Please Come to Boston for the...Snowfall

I'm posting this entry from row 19 seat C of the Delta Shuttle from Boston's Logan airport to New York's LaGuardia. Yes, that's snow under and around the plane. I snapped this photo as we were boarding. The Captain just announced that we will be delayed leaving Boston for at least an hour while, 1) they open another runway in LaGuardia, and 2) they reopen Logan after it being closed at this moment for snow removal.

It won't be long before I start to think there's no easy way to travel to D.C. from Martha's Vineyard, but for now I remain an optimist. Today I was to fly from the MV airport at 1pm to Logan and board a plane at 2:45 for a 4:30 arrival in Regan National in D.C. When I arrived at the MV airport, the Cape Air attendant informed me that all flights were canceled for the day in anticipation of the major snow storm headed our way (expected to leave 10-12" in its wake). Since I booked through Expedia, they weren't able to reach me to let me know. So, it was a call to Expedia (dot commmmm), a taxi back to Vineyard Haven to catch the noon Ferry (with 3 minutes to spare!), then a taxi from Woods Hole to Logan ($140 plus tip), and after one canceled and one very delayed flight, here I sit waiting for it to be safe enough to fly to LaGuardia to connect to D.C. I'll most likely arrive closer to 10pm. The price for living in a secluded place, I suppose.

Well, I'm happy and satisfied with my life, my family and my friends. I'm lucky enough to have time to enjoy the good things. Who could ask for anything more? :-)

OB Prepares for Christmas

While in the Post Office standing in line the other day (a daily activity), I heard several people talking about how beautifully the neighboring town of Oak Bluffs was decorated for Christmas. I took the bus over after dark tonight to see for myself. I was somewhat disappointed...it seemed rather subdued in my opinion, but here are a few of the nicer displays.

It was a dark and stormy night...

...kidding. It was a misty, foggy day, though. A quiet day and productive as far as my writing went. I wrote today about my dad's maternal grandfather, about how he still worked a team of four horses cutting timber and hauling the trees to the sawmill at age 70. And today for the first time I realized that my dad passed away on the same date that his grandfather had - September 24th. Great Grandpa Lucas died at 71 in 1926 when my dad was not quite six years old, and 81 years later, my dad died on the same date just one week shy of his 87th birthday. Who will remember what day I died?

Random photo: Vineyard Haven Cemetery this afternoon

Spa Day at The Mansion House

Nothing beats the winter blues better than a massage and facial! The Mansion House Inn is on Main Street in Vineyard Haven, just 4 blocks from me. This afternoon I spent several hours being pampered...having all the kinks worked out of my back and shoulder, having the "fine lines" steamed, moisturized, and gently massaged out of my face. Of course, fine lines are the least of anyone's problem! Anyway, it was luxurious and I highly recommend it. Now I'm ready to hit the keys on my laptop once more in the hope of conveying the humor, tragedy, amazement, and adventure that filled my dad's early life.

Mansion House Inn at 5pm this afternoon. (I'll be happy when the days start getting longer!)

Codfish and George Bailey

Lunch and a play. Very different feel about it than dinner and a movie, but taking myself out on a date was fun nonetheless. The day was cold but far from brutal and I needed some time away from the cottage after spending all morning writing. I went to the Black Dog Tavern for lunch. Those nine words seem so easy, but unless you're a woman and single, you can't appreciate their impact. If you're a man, single or married, fuhgetaboudit, you can never understand. If you're a woman but married and decide to take yourself out to lunch, you still know you are alone by choice and it's often a welcome change. But, if you're a single woman, you're there alone. It takes either lots of confidence or not caring at all. I'm happy to report that for me today it was the former. I took along "Writing from the Heart" written by Nancy Aronie who guided the writing workshop I attended on the Island when I first arrived two months ago. The codfish sandwich and a Pepsi looked the most appetizing, and I wasn't disappointed. The fish here (needless to say) is always fresh, light, and delicious. After taking my time enjoying my lunch and reading, I strolled along the dock watching the ferry unload its two-legged and four-wheeled cargo.

At 3pm, I went to a matinee of The Vineyard Playhouse's adaptation of Frank Capra's movie It's a Wonderful Life. The Playhouse performed it as a "live radio broadcast" version, so it was much like a staged reading with the actors at the microphones with their scripts in front of them. Sound effects were provided by a synthesizer and a variety of other objects. The production was brilliant. It amazes me each time I attend a live performance just how talented people can be. It doesn't matter that you see behind the scenes, you get carried away in the story and suspend disbelief for a couple of hours.

Coincidentally, I also just received the DVD of the movie version in the mail from Kathy (who often acts as my own personal Netflix). I'll watch the movie soon and as I always do, I'll cry at the end and sing "Auld Lang Syne" right along with all George's friends in Bedford Falls.

A Certain Kind of Madonna

Today I'm very excited! I did something that I've never done before...purchased a painting. Well, I purchased 25% of it today and it will be mine in another 8 weeks. Laurie and I first saw the painting in Vineyard Haven when she visited last month. I fell in love with it immediately, but didn't decide to purchase until last night. This particular piece was featured in the Holiday 2008 edition of Vineyard Style along with the artist's profile. You can see her work at www.karataylorart.com I like many of Kara Taylor's paintings because she uses metallics in them...mostly gold, but sometimes silver or copper. They immediately reminded me of Gustav Klimt who has always been a favorite. See one of his most famous paintings - "The Kiss" at http://www.gustavklimtcollection.com/pages/thekiss.html Most all of Kara's paintings, however, unlike Klimt, are specifically dealing with nature.

She displays both photographic works and oil paintings. I bought "A Certain Kind of Madonna" - you can see it below.


Congratulate me, I'm a collector! :-)

Random photo: Blue ripples in Vineyard Haven Harbor today

Writer's Blah-ck

I had been feeling pretty good about my writing progress. My goal is to complete a historically accurate novel about the first quarter century of my dad's life. My family is so lucky that Dad took time several years before his death to write many little stories about his childhood. Not only are they an insight into his personality and family, they are a treasure of information about early 20th century rural American life. My job is to weave the little scenes Dad left into a coherent story that covers the period from 1920 to 1945 or '46 when he completed his tour of duty with the U.S. Coast Guard in World War II. I'm not finding it too difficult to tie the stories together, but I'm not at all happy with the quality of my writing. Hopefully I'm just being hard on myself. I am early in the process and have a number of rewrites ahead. At this stage I should be satisfied to gather historical information to intertwine with the sketches to give the story authenticity. I should be satisfied.

Today I mailed away to the Embassy of Ghana in Washington, D.C. to get the visa necessary to enter the country in January. It's so weird to have to mail your passport, but that's what's required. I used Express Mail, so hopefully all will work out.

During my walk through town today I noticed that more and more businesses are closing for the season. I understand from talking to locals that between January 1st and the middle of April, the town is very, very quiet. I hope I don't get cabin fever! I will have to make sure and shift my focus to include more exercise in order to chase away winter blues.

Random photo: Sunset in Vineyard Haven this evening from my front yard