Five Acres with a View

July 11, 2007 - Click on image for higher resolution version.

We saw this mother and her baby close by the parking lot to the Forest Walk at Assateague Island. If you look at the doe closely, you can see a tracking collar around her neck.

July 13, 2007 - Click on image for higher resolution version.

Over three decades ago, I worked my first job in this Rehobeth Beach Five and Dime store. Oddly enough, it doesn’t look any seedier now than it did then. The merchandise is the same: just the prices have changed. And the flooring looks identical to that I remember sweeping when I was seventeen. Time stands still?

Today I went to Assateague Island with one of my nieces and one of my sisters-in-law to Assateague Island. Like many horse-loving American children, the Misty of Chincoteague books by Margaret Henry left a lasting impression. I can remember desperately wanting a Chincoteague pony.

We saw several small bands of horses on the Maryland side at the National Seashore. I though the horses looked quite fat, but according to this article about pony management, the horses look fat because they eat a salty diet, and are bloated from the amount of water they must drink. I also noticed the lack of foals and yearlings, which is evidently due to dart gun delivered contraceptives.

Signs against approaching the wild horses were all over the park. Having seen what “tame” horses can do, I had no desire to approach the “feral” variety, unlike some parents who seemed to feel no concern about their children being less than fifty feet from the horses.

It has been quite hot since before we arrived in Bethany Beach. The local news is full of discussions of the heat. We are giving the air conditioning plant of this new house quite a workout, but it doesn’t seem to be having any difficulties.

One of Jack’s brothers, who works as a professional cook, has been organizing the evening meal. The first night we had hamburgers and hot dogs; Sunday night was lasagna, and tonight was pulled pork and grilled chicken. We have sign up sheets for assisting food preparation, dinner setup and cleanup. I volunteered to sweep and pick up in the morning, so I wouldn’t have to do kitchen clean up. I would do this anyway, since clutter makes me crazy, so this way I get credit.

Another of Jack’s brothers has a house here in Bethany Beach. He collects yard sale bikes so his family and guests have transportation around town. Today I became the proud borrower of a white bike with rusty frame. I went out and bought a bicycle lock for it, and I am sure it is worth more than the bike, though maybe not the tires on the bike. It will go back with the bike when I leave at the end of the week. This is such a nice bike: solid and possessing a coaster brake just like the ones I grew up with. There are lots of bike racks in town and it is so much more convenient to bike in and lock up the bike then to try to find and pay for a parking space. I rode “my” bike into town this afternoon, and was so pleased with myself. For my birthday, my sister gave me a small daypack, and it works quite well when I bicycle.

Jack and assorted nephews went to play golf today, but decided to refrain from further games this trip unless the temperatures drop quite a bit.

Tomorrow I hope to get to the beach early, so I can watch the sun come up.

So here we are in Bethany Beach, Delaware, the first tenants in a seven bedroom house. Among other amenities, the house has wireless connectivity. Jack and I snagged the best bedroom, due to Jack’s either being the oldest of twelve, or having bad knees. (Five of the bedrooms are upstairs.) As one of my sisters-in-law just said, “This house is bigger on the inside than the outside.”

I apparently never forget the location of a library. I may not even remember where all the roads go, but I seem to be able to find libraries I used to patronise by remote control. Davis Community Library is a medium sized branch of the Montgomery Country Library system. And when I asked if there was any way I could use the computers even though I am no longer a patron, the librarian pulled a stash of cards kept for that reason out of drawer.

Thursday’s airline connections were perfect. On Wednesday we decided to bail after waiting in the Colorado Springs terminal for almost four hours. We discovered that our plane was suffering from mechanical difficulties and the mechanic wasn’t on site yet. Our bags were sent on ahead Wednesday while we arranged to take an 8:30 am flight Thursday morning. (Somewhat miraculously, our bags were actually sitting in the airline luggage office when we got to Baltimore-Washinton International.)

We had arranged to stay with friends who live in Silver Spring, and were there by 7:00 pm, exactly on time according to the revised plan. They had arranged for some other old friends to come by the house, and prepared a very good dinner. We were up fairly late except it wasn’t late for me since I am still on Colorado time.

Jack is off with one of his siblings at the ATT Golf Tournament (hosted by Tiger Woods.) I am driving the PT Cruiser that we rented at the airport, and trying not to get too lost. I do best when I don’t try to overthink where I am going. Things have changed a lot in the past 17 years when we left, and a lot of landmarks have been obscured by more recent buildings. I’ve already performed my solitary pilgrimage to G Street Fabrics, and had a nice lunch at Madeleine’s Bakery and Cafe. The Quiche Lorraine was only okay, but the cup of Tomato Basil soup was to die for.

Tonight we are going to a meeting of the Washington Science Fiction Association of which Jack and I were members for many years. I don’t know how many people we will still know, except for some of the people we already saw last night.

Tomorrow we head for Bethany Beach. The forecasters say the temperatures will be 100F by Monday, so I will be glad to be at the beach by then. It hasn’t been too hot so far, but the humidity is very draining when one is used to the relative dryness of Colorado.

Right now, I am sitting in the Colorado Springs Airport using free wireless on Jack’s computer. That is the good news. The bad news is that our flight has been delayed and we may or may not make our original connecting flight. We may not get into BWI until 1:20 am tomorrow morning. Tell me, why do people still fly?

June 17, 2007 - Click on image for higher resolution version.

From left to right, Sassy, Magic and Rags are grazing in the pasture east of our house. Sassy came to stay for a few months of turnout about a month ago. She and Magic had previously known each other in the mare field at my trainer’s, and we weren’t sure how it would work out, because the two mares apparently disliked each other there. However, when we led Sassy to the barn, Magic and Sassy started screaming at each other like they were long lost friends, and have become inseparable.