Begin again

 The New Year started off with a lovely gathering at the Stem/Quinn's to celebrate Dave, (our guitarist in The Strattones) and Chloes (Daves best fireid an keyboardist/guitarist in Su Casa) birthdays. Always a chill event, good food, drink and great company and conversation.

Our little house on the lake is looking pretty spiffy with a new roof, siding, and trim, courtesy of Hennesy Construction. It was quite a disruption but looks great, especially our new  4 season porch, which is al tongue and groove pine, it looks beautiful. The house is also multo warmer.

It's official, we'll be traveling to Barcelona in May to see Hania Rani at the Palau de la Música. I am beyond psyched! She will be performing her entire last album "Ghosts" with a large ensemble, maybe similar to the release concert at Witold Lutosławski's Concert Studio at the Polish Radio in Warsaw. It was great talk to Sue and Chloe about the Palua, they said it is fabulous.

The tin ice on the lake is gone but the temps are dipping back into the 20's overnight.

Quinn's

 A beautiful sunny day, albeit a bit chilly. Took Milo and Piper to the Richmond dog park. Lots of dogs and nice people. Stopped at Lickety Splits for ice cream and ran into Jan and Paul Henry. So nice to catch up.

 This morning of FB looking at an posting about the loss of Taylor Hawkins. Laurie and I and Sister Linda V are such huge Foo fans we are all gutted. The last show we saw at Fenway in July 2018 was bittersweet, due to some drunks, we made a decision that was our last big stadium show. Little did we know it would be the last time we would see Taylor play. 

 Life has been pretty good as of late, work good and I'm starting to get back on my feet. Due to my diabetes I have lost my big toes on both feet and my second toe on my right foot. My balance is not as goot but i.m doing ok. Currently dealing with the parents estate, will and probate. If ther e was any question that my father was a narcissistic douchebag. It has been settled an I have been left to deal with the aftermath. 

Tones ha s been tough getting our momentum back  after covid. My practice has been sorely lacking, and that solely my issue. The weather is nice today, so tring to get outside and do something, landscapers coming tomorrow to do the yard.

If everything could ever be this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I'll ever ask of you
You've got to promise not to stop when I say when
She sang -"Everlong" - Foo Fighters

 I know my times are no harder than so many currently, but I feel the ominous hanging of a dark cloud.  I took my mom to see Dad to day at the nursing home. He is now in hospice. It's like watching a zombie. Izzy's accident, Lily not getting her new job and so much more. It weighs one down.  On top of this all I have a wound on my left foot, going to see Dr B on Monday. In good news Matt's present came today, so psyched, hope the Tones can get together soon. Watched Men in Kilts last night, Good fun, "If it's not Scottish it's Crap!" Loved the bio's from people on the Powderworks group, what a special bunch. Let's hope for the Oils and Neil in the US this year!

I can feel the king tide coming
All my senses overflowing
One night waiting out the back
Horns'll blow and cymbals crash
So paint a circle in the sky
I lay breathless in the arms of love
There's a bruise on my back
And a new understanding too - King Tide Neil Finn

The New Year

 The New Year is upon us and the turmoil continues. The government hose up in the Corona vaccine roll out and the continued protest against Biden's win shows just how far we've fallen. I hope Biden/Harris bring some sense of normalcy back to the White House and the vaccine and Covid are in the rear view soon. 

Nice break over the holidays, staying home so a great time for movies and shows. We continue our push to watch the MCU in chronological order, not many more to go. We are currently watching "Cloak and Dagger". While so over the top dramatics and engaging story of social relevance. The NOLA setting also appeals to both Laurie and I. We also just finished "His Dark Materials" season 2 with a third and final next year. What a wonderful, deep and well executed piece. I will have to read the books now!

Izzy continues in Tampa bartending (yuck), she and Casey are such troopers, I'm glad they have each other. Benj and Lil are still in Middlebury, who knows when that will change. Really difficult not having them home for Christmas, opening presents via video chat is just not the same. Missing the Velilla's Christmas Party was also not fun, but what can you do...fucking Covid. 

Milo and Piper are well and swing from full on WWWoof to sleeping on the couch. I think they like me working from home. Olive and Una really like their penthouse beds on the armoire, especially as I built them a ramp system to get up.  We put up seed feeders on the hummingbird feeder hangers and have had a plethora of feathered friends eating there. 

Today is in the low 30's and 20's at night so good to stay in and keep up with the pellet stove. Laurie's return to work was not so bad yesterday, she seems to be settling in at Maple Hill, but not without it's hiccups. She is a trooper!

Hurricane Isaias, power out, generator and sailing...

Well Isaias now a tropical depression pass quite a ways west of us but packed quite a punch here in Mishnock. Most of West Grenwich and Coventry without power for a day. We have a generator but I have procrastinated putting fuel stabilizer in the gas, so I was worried about it started. Drained out the old gas 

put in new (& stabilizer!) and the little Subaru started right up. So were were able to plug in the fruges and phone and lost no food! 

I the late afternoon went on my first sail with Peter on the Eagle, since my foot surgery. It was beautiful on the bay.  Saw some beautiful boats including a 70' ketch from Bermuda and some big survey ships, one with a drill rig. Probably for the Cape wind project. Back to Ida Lewis yacht club for a cocktail at sunset and a close up of the flag lowering and cannon shot at sunset. Pretty civilized! 

Almost August...Begin Again.

So after 5 years I am going to begin my diary blog again.
Summer has been pretty different, what with the Covid pandemic and the Orange Douche in Chiefs
antics, one could lose hope. But Hope is unreasonable and Love is greater than this. (RF).
The riots and response of the hired goons are probably about as Fascist as this country has ever seen.
But I still believe that good will prevail and that we have  more good people than those that hate.
The dogs have been in the lake a lot lately with the 90 deg. 80% humidity. Piper is not as plussed but Milo has take over for Raven and become the fishing dog, he is facinated! 💓
We build a fire pit this summer and just need some cooler weather to utilize it. It looks great, we got the kit and Laurie and I did all the building. Of course now we want a patio around it!
Mom and dad are doing ok, mom still at home and dad is at the Memory Care Unit at Brookdale, at least its right down the street. The Covid situation make it difficult, we have only seen him as we take him to drs appointments. My amputated right big toe is almost healed, still hard to get my head around it, but it is what it is we move on. My really good waterproof boot has allowed me to swim so that's a godsend. Now just a band aid hopefully fully sealed in a couple of weeks.
Lily and Izzy have been struggling with the Covid situation as Izzy's main gig is bar tending, in Tampa, Florida. It's such a shit show down there. Lily has stepped back fro most of her political activities to focus on her health and well being, a good call. Laurie is still collecting as her position was eliminated due to Covid reductions. She finds a Reggio place, loves it then boom the shit hits the fan.😞She is hoping to go back when things improve.
I am still working from home for the RI DOT, a weird New World Order. Hopefully can get back to sailing soon!
Today (Yesterdays soundtrack) - The Blue Crush soundtrack and XTC's Skylarking