Chronicles Continued

are for our?  what is this world coming to!

on Wonderful Woman gathering.  Thought that perhaps we could do this once-a-quarter, didn’t want to presume.  The group decided once-a-month!  So soup and whatever for the month of October and many had someone new to bring.   I saw two of the invitees who did not attend – and most likely won’t as they did not respond, but my sense was they felt ‘brighter and lighter’ after reading the invite.  They were friendly in a new and friendlier way.  We all like compliments no matter what our world is.

!5 women who live in the surrounds all gathered to chat, gripe about the internet [not men] and hear each others stories on how they came to be here in this upstate New York area.  It was delightful beyond measure.  Everyone, as trite as this reads, left with a new friend and some discovered each other after decades of not seeing one another.  Humor was rampant and goodwill was in abundance.  We are going to do this once-a-quarter.  I have renewed respect for the power of women.  I am in a blessed place.

Driving is such a treat – a few more notes on my drive to Nova Scotia and back.

On the way up, had a laugh at how the States advertise themselves:

Pennsylvania simply says: Pennsylvania Welcomes You

New York?  It’s all about ‘me’/self-absorbed. With the ‘I heart’ and what one can do in the State.  There are signs saying, enjoy, explore, do this, do that… so busy!! Look at me!  Typical New York.

Massachusetts: simple; the same as Pennsylvania, except for the word Massachusetts.  I guess these founding States feel secure in who they are from inception.

New Hampshire:  A riot.  At every exit and there were maybe 4, it was Liquor and Lottery.  Without fail and without exception.

Maine: lots of pictures of cars with headlights on and Moose.  Over and over and over again.  Add to this that in Northern Maine, the speed limit is 75 and gas is cheap.  It was a conundrum.  Personally, Maine is mussels and oysters.

And then New Brunswick, Canada.  Almost no signage and even the growth looked different.  It all appeared calmer and more, well, refined.  How can that be with a border crossing the only difference between Maine and NB vs Maine and NH.

Appropriate, as it is Sunday.  Today drove 85 minutes to attend a UUA meeting.  [don’t make me spell it out].  The day was sunny and dry and likely no traffic.  I knew: 1. it would be a beautiful drive. 2. it would be somewhere in PA leaving me no idea of where I was.  3. it would be a gathering of rather-like-minded folk.   It was certainly 1 & 2.  3 is swirling around in my head.  I much appreciated the thoughts read [prayers in another setting] and  greatly appreciated the nice person who, out of all I passed to get to a seat, stopped me to say welcome and chat.  It was a small group, perhaps 20, in a small room.  After the service was over, I sat for a minute and the nice person moved on.  Congregants had to move around me to move toward the coffee klatch  table.  It was remarkable how they  would practically stumble over my feet, pick themselves up without as so much a hello and move on.  I mention this because it harks back to my complicated childhood.  On Sunday my family was, with a couple of other families, responsible for a small church in a dirt-poor community.  It was there I was taught the intrinsic value of each person, the threshold fear every newcomer has and how easy it is to make contact to help them feel at ease.  What I experienced today, I have experienced hundreds of times in various and sundry religious settings.  It is such a simple skill to learn and makes all the difference.  [cue music and offering].

Yesterday 4 hours was spent weed-whacking around the house.  it is something i enjoy – rather like vacuuming, as it makes for see-able results.  I thought it was quite a job.  Today I am observing the neighbors with help, at least five of them, loading bales of hay into the old barn across the street.  The Baler is not knotting consistently, so they are having to sort through the broken bales to find whole ones for stacking first.  Watching it makes my nose twitch, my hands itch and hope for them they get it done before the rains come, whenever that is forecast.  Perhaps it is due to the rains this summer, but another farmer along the road appears to be in dire straits about it as well.  Farming is not only a full-time job, it is one requiring neighborhood cooperation.  They worked until deep dusk.  Addendum:  I stopped writing at deep dusk.  They put on the tractor lights and kept going.

It was a local venue in the next town.  Two nights running.  So I purchased a $12 ticket and showed up.  The three male performers were at least 35 years old.  Apparently it had not occurred to two of them that practicing together to deal with what the audience might throw at you would be beneficial.  The best part of the show was the wife of the couple at whose table I was seated.  Like everyone here, she used to live near the City where she worked.  But a decade ago she left, somewhere along the line acquired a 2nd husband, but never lost her sarcastic, cutting edge.  She was far funnier than the show up front.

well, quieter, more serene and I no sooner leave the City than I get called back in and sign with an agent.  Will wonders never cease.  Of course in my enthusiasm for my new life I have committed to all sorts of other ‘give back to the community’ options which are now obligations. Trying to find the road here.  Part of me says, “I’m too old for all of this” and the other part says ‘Hey, you’re not dead yet”.  And then I think that at this age, my mother in her “wisdom” embarked on a marriage.  At least I am saner than that.  Will keep you posted.  Watch out Betty White, you’ve competition for your next role. [I wish}

at setting a date and having a party.  ‘Women and Whine’ is too City.  “Women Who Work’ is redundant.  Women!  is about it.  I keep adding to the list of wonderful people whom I have met and who should know each other in this small community.  I have the wine, the soft drinks and an idea of food, just no date as I keep exiting the premises and need to be here for my own fete!  I wanted it to be in the summer time with late nights, and waning moon, but it is going to be September with more moist grass and likely inside.  I will not be dissuaded.

 

 

Left my cousin’s house at 4:30 am in Nova Scotia.  Drove 2.5 hours to the ferry in Yarmouth.  Crossed the Bay of Maine for 6.5 hours [yes I still get seasick and it wasn’t even rough water] and after landing in Portland, Maine and surrendering my basil and parsley plants, drove all the way home to PA by 10:30 pm.  Needless to remark, I fell into bed.  It was an exhilarating trip!