Just words

Oh this computer! I can no longer view YouTube videos. I may be able to post a video on my blog that you can see but I'm not sure about that. Yeah I'm whining but in reality I have it pretty good. Every time I start to think, "poor me" then I think about the guy I see on trash day pushing a shopping cart looking for soda cans and bottles. More than likely he has all his earthly belongings with him.

So my computer is not functioning properly. So what? Two or three days of getting up at 4a.m. is not a pleasant thing especially when it's very cold and yet I know I have a warm home to return to later. So in reality I'm doin' jess fine. But this computer is really annoying me. Still I have to repeat that at 4:50 this morning when I went out to start my car... I mean if I had a choice of staying in a warm comfy bed or going out in the dark at 5 a.m. and it's 10 degrees... well...

I also have to apologize to a couple of you out there, I haven't checked my mail box in about a month. I checked to see if my credit card bill had arrived and I saw an email from Carole and Nookworm. I'll get back to you. Also opening an email can be a problem. According to my Norton anti virus my computer is clean but something is wrong.

I guess I was whining again. Speaking of which, I still have a bottle of wine Arlene gave me on my birthday. Perhaps tonight would be a good night to crack it open. I'd invite her over tonight except she has an early shift tomorrow whereas I after three 6 a.m. starts have to work until 8 p.m. tomorrow. I don't to leave for work until 10:30 a.m. Of course that means I get home at 9 p.m. 

This is what happens when I just sit and just write stream of consciousness. I  had no subject matter except whatever popped into my head as I started to write. And this just popped into my head, thanks to everyone for the kind words on my photos. I wasn't fishing for compliments because you folks have always been very kind to me. I think I'm getting better at it. From the camera end of it, my camera is mostly beyond me. I'm not a technical person. I just want, whatever it is, computer, camera, car, to just work. I'm only mildly interested in how it works. Where I think I've improved as a photographer is framing a picture. The composition. That's the creative aspect. That's where my abilities, such as they are, are. I've only used a handful of settings on my camera. Sill I do enjoy taking pictures and looking at them later on. Selecting the best, then trying to enhance or improve them with my photo program. It's a fun hobby.

Still getting back to our work schedule, Arlene and I don't get to take as many little local side trips as we used to. There are still plenty of places for day or weekend trips here in Massachusetts and the rest of New England. The last two years those activities have been curtailed save for our twice a year visits to Martha's Vineyard. We are heading back on June 1st. We can't wait! Then we head back in mid September, which is the best time for us. Both times are perfect. The weather is nice and 40 to 50,000 people haven't arrived yet or have all gone home. 
 

Arriving there by ferry.

 

      

Sunset on Oak Bluffs Harbor

The marathon happens in April and they are already talking about the heightened awareness and new regulations. More closed streets. I am reminded of it every day. I know I wrote this last year but every day I drive past Krystle Campbel family home. She didn't live there at the time of the marathon but she grew up there. She was the same age as Arlene's twin daughters. They went to school together. They played together at each others homes. As I mentioned last blog Arlene lives next door to me. She grew up in that house and has lived there a good portion of her life. After the bombings last year Arlene and her daughters were greatly affected. I in turn was and still am affected by this. Every day I drive past the Campbel home.

 

Well I better end it here. I have a phone call to make. Guess who? Then I believe I'm going to have that glass of wine.

 

I'm outta here.

 

 

 

 

 

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Some stuff and the zoo.

Sunday morning was  quiet. I won't work on a Sunday. Not because of any religious reasons directly, but I do like to think about it as a day of rest. An old fashion notion these days I suppose, at least for people in retail. Fortunately there is a state law that doesn't require a person to work on Sunday and if you do you must be paid at an overtime rate. I have worked on Sundays and probably still would if my company would stop tacking on 4 hours from my vacation account to bring me up to 40 hours.

