It was here Thursday

Mount Washington NH, seen from brother-in-laws new addition in
Shapleigh Maine. - click to enlarge
Photo Brad Hoffman

  Yep, that photo was taken way down in southern Maine, Shapleigh was my mothers hometown.  There are several places from which Mount Washington can be seen but the new addition he built provides a good one.  There's snow on the mountain, and probably very cold, the highest wind ever recorded in the contiguous United States (that's the lower 48, I just wanted to use more words) was up there, 134mph.
  Anyhow after Thursday snowy day this morning is a balmy 31 degrees, the wind is shifting to SSW to show the warming is starting.  It, the warming, will only last through the weekend - - then, we get to pay for it.  That's how that stuff always works:  couple of days of nice weather followed by "pay days" of misery.  Welcome to Maine, and a whole lot of others places too.

This is "the how" of seasonal change.

Say goodbye to fall

Winterberries in Carmel Maine
looks like very early fall
Photo by Linda Grant

  That was an early fall photo, the leaves were green and the winterberry bush still had leaves too.  I don't remember what year it was either.  I really have to stretch my imagination sometimes to remember what I ate for supper the day before (like 10 hours ago), how in the name of anything could I possibly remember which year we saw what, unless we date it when it's done.
  Anyway, getting back on track, winter weather arrived yesterday, about 2 heavy wet inches worth.  The rain started when the snow stopped and most of the snow is history.  It was a cold and windy day, I didn't go out until afternoon and did my walking indoors, I even drove to the post office.
  I always enjoy fall.  Fall is my favorite season and I still believe that each season should last 3 months (only).  Ain't going to happen.

Ward Hill Road in Troy, Maine 2007
Photo by Linda Grant, or maybe the geezer.

What was that?

1948 Ford Tudor

  When I have started the car the last couple of days it made an odd clunk sort of sound.  It wasn't like when the battery is that, not that clunk.  I would clunk or clank and start and off I'd go hither thither and yon.
  Yesterday I started the clunk, clank sounding car about 3:45AM it started and ran, I de-frosted the windows with Prestone spray (it's cheap) instead of scraping.  I drove into Bangor and stopped at the On-the-run Store at Union and Griffin.  I bought my coffee to walk with (it was cold 19 degrees) it's a hand warmer.
  I got back in the clunk clank car and it SUPER clanked, it was no go!  I called AAA and in 15 minutes or so the tow truck came.  He tried to jump start clunk, clank no go.  I had him tow the car to the garage that does all my non-body work in Brewer.  I walked down to the Airport Mall and walked kind of around the front edge and to McDonald's.  My fiend Paul was already there so I sat in his truck (it runs and starts).  After coffee he gave me a ride to Brewer Walmart so I'd be warm while I waited for the garage to open.  I wandered the aisles until about 6:45 and walked down Wilson Street to my car, open it up and waited a few minutes.  I went in and explained to Peter what was going on and took a seat.
  In a couple of hours the mechanic came in with the starter, the whole casting that holds the works was split into two pieces - thus the clunk, clank.  They had already ordered the new one and had it, but to change the starter on the 2007 Chrysler (below) you have to remove the intake manifold! (WHAT???)  They also inspected the gear inside the bell housing for broken teeth, it was okay.
  Now I was back in business, right?  Well, not so fast old timer.  Now the car wouldn't shift out of first gear into drive.  What the heck is going on?  After he ran diagnostics the computer had un-set itself and needed to be reset so it could tell the car how to shift, light up and whatever else a car does.
  $595.36 later I was "free" to leave.  I showed you the '48 Ford because my first car was just like that, except green.  Even I, one who has the mechanical ability of a poodle puppy, could work on.  I could have change the starter on that car in twenty minutes, I wouldn't have had to remove any other parts except disconnect the battery cable.  So as I have entered my 70's things have changed so much that even I don't know what I'm doing.

