Beach, Casino, DWTS Sunday!

Not sure what happened yesterday. I did decide to go to the beach with FCR and her daughter (soon to be 30 yr old) and to go to “their” beach – Ocean Beach. I am having trouble posting pictures, but I hope you looked up the New London Ledge Lighthouse to see what it looked like – it is very distinctive. But back to Sunday. I was out of the house by 8 a.m. and stopped at my parents to tell them about the boat ride/lighthouse visit and to tell them I was off to New London so no one would be leaving their car in their driveway. I got to my pick up spot and we were off. Minutes into the trip, my FCR’s friend – recently retired teacher and limo company owner – was called to see if he could get tickets to Kanye West concert at Mohegan Sun Casino for FCR’s daughter. He seems to have a contact for free tickets from his limo role in life. So he said he would look into it and get back. Then minutes later he called and said, “still working on Kanye, but would she want two tickets to the Dancing with the Stars tour show tonight”…my FCR said sure!!! The daughter did not want to go, so guess who said “I’ll go!” Me…

So our day was a bit thrown up in the air. So now instead of a leisurely, leave about 4 p.m. day at the beach, we would now 1) go to beach 2) leave the beach by 2 p.m. 3) go back to my car 4) drop me off, FCR and daughter go home 5) I head to a location to buy something to wear to Mohegan Sun 6) go to parents to shower and change 7) FCR picks me up at parents at 5:30 8) We meet our free ticket connection at Mohegan at 6:45 p.m. (which we made in plenty of time) 9) go to show 10) go home FINALLY! I pulled in to my parking spot at 11:30 p.m. and in bed by midnight. The good news is that I did not have to drive any of the legs except from my pick up location back to my parents. So Hartford to New London, New London to Hartford, Hartford back to the casino (very close to New London)…

The beach was great. It was a high 90’s degree day, so the crowds were out and the water was great. The show was great! You know I am a DWTS fan and it was very entertaining and MUCH better than the American Idols’ tour show I went to before via more free tickets – it was the Taylor Hicks’ tour so it must be at least a year ago now.

I did set my alarm this a.m. just in case I did not wake up automatically but I woke up at the same time – no problem. This week will be interesting – tonight I am hoping early to bed; Tuesday the Hepburn film festival at Wesleyan; Thursday – CCW (current co-worker, but not FCW – favorite co-worker) kids’ swim meet; Friday – sister #1 lands in town and a weekend ahead of family get togethers.

I was very happy with my Burlington Coat Factory purchase of a pair of pants to wear last night. I am NOT a shopper and RARELY buy new clothes – but $4.49 for black Capri pants!!! Even I cannot begrudge myself that! I don’t know why they were on their 3rd markdown round…they were definitely “me”. Maybe I just answered my question as to why they were on their 3rd round…there are not too many “me’s” out there.

What a weekend. This morning’s walk may lack a bit of energy but I am glad I took advantage of all that was out there for me. Two beach days; boat/lighthouse trip; Mohegan Sun Casino/DWTS night…I think I have “filled up” enough to get through the family weekend ahead. It was amazing to me how crowded the casino was on a Sunday night at 10:30 p.m. when we were leaving. We live in a silly world.

A bit of Bird by Bird to maybe bring my life back to “regular”, non-casino thinking: After talking about the post published time of a writer’s life:

“Sometime later you’ll find yourself at work on, maybe really into, another book, and once again you figure out that the real payoff is the writing itself, that a day when you have gotten your work done is a good day, that total dedication is the point.”

“When is she going to talk about joy?” the people in the back row whine. Haven’t I? I certainly meant to mention that good hours at the desk are as wonderful as any I can imagine. But joy for me is Sam and my church and my buddies and family, and more often it is felt outdoors than at my desk.”

I think you can imagine I identified with that passage!

Have a good week and keep a good thought for me that I make it through it!

Guitar Festival final night and more

With the 7:30 p.m. start time of the guitar concerts, I had time to kill both Thursday and Friday before I headed to the school. Thursday I stopped by our town library and read the NY Times, Hartford Courant and Wall Street Journal. The last reading getting interrupted by my son's phone call. I dropped what I was reading and headed outside to talk to him. On Friday I stopped at Staples to get my 2007-08 school year calendar so I can start tracking what I actually each day at work to track scheduling and create a job description that will make more sense than the present one for my position. Then I stopped to walk Elizabeth Park. The rose gardens had suffered a bit with the extreme heat of Tuesday and Wednesday, but it was still beautiful and peaceful. I saw a poster in The Pond House - the park restaurant - about a series of summer music events. I need to keep that in mind for the ones at Elizabeth Park every Wednesday night. Last night was also a "Full Moon Tour" night at the Park. I will have to see if they have the same type of event in July.

The concert performers last night were the students who studied all week with these incredible guitarists and the staff of U of H. Hartt School is an incredible area asset. It is such a magnet for me.

The news of the day is baffling to me on so many levels - flooding rains, wild fires, IPhone. The IPhone craze when put aside the meteorological events of the day seems a bit like a Nero playing while Rome burned...I hope I have my historical reference correct, but you get the message. Sports news - Frank Thomas and Jr Griffey versus the steroid players...I bought the Griffey rookie card and watched it go down and down in value as "allegedly" juiced players left him and the Big Hurt in the dust, but now maybe their stock will go up.

