by Judy Handley | Sep 12, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 255: Eye-Opening Experience
Date: Friday, September 12, 2025
Weather: Mix of Sun and Clouds; High Temp 70, Low 50 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
This morning, Christina Brodie and I canvassed local businesses offering folders from the Falmouth Immigrant Rights Coalition filled with helpful information for immigrant families and businesses where they might work or frequent. One of the things in the packet is a small sign businesses can put in their window. It simply says, “We stand with immigrant families.” Anticipating that some businesses might say that the sign would offend people who are not sympathetic to immigrants, the direction sheet for people canvassing even has talking points that can be used to counter that thinking. But the eye-opening thing I experienced were the places we visited where managers seemed to indicate immigrants should be taken by ICE and deported. When we would point out that the people taken are often not illegal immigrants, the response is that they do not want to get into a discussion about this. One guy simply told us, “You’re talking to the wrong person. I believe in getting rid of ‘em.” We have a lot of work to do!
This evening, I attended a mis and mingle affair with Newcomers and Encore Board members. This gave us a chance to meet the people from the other club that hold the same position. It was a lovely backyard garden party, and it was great to have the opportunity to share information with our counterparts..
Tomorrow morning at 5:10 am, I am being picked up to carpool to the Massachusetts State Democratic Convention. It is in Springfield which is a good two and half plus hours from here in the western end of the state. I’ll have to get up at 4:30 am to get ready and walk Shadow. So, it is time for me to head to bed.
by Judy Handley | Sep 11, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 254: Day of Contemplation
Date: Thursday, September 11, 2025
Weather: Beautiful Day; High Temp 75, Low 57 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
This is a day of contemplation for many who lost loved ones on September 11. That and the fact that Mark died on September 11, 2016, always makes this a double day of contemplation for me. I had a Newcomers/Encore Activity Fair this morning, but in the late afternoon, I left the work behind and went out on Ardenna with Heather, Jed, and Ollie. It was an absolutely beautiful evening as we watched the sun set on our motor sail from Woods Hole to Quissett Harbor. I always feel like I am at home when I am in Quissett Harbor as Mark and I spent our last two summers living on Windbird. Thank you, Heather and Jed, for getting me out on the water tonight. It was the perfect place for me to be.
by Judy Handley | Sep 10, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 253: A Meeting, Lunch with Friends, Falmouth and MA Dems
Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Weather: Mostly Sunny, Still on the Cool Side; High Temp 67, Low 57 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
In between a day of mixed activities, I got to see Ollie and take him to his Scout troop meeting tonight. Seeing my grandkids is always the highlight of any of my days. Heather and Jed were at a Falmouth High School soccer away game to see Jonah play. Falmouth won 5-2, so I am sure Jonah was happy that both Heather and Jed could go to the game. I ‘filled in’ with Ollie. Now that he is an official teenager, I don’t need to stay with him. I just show up to check on things and provide transport. But even that gives me great joy.
This morning, after walking Archie and Shadow, who look like salt and pepper.
I spent the remainder of the morning in an Encore Board meeting. Then I went to lunch with friends, Christina and Karen. It has been ages since we have had time to be together, so it was great to spend a little time together catching up on life. Then this evening, after checking on Ollie, I went to the Falmouth Dems summer social. I stayed for about an hour, left to take Ollie to his Scout meeting, and then headed home to get on a Zoom orientation meeting for this Saturday’s Massachusetts Democratic Convention. I am going as an Alternate Delegate. I have never done anything like this, so lots to learn. Busy day, but all good.
by Judy Handley | Sep 9, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 252: Justin Flew Home Today
Date: Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Weather: Sunny, Still on the Cool Side; High Temp 69, Low 59 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
After a delightful three days with Justin here visiting, we drove to the bus terminal at 5:30 am so he could catch the 5:45 am to Boston Logan. His flight was at 10 am, and after a stop at JFK, he landed in San Juan at 4:30 pm. Then it was another 2-to-3-hour drive at that time of day to get home. So, he spent two days of his life traveling to and from just to make my wish come true. Seeing Willie in concert and swimming with whale sharks were the only things on my bucket list, and now I just have to swim with those big, beautiful whale sharks. Thank you, Justin. You are a wonderful son, so kind and thoughtful. I am proud to be your mother. Love you.
After Justin left, I spent some time catching up on email correspondence, took Shadow and Archie for their daily walk, and then headed to my book Club meeting. On my way home, I made an impromptu stop at Karen and Peter Baranowski’s to visit. I have barely seen Karen this summer and we had a great visit. Karen had plans to meet with Christina for lunch tomorrow and she invited me as well. So, I am looking forward to that. After catching up with Karen, it was home to prepare for my Library Trustees meeting which was this evening at 6:30 pm. It was a busy, but good day.
I have not posted logs for the past two days, but those will be coming soon.
by Judy Handley | Sep 7, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 250: Willie
Date: Sunday, September 7, 2025
Weather: Sunny and Windy; High Temp 72, Low 53 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with Shadow and Justin
Dreams do come true. Justin flew up from Puerto Rico this weekend to take me to a Willie Nelson concert. Thank you, thank you, Justin.
I have never been to a concert, and if I ever wanted to go to one, it was to see Willie Nelson. And tonight, we went to the Xfinity Center near Boston to see the Outlaw show with Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, and Willie. I have always loved his voice, always telling a story with the words often slightly ahead or behind the beat. Willie, diagnosed with emphysema in 2019, is now 92 years old. His voice is definitely showing its age, but he performs with a special kind of magic.
This Outlaw show began with the playing of the video for his 1986 song “Living in the Promiseland”. As the video progressed, a huge American flag was unfurled in the background.
The showing of that video seemed to me to be sending a message to all of us of what this country once was, and what we must work to make it once again.
Here are lyrics to Willie’s Promiseland:
Give us your tired and weak
And we will make them strong
Bring us your foreign songs
And we will sing along
Leave us your broken dreams
We’ll give them time to mend
There’s still a lot of love
Living in the promiseland
Living in the promiseland
Our dreams are made of steel
The prayer of every man
Is to know how freedom feels
There is a winding road
‘Cross the shifting sands
And room for everyone
Living in the promiseland
So they came from a distant isle
Aimless woman, faithless child
Like a bad dream
Until there was no room at all
No place to run and no place to fall
Give us your daily bread
We have no shoes to wear
No place to call our own
Only this cross to bear
We are the multitudes
Lend us a helping hand
Is there no love anymore?
Living in the promiseland
Living in the promiseland
Our dreams are made of steel
The prayer of every man
Is to know how freedom feels
There is a winding road
‘Cross the shifting sands
And room for everyone
Living in the promiseland
And room for everyone
Living in the promiseland