The victim and the culprit, which is which?
Photo by Linda Grant - 2008

Election Day 2012

Voted on our anniversary #30
Photo by State Rep. Stacy Guerin (R)

  Well a visit to the Town Office, a short ride and some shopping at the commissary.  How much more could one ask for?  The answer for me is, not much.
  I will say that yesterday was a cold morning for walking, 22 degrees with a 7mph breeze from the north-west is downright chilly.  What the heck are you out here for?  That's the question I asked myself.  The answer for me is, that's where the sidewalks are.  Seriously I finished walking at the Bangor Walmart, 1/2 mile around the inside edge and in from my parking space; warmer too.
  So, the results are in, some will be pleased, others not so much.  Now we all accept the verdict, the people have spoken and move on.  That's what democracy is all about.  Life is about acceptance.
  And last, but not least, if you didn't vote - - don't complain.

My beautiful bride Linda.
Looks like some Veterans Day deco too
Photo by the geezer hisself, yessuh.

The big day

Nov 6 1982, my lucky day

  Today is Election Day, it's also our 30th Anniversary so we'll celebrate by going to vote.  I looked a lot different in 1982 and she hasn't changed, go figure.
  We were married in a family ceremony at her brother Thom's house in Portland, Maine, there weren't a lot of people there a couple of close friends and family members.  It was a second wedding for me and you can believe me when I say this one's turned out a whole lot better than the first, nuf said.
  It is Election Day, in the United States, so fulfill your obligation and vote please, yes every vote counts.  People like Wilbur out in North Dakota and I were lucky.  We spent twenty years in the United States Navy, a lot of it in peacetime but we were in the entire time the Vietnam War was "in session".  We did that because we wanted to, but we did it so maybe your grandchildren won't have to.  And that's why it's important for you to have a voice today. Vote.

A lovely bride.

Yow!

Bangor Maine Waterfront Park - click to enlarge
Photo by Linda Grant

  Looks like the tide is at work in that photo, it's pretty visual on the river going in or out.  The big building far center is Hollywood Casino, pretty soon the walkway will extend the whole distance.
Some years ago, 25, when we first moved here this whole area was kind of one big dump; nothing was cleaned up, there were a lot of unused train tracks and junk.  The water was shiny in some places and chunks of "tar" would float around - residue from the former Bangor Gas Works where gasafication of coal made gas for the lights and stoves.  I like it much better like this.
  It's getting cooler day by day, we know what's coming and personally I don't care much for the icy stuff.  You'd be able to see why so much ice was shipped to Boston, New York and Philadelphia when the river freezes.  Only one ice company left, Getchell Brothers Ice in Brewer, it's an old, old outfit.  The ice doesn't come from the river any more it's made by machine.

Not sure what this represents, trains maybe, or the night all hell broke loose.  I just don't know - click
Photo by Linda Grant

I'll get over it. Won't I?

Three Sisters.  New Sculpture at Bangor Waterfront
Photo by Linda Grant

  Each year for the past several years sculptors from a large number of countries, including the USA, have worked the summer creating art from Maine stone, mostly granite.
  Each year the art is given to a Maine town or city.  I showed a photo a while back of The Cleat, in Gouldsboro (Winter Harbor) from last years work.
  This year the above shown work and several small pieces were given to the City of Bangor for installation, I'll show one more at the end today.
  Dadblasted Daylight Savings Time/Standard Time switches.  Make up our collective minds to do away with this stuff I can only describe as "bullshit"!  If you have a sleep dis-order you know what I'm talking about, it's hard enough to sleep without waking up in a whole 'nother time zone! Stop!
  Well, got that out of the way for this year, or until next spring, it made sense when the government started the crap but they shouldn't have continued it.  But then again I'm not a farmer or a schoolchild.
  Have a nice day everyone.  This is post number 1251, if you're keeping track.

One of the smaller sculptures, I call them "sheep".  The discoloration is rain.
Photo by Linda Grant