“Our memory is a more perfect world than the universe: it gives back life to those who no longer exist.”
The morning is cold, 66˚. Today’s high will only be 70˚. The sun was out earlier, but the clouds have since taken over the sky, and it is getting dark.
Henry had a bad day yesterday. The noise across the street and banging from upstairs scared him. He shook and pressed himself as close to me as he could get. I wrapped him in a hug until the shaking stopped. He finally sighed and went to sleep, but the shaking reoccurred last night and woke me up. He was lying down beside me. I kept patting him, and he finally settled down. I wondered if he had had a bad dream. Today he is fine.
I remember Hurricane Carol which occurred in 1954 during August around the time my sister Moe was born. Because she was under 5 pounds, they kept her at the hospital. I was mesmerized by the wind and watched out the windows. I saw trees bending almost to the ground. We lost electricity. We mostly ate sandwiches. I remember the eye of the storm when everything was eerily still. My father took my brother and me outside. The daylight had a strange look and was an odd color. We checked out the oak tree from across the street which had broken at the trunk and fallen across the road but missed my father’s car.
My memory drawers are filled with fragments of events, people who have crossed my path and experiences I’ve had. Many of my memories are incomplete. Others are so vivid I can see them in my mind’s eye.
I remember being in the Sylvania Hotel in Philadelphia at Peace Corps staging. The phone booth was to the left just beyond the elevators. There were a few chairs in the lobby, and I remember sitting there reading the newspaper and finding out that Judy Garland had died. I was alone in my room as my roommate was a no show.
I don’t know why flashes of some memories jump into my consciousness. I see places and people. I am there as parts of them as they are parts of me.
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September 5, 2019 at 12:35 pm
I’ve started two radiators, not because it is especially cold outside but the constant raing makes evcerything indoors damp. Still it is comapred to Your temperatures at least chilly here 🙂
The first storm I remember was 1969. The wworst we had back then. Normally we don’t get that eye of calmness in our storms but we did go outside for a while just to hear the wind roaring but had to go indoors again since ti,es were flying around in the air.
Yes why do some memories just pop up like that 🙂 normally it’s a smell or a sound but sometimes they just pop up anyway 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
September 5, 2019 at 4:11 pm
Hi Christer,
I like the cool house though as it gets closer to evening I might need a long sleeve shirt. September is a wonderful weather month here as long as we don’t get a hurricane.
Regular storms don’t have eyes, only hurricanes do. I love the infrared shots of the storm with that one calm spot in the middle.
Some nights one of my neighbors has a fire with wood. I love the smell and it brings me to Ghana where all the fires, even for cooking, were wood charcoal.
Enjoy your evening!
September 5, 2019 at 1:57 pm
Hi Kat,
I remember Hurricane Carol. She who ripped up a cherry tree and an apple tree in my yard. I still remember where the cherry tree stood but I don’t remember which apple tree went down. There were several on the property and hurricanes took two of them.
Memories are triggered by odd things at odd times. There’s a smell that will always trigger a memory of standing by my locker in high school. Nothing memorable happened when I was standing by my locker in high school so I don’t know what that’s all about. Sometimes that memory gets triggered simply because I’ve recalled the smell. Memory triggering memory.
The weather here is maybe a tad brighter than yours. The sunlight is watery through a thin cloud layer. But it’s strong enough to cast shadows. It’s nice enough to be outside but the sky really puts a damper on things.
Poor Henry. He’s fortunate to have someone to console him when he’s scared.
Enjoy the day.
September 5, 2019 at 4:18 pm
Hi Caryn,
None of our trees went down, but that oak was the biggest tree on the street. I remember checking out the torn trunk and the branches. They covered the entire road.
Smells stir my memories more than anything else. The salt air here brings the ocean to my door. Wood burning is Ghana to me. It was the main fun for cooking fires. When I go back, I love the morning smells.
The sun came back but stayed behind the clouds. I could see the light, and it brightened the late afternoon.
I wish I knew what happened to Henry before he became my dog. He flinches sometimes when I go to pat him. He is much better than when he first came, and I know he trusts me.
Have a great evening!
September 6, 2019 at 10:07 pm
I know a little of what happened to Rocky before I got him but nothing about Piki Dog. Both of them will sometimes flinch when I go to pat them. Piki Dog has a thing about feet and will sort of shy away from feet or other things that are moving around. Except for the vacuum cleaner. I don’t know what it is with terriers and the vacuum cleaner. My old dog Tegan used to attack it and Piki Dog does too.
September 6, 2019 at 11:49 pm
Hi Caryn,
I feel so bad when Henry flinches. I wish I could use a magic wand and take away his fears.
I have only had one dog who attacked he vacuum cleaner. She’d whack it with her paws. I guess she was trying to scare the beast away. Hen ry sleeps through the vacuuming. The cat only mins it took if it does close.
Have a great day!
September 5, 2019 at 8:09 pm
Luckily we don’t have severe storms here often but the ongoing drought has weakened the trees so they fall down quