by Judy Handley | Jun 28, 2022 | 2022 Life Logs |
2022 Life Logs, Day 179: Shock and Awe
Date: Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 75, Low 58 degrees
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Late yesterday the January 6 Congressional committee announced it would hold a last-minute hearing today. The witness was not announced. Hmmm? What was up? Well, today we found out.
I left home at 8:45 am to go pick Sam up after his last final to drive him to the bus station at South Station where he got on a bus that would take him to a stop in Maine very close to Boothbay. Our timeline was tight, but all went well. I did not have time to park and go in with him. I dropped him at the door and made him promise to text me once he was on the bus. The bus was to leave South Station at 11:15 am. We arrived at 10:59 am. I waited (illegally) outside the South Station entrance and finally at 11:11am I got the text from Sam that he was on the bus. I could then head home. I made the obligatory stop at Costco, this time to return things. In the end, I also bought a few things and was then on my way. Soon after I truly headed home, I turned on the radio and heard the words, “The January 6 Committee hearing begins in three minutes.” The next thing I knew I was in my driveway, unable to get out of the car for fear that I would miss the next revelation. If I had been reading a book, I would have called today’s hearing a real page turner. I thought I could no longer be shocked by anything former President Trump did, but this afternoon, I found myself shocked and ashamed that a President of the United States could act in the ways being testified to. I finally got out of the car and went inside to turn on the television to finish watching the proceedings. Finally, I tore myself away to take Shadow for a walk and then go get Ollie to do a little yard mowing. Life must go on.
Sam arrived safely in Maine and will return on Friday as he works on Saturday and Sunday. Heather and gang will head to Maine on Thursday and return on Sunday for a Boston Revolutions soccer game at Gillette Stadium on Sunday night and to celebrate July 4 at home.
by Judy Handley | Jun 27, 2022 | 2022 Life Logs |
2022 Life Logs, Day 178: Another Birthday . . . Happy 97th to Shirley
Date: Monday, June 27, 2022
Weather: Overcast, Rain Tonight; High 74, Low 60 degrees
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Shirley Wiedemann is the woman who owns the cottage I rent, and over the past four years, she has become a dear friend. Tomorrow is her 97th birthday. My friend Karen Baranowski is Shirley’s niece, and we decided that we would love to take lunch to her in Scituate where she is presently living with her 103-year-old sister, Doris. Peter went with us and we provided a lunch of lobster rolls, French pea salad with watermelon, and chocolate pudding pie for dessert. When we arrived, Shirley was deep into a Nora Roberts novel. I love that she is still an avid reader and that her mind belies her 97 years. Happy Birthday, Shirley!!!
When I got home, I took Shadow for a walk and then took Sam to Corner Cycle as a customer rather than an employee. The shirt I gave him for his Big Brother birthday gift was too small and he asked if he could get bike shorts instead of a shirt. That was fine with me and with his employee discount we got a great deal on the shorts. Tomorrow morning Sam has his last final and afterwards we will take off for Boston. I am taking him to South Station to catch the bus to Damariscotta which is near Boothbay. Grammie Marty will pick him up there and he will spend two days in Maine and take the bus back to Boston on Friday as he works both days of the weekend. The rest of the Goldstones will head to Maine on Thursday and return on Sunday. We are entering a new era with a working teenager. I am so proud of Sam for taking the initiative to get a job and still find ways to visit with family.
I finished my evening with a phone call with friend Lynne Kirwin who arrived in this country from New Zealand last week. She visited with family and friends in California and then flew to Michigan where she will spend the summer with family. But I learned tonight that she will be coming for a short visit on Cape Cod in late July. It has been almost three years since I have seen her, so I can’t wait.
by Judy Handley | Jun 26, 2022 | 2022 Life Logs |
2022 Life Logs, Day 177: Happy 13th Birthday to Jonah
Date: Sunday, June 26, 2022
Weather: Sunny and Warm; High 81, Low 65 degrees
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Another grandson became a teenager today.
Jonah celebrated with friends with an overnite party and this evening we celebrated as a family. Soccer and music and books were the themes for his gifts. He got the World Cup soccer ball of his dreams from Jed,
a gift certificate to We Are Soccer from Oma, a trilogy of books from Heather, and Grandma Marti is giving him two electric guitars that belonged to his Uncle Ben.
He was a happy thirteen-year-old.
Heather and I drove just across the bridge to Onset to see another sailboat today.
It was a Cape Dory 33 she found advertised by the owners on Craig’s List yesterday. She is still waiting to hear from the owner of the Cape Dory 36 in Maine, but since the 33 was so close to home, she thought we should go take a look in case the deal falls through for the boat in Maine. The sailboat today was named Anteris and is owned by a delightful young couple. They took us out to the boat in their dinghy and gave us a personal tour. I think Heather is still hoping for the Cape Dory 36. It is just ‘bigger enough’ to make it feel more comfortable for a family of five. But the saga continues.
by Judy Handley | Jun 25, 2022 | 2022 Life Logs |
2022 Life Logs, Day 176: Busy Saturday
Date: Saturday, June 25, 2022
Weather: Sunny and Warm; High 83, Low 62 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Beautiful weather . . . busy Saturday getting not much done, but having fun doing it. I drove to town to get my car washed by Scout Troop 38, Sam and Jonah’s troop, stopped by Heather’s to say hello, went to the grocery store, and did some other shopping for Heather and Jed. By the time I got home, there was just enough time to take Shadow for a short walk and head back to the Falmouth Green for the rally in response to yesterday’s Supreme Court decision. I met up with Heather, Jed, Jonah, and Ollie who biked to the rally. The one encouraging thing was that there were many more young people out today than there have been at past rallies.
At the end of the gathering, I headed back to East Falmouth to pick up Jonah’s birthday ice cream cake from Smitty’s while Heather and Jed rushed home to get ready for his friends to arrive at 4 pm for games, pizza, and an overnight 13th birthday party. Then I headed home once again, this time to fix appetizers and get dressed for dinner with friends at Christina and Warren Brodie’s home. We had appetizers on the deck, enjoying the truly warm evening . . . finally. And then we had a wonderful dinner while enjoying the beautiful view from their dining room.
by Judy Handley | Jun 24, 2022 | 2022 Life Logs |
2022 Life Logs, Day 175: The Un-United States of America
Date: Friday, June 24, 2022
Weather: Mostly Sunny, STILL Feels Cool; High 73, Low 59 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
After today’s Supreme Court decision, I no longer feel like I live in the United States of America. We are anything but united. After the announcement of the reversal of Roe V Wade this afternoon, I have felt like I am floating around in a world I don’t recognize. We all knew this was coming, but that didn’t soften the blow. Guns, abortion, losing our democracy . . . we are having to face all of these things at once and it is overwhelming. I tried to get outside and garden, but I was unfocused and even found that difficult. Tomorrow I will attend the rally on the Falmouth Green. Maybe talking to others will help. But tonight, I will go to bed feeling like I do not live in the country where I was born, a country that was always striving to move forward. Over my 75 years, we have made strides forward, but we are now in a downward spiral to which I see no end.
by Judy Handley | Jun 23, 2022 | 2022 Life Logs |
2022 Life Logs, Day 174: From Greenland, NH to Dedham, MA and Home
Date: Thursday, June 23, 2022
Weather: Mix of Sun and Clouds, Clear Late Afternoon; High 68, Low 56 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Shadow and I woke up at Tom and Detta Porat’s in Greenland, New Hampshire, drove to Dedham, Massachusetts to visit with Alan and Helaine Kanegsberg, and shopped our way back to the Cape. Then at 4 pm, I headed to the Cape Cod Winery to attend the second, now annual, Wear White Summer Celebration hosted by Billy and Eileen Sullivan.
Billy and Eileen are in my wine group, and most members of the that group were at this delightful event.
Then I spent this evening catching up on what happened in the January 6th Congressional Hearings this afternoon. What a whirlwind of events.
I really enjoyed my visit with Alan and Helaine this morning. They just returned from Reno, Nevada, where they attended the high school graduation of their only grandchild, Torston. I enjoyed hearing about the graduation and Torston’s plans for the future. Helaine, Shadow, and I took a long walk and I got to see Helaine’s gardens.
Alan shared with me that he had called Heather last night to share his opinions on the Cape Dory 36 she and Jed have been in the process of purchasing. If they do decide to go through with the purchase, Alan has generously offered his services to help with the the electrical and other miscellaneous work that needs to be done. When I got home, I talked to Heather and found out that both the survey and the return of the owner of Eider from vacation in Ireland have been delayed by a day. Hopefully sometime this weekend, Heather and Jed will have the surveyor’s recommendations and can get a response from the owner as to what he is willing to negotiate. A deal is looking a little more positive, but we just have to wait and see.