I thought it was curious that my first blogger post was June 27, 2006. I guess I "naturally" start new things on the school year start even when I was not in a school setting. I am torn today about another possible new start. A co-worker who is leaving for a new job, brought to my attention an opening in her department in the school she is going to - 20 minute train ride from NYC and a co-ed school...I am fighting with whether to apply or not. I am thinking if they could supply housing for me it would be worth the move. I will ponder that on my beach walk today.

Today my plan is the New Britain Museum of Art for the 10-12 free admission time on Saturday mornings then on to the beach. Then church in Old Lyme at 5 p.m. and then home or back to the beach depending on how I feel. Tomorrow "Evening" matinee.

That is my plan but I am still sitting here in my pajamas... Have a great weekend.

Beach Day plus

"The white, sandy beach at Hammonasset State Park in Madison is the place to head when it's hot and humid in Connecticut. " Guess you can tell where I spent the day on Wednesday. It was great. Not hot or humid so spending from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the beach totally worked for walking and reading an entire book -Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott. I also had a "nature's pedicure". Nothing like walking on the beach and soaking my feet in the saltwater to condition my feet. Also a quick break for clam strips and french fries for a late lunch from Fish Tales and a Chocolate Almond Chip ice cream cone at Hall Mark Ice Cream ("since 1909") in Old Lyme CT on my way home. The clam strip thing was big as I had an allergic reaction to eating shrimp 15+ years ago and have been hesitant to eat shellfish since then but I thought in my present mode, I would test my limits food wise too. "When in Rome" or "at Fish Tales" type thinking Not smart when I was at times the only person on the beach yesterday if I had had a reaction...but I am here to report that all is well.

A Bit of History: Hammonasset Beach State Park is named for the Hammonasset tribe of eastern woodland Indians, one of five tribes that inhabited the shoreline area of Connecticut. The Indian word "Hammonasset" means "where we dig holes in the ground," a reference to the tribe's agricultural way of life.
In 1919, the Connecticut Park and Forest Commission began to acquire the lands that would comprise Hammonasset State Park. By the end of the year, 565 acres had been purchased at a cost of $130,960. On July 18, 1920, the park opened to the public. About 75,000 people visited the park during its first year.
The park nearly doubled in size in 1923 with the acquisition of an additional 339 acres.
During World War II, Hammonasset served as an army reservation and aircraft firing range and was closed to the public. It reopened to beach lovers after the war and quickly began to break attendance records.
Today, Hammonasset is particularly crowded on summer weekends, but you can always find a spot to spread your blanket and soak up the sun. On mild days in the off-season, it is a great place for a quiet, reflective walk by the sea.

I can attest to that last line!!!

Today is movie day - as my day looks right now. And NYC/Brooklyn tomorrow. Day trip is turning into an overnight. Going to a show at BAX on Friday night, then I will head home on Saturday. Sunday is Father's Day and then Monday - I am considering another trip to the beach at this point in time.

I did get a bit of a jolt back to reality last night when I checked my mailbox and found a certified mail notice slip. Certified mail is hard to be happy and joyous about, but maybe that is why I read a book about "some thoughts on faith" yesterday.

The Brooklyn Bridge walking has turned into a mini-event. Niece #2 and sister #3's partner will be meeting me on the Manhattan side to make the walk with me.

I also checked another thing off my list of to-do's yesterday - I got my Conan O'Brien tickets for July 17. My son and I went each year for many years when we were in NC, and the last couple of years - he went with friends one year, I went with friends the next - I am hoping this year we get to go together. Whoever goes - it is always good for many stories.

None of my re-plants have died!!! I am so excited. They all do look healthier. Maybe I need a new pot? Not good to think about when I have to renew my lease by July 1...but I think I will stay another year. Maybe I will just "put in some fresh dirt" in my apartment. The Feng Shui guy got me thinking about what I am attracting by what I am doing...

Got to listen to sports radio on the way to the beach - Jr, no hitter - good news. And I loved the guy on 660 who said in his opening - "if you are a Yankee Fan, call 888-888-8888" (or whatever the radio call in number is) "and if you are a Mets fan, call 911" I also was reminded about the no hitter game I was at with my 3 yr old son and my now ex-husband. I think I was standing from inning 5 forward. It was electric. Bad uniforms and all. As to NASCAR - JJ, Jeff and Jr all on the same racing team? As the sports guy said - the Yankees of NASCAR. Of course TS is still "the man" in my mind. As I got my beach chair out of my trunk yesterday, I saw my life size poster of TS (of course with his height, not a tall poster - a bit wide perhaps...) I used to have it up in my office in NC...I don't see it on my wall in CT, but maybe when I have some more time in.

by Ivy McLemore, Houston Post, Sept. 26, 1986 For those who were touched by one of sport's golden moments, there simply was no better way for the Houston Astros to complete plans for baseball's upcoming Silver Anniversary Series. In a division-clinching effort that caused a wave of emotion, righthander Mike Scott, 31, pitched a no-hitter Thursday in a 2-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants that gave the Astros the National League West title.

Just talked to the 1st Selectman - I will be going on the town web site to get the application for board work. See what is open and where they will accept a registered Democrat.

What a vacation. And I have 6 more days before back to work!!!