Boston? I wish you luck. Say good bye to your family you may end up in Canada.
Think about the town where you currently live: its local customs, traditions, and hangouts, its slang. What would be the strangest thing about this place for a first-time visitor? Daily Post
Cancer Is not Pink lead by Swoosieque have nominated my blog for the One Lovely Blog Award.
I started following her blog because of the Daily Post question regarding food. Her writing and subject matter brought back many memories of growing up and my own mother’s cooking (which wasn’t always a good thing).
This is what writing is all about, yes? Touching your audience, for good or bad, but making them pause, reflect, laugh… it touches something inside them and a connection is made.
Without knowing her, I can say she is a strong woman. Without knowing me, I can tell her I work in Cancer Biology and maybe that is our ‘other’ connection in this world.
In any event, there are guidelines to being nominated and I will do my best to abide by them. I must share 7 facts about myself (and in no particular order).
1. I currently work in Cancer Biology
2. I love animals to a fault (i.e. one of ‘those’ people that would stop traffic to let a mother duck and her babies stroll across the highway and proudly get a ticket for it)
3. I talk to inanimate objects, knowing they won’t talk back but maybe they do hear me (ok look copy machine, I know you have a long day but just one more color copy would be awesome)
4. My daughter and I are like one (only she is smarter, prettier and with much more wit!)
5. I used to ski; and was pretty darn good at it (at least my daughter thinks so)
6. I love wine. Love it. The taste, the smell, the color and how it is made
7. I love to laugh; it is one of the few things you can feel from the inside out
I have taken to blogging not only to work on writing better but to share a piece of me with everyone ‘out there’. I hope you have the room for one more blog to follow and you choose me 🙂
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