However, the above has nothing to do with anything I will write because apart from the zoo, I sometimes have no idea what I'm going write as I begin. So as I said Sunday morning was quiet, Arlene and I had made plans to see each other in the afternoon. We both do the same thing for the same company in different locations. On any given day you can start work at 6 a.m. or have your shift end at 10 p.m. so Sunday is a good day to get together, despite the fact we live next door to each other. It wasn't bright and sunny like Saturday was but it was fairly warm as the day before. I had a case of cabin fever as the only places I've been for the last two weeks, my house, my car and work. I suggested the local zoo. I knew some of the animals weren't available because of the winter. Still it was seasonably warm, the zoo was open and it was the next city north with a short highway drive. It was overcast and any of the outdoor animals were fenced in (duh!) and behind some not so clean
plexi-glass. Of course I took pictures. I do it because it's fun. I make no great claims as a photographer. I take pictures. I say this because some of these pictures have been doctored up, more so than usual.   

Though unseasonably warm it was still a gloomy day yet there was a pretty good crowd. Mostly young families with kids, grandparents and just a mix. I remember coming here when I was a kid. The two big stars were a polar bear and an African elephant. It's not a top zoo in regards to any national recognition, but still it's a pretty neat place to have so close by. The gorilla was spending the winter on the other side of Boston. I don't know about the giraffe. He could have passed on as it's been over 20 years since I was last here. The most entertaining animal was the sea otter. They can really maneuver in the water.

  

 

After the zoo we grabbed a meal at a local restaurant, then back to Arlene's. We're both at the same stage in life and we once again talked about retirement. I do admit that it does feel strange to talk about it, but the time is approaching and I think I'm ready for a change.

Not much new to report over the last couple of days. I have a couple of things to do but nothing too strenuous. So that's it for now.

I'm outta here.

Oops! I forgot the eagle and the one decent shot of the black bear.

 

 

Crossroads

Crossroads is a song written by legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. I was made aware of the song by the '60s band Cream. The group that made Eric Clapton a superstar. That has nothing to do with what I will write about except that Clapton was a big influence on me personally guitar-wise. I have recently been transferred to a location that has a very affluent clientele. I don't have a problem with that. I been there before. I have dealt with clientele at both ends of the economic scale. Not to mention the middle. If you drew a line from my house to where I work now it's about 12 miles. Around here there are few straight lines. There are many ways to get there. None of them easy. Time-wise they are all about the same. Mileage-wise there's a difference. In complete confession I admit taking the longest route, only because it's simple in execution. I have no appetite for driving through town every day a various times. This has fueled my thinking of retirement. I don't like working here. It's not the customer. I do find it amusing that  some people get all dressed up with minks and jewelry to food shop, but I really haven't had a problem with them.

Many things have changed in the last few weeks and I feel I may be "standin' at the crossroads". The company has been in full panic mode for many reasons and I don't think I want to deal with it anymore. There's more to life than corporate lunacy.

I could mention the weather. I was off today and I didn't go anywhere. We had a rainstorm this afternoon. Complete with thunder and lightning. Normally I don't get bent out of shape over the weather. I accept the fact that where I live, we are prone to getting snow in the winter but I do have cabin fever. I want to go someplace, preferably outdoors. Maybe Sunday, if the weather cooperates, because it's back to the deep freeze next week.

Last Sunday I went to the lakes to see if there were any photo opportunities. Nothing special. The snow had fallen the day before.

     The was lots of snow about and very limited access to the shore or any of the grounds.

Then there is the Amelia Earhart Dam at the other end of the upper lake. That's it, left of center, left of the tree with the white snow stripe, in the distance.

Then there were the porch photo's. Beth said they looked Christmassy. Well I had one for a header photo around Christmas.

 

We had snow 5 out of the 7 days last week and this week. 

Here's Arlene's house. She lives on the third floor.

There's where I live. Where you see that light on the first floor is where I sit typing this.

And finally a shot up the street.

Not an exciting blog I grant you but a blog non the less. It's getting late and I have a load of laundry to gather and put away, then it's night night.

I'm outta here. Ooh the waters cold!