Schooner Fest

Last weekend was Schooner Fest here in New London and you know what that means.

That's right. Mistah crossed the Big Bad Bridge so he could take photos of the schooners sailing down the river in front of Ledgie, with the sun shining behind his back.

Mistah and 20 of his best friends.

The problem, though, was that the schooners sailed in front of New London Light -- the world-famous New London Light -- then went on their merry way away from Ledgie.

But, hey, we're equal opportunity Lighthouse Lovers around here. And New London Light is fabulous.

And look how gorgeous he looks with this ol' girl sailing in front of him . . .

Made for eachother.

And then a couple of ferries joined the fun:

 The New London . . . 

. . . and the Mary Ellen.

Hey, Schooner Fest is not just for schooners any more.

But that schooner's a beaut.

And, yeah, that house.

This schooner was fab, too . . .

She took her turn sailing by the lighthouse . . .

. . . and then down the river . . .

. . . into the great beyond. But she can still see New London Light.

And then?

The moment we've all been waiting for.

Our very own Ledgie Light finally joined the show.

And the very best part about being across the bridge?

The gorgeous backdrop of New London.

things I hate

Way, way back many centuries ago on Labor Day weekend, Bill and Beth and I had ourselves a big time in Del Mar. It was the last of the summer's free concerts, and we've made it a tradition to catch the one and only Ziggy Marley whenever he visits our fair town.

I was excited to go to the racetrack, because although I'd been there twice already in the span of this summer's season, I had not been to any of the other concerts. There was another reason I was anxious to go back. I had seen something during my previous visit that I felt desperate to document. To be perfectly honest, I had not actually seen this great thing, but I had heard about it while waiting in line to use the restroom one time. I heard about it from someone in another stall, who had seen the thing and was reading it out loud to her friend, cracking up. It cracked me up too, and hearing it was almost funny enough, but I still felt mildly desperate to photograph it if at all possible.

So we went to the track, and I went to the bathroom, and I crossed my fingers that I'd end up in *that* stall, and guess what? I got lucky at the racetrack! What? No, of course my horse didn't win. But I did choose the lucky stall. The one with the world's best graffiti:

Sigh. It's perfect! Makes me want to carry a sharpie everywhere, always. I took another photo for scale, and don't worry I'm almost positive my pants were pulled up.

Have I learned nothing about drinks in potty stalls?

We enjoyed most of the races from our usual spot on the happening side of the grassy infield. Then, still basking in the glow of my bathroom graffiti success mission, we three misfits wandered around a bit to the far side of the infield track.

It was the end of a gorgeously hot and sunny day, and the light was so cool over there on the far side.



 

We had never noticed the housing over there, or the bleachers only accessible from those housing units. We agreed that they must be inhabited by track employees. Modest accommodations to say the least, but not a bad view of the action.


We were having a big time, we three. No kids, a cooler full of  "lemonade," and good friends.We started to document our glee. 

Perfect. Wait.

Perfect. Wait...but where am I? Selfies in order.

 

Perfect. Wait. What's with the finger?

Seriously, the finger!

Oh man, that was funny. On my camera, I am the master of the long arm selfie. I can snap with the same hand that holds the camera and no one is the wiser. On my phone, I had to hold it with one hand and then reach across to tap the icon for photo taking. And I found it impossible to move my finger out of the way, while keeping everyone in the frame, before the shutter clicked (as it were).

We had no choice but to lose a person if we were to get the shot.

Perfect.Wait.

Ah, that was funny. Soon it was time for the last race, and we packed up while watching expectantly for the horsies. It's cool on the far side. Quiet (when people stop guffawing) and unexpectedly calm.

right until it's not, and the thundering hooves fly by in a blur of color.

  
 My horse actually won that race! The board said baby brought in $8.41. The craggy old guy in the window said he didn't have enough change, so I only got like $8.14. Seriously
 

Goodnight sun.

Goodnight racetrack

Goodnight Ziggy

Durango photo dump

The first day of fall is on September 22, which is this Sunday. This Sunday!  So, I figure I better get photos from our summer trip to Durango posted this week, before summer is gone for good.

Girls in brown

Girls in green

Frousins:

Durango Discovery Museum

 

 

Steamworks brewery:

 

The matriarch



True sad story: my brother has given up gluten since we were there. Beer tastings are not going to be nearly as much fun without him!

 



Genes are weird, aren't they?! Is this not the same scary face her uncle was just making?!



Coolest restaurant floor idea ever, no? Genius! (You draw, we'll drink.)

 

On the river:

Goodbye summer, goodbye Durango, thanks for the memories.

 

I'm Just Waitin'........

I'm just standing in a doorway.*

*Not really.

I'm just trying to make some sense.*

*Totally true.

I'm not waiting on a lady.*

*Can we just move on to the crux of the song?

I'm just waiting on a friend.*

*Always.

I'm just waiting on a friend.*

*Perpetually.

I'm just waiting on a friend.*

*Thankfully, I have Mick.

last time

Wait, what do I do  when it floods? 


She says, as I gingerly creep toward her bedroom with the cool mist humidifier filled and ready and tested twice for leakage.

It's not going to flood.

I don't care that it has flooded every other time. I don't care that I can never figure out what I'm doing wrong when I inevitably flood the bed of a sick child whenever she lies awake coughing.

This is helpful.

It's not going to flood.

I filled the fucker up and tested it twice in the kitchen, atop an absorbent pile of towels justincase.

It's not like every other time, when I've filled the thing then carried it into her room only to find that the liquid contents are being dispelled faster than I can reverse directions and chuck the whole cursed contraption into the bathtub.


This time I was being smart, and I tested it. Filled up the tank, inverted it into the basin, waited and watched.

It did not leak.

Good to go. Something maybe nagging at my consciousness... a remnant from the last time we dealt with coughing in the wee hours... some aha moment about the humidifier and the flooding...

I made space on her nightstand, then came back to fetch the humidifier. She said:

"Wait, what do I do when it floods?"

Oh, ye of little faith.

It's not flooding, it's not flooding, it's all good and not flooding, yay!

damndamndamndamnDAMNDAMN DAMNTHIS FUCKING THING GET ME A TOWEL quick.

K, so there's a gallon of water in the bed/carpet of the sick child.

Again.

But for the last time.

I am conscientious, goddammit!

Life is so amusing, all star-gazing and buzzing bees at times, but always ready to give you the smack down too.

I was feeling pretty good about my work performance when I left the office yesterday. I even told my mom last night that I felt "accomplished." I very calmly worked my way through a 57-ish-step process to get the authors paid using various databases and programs. I really have no business being in Quick Books, or anywhere remotely near numbers and line items, so when I managed to get everything out yesterday with an hour to spare in my work day, I gave myself a mental pat on the proverbial back.

PREMATURE!

The second email I read this morning upon my arrival to work was from our Editor-in-Chief. You know, the big cheese. The guy we need to keep happy and provide total administrative support for. He had a conference call scheduled with one of our Sr Associate Editors this morning. But guess what? I totally and completely and utterly and wholly forgot. I did not send him a reminder. I did not send him the accompanying documentation that he needed. I did not do a goddamn thing. He ended up canceling before I even had a chance to reply to him. (Damn that time difference sometimes! I could have pulled it off if I were in New London!)

I'm trying to shake it off, I mean, it was an honest mistake. I didn't fuck up his day and the day of the other Sr Associate Editor on purpose. And I am doing my own job plus the job of another woman, who is currently out on maternity leave, and this was a task she would normally attend to, but still. Major fuck up!

I hate when this type of shit happens. I remember things. I am on top of things. I am conscientious, goddammit!! Wtf happened?

I simply forgot, I get it. I get that the event is unfortunate but no real crisis. I get that I shouldn't let it ruin my day. But it does make me wonder what else is falling off. What else is there that I should be doing, but I have completely forgotten about?

But, I'm moving on. I'm rationalizing. I'm making allowances for my own poor addled brain. I mean, it's better to miss an important reminder email at work that to forget your child at daycare, right?

Thank god, Jacquie is there if I do though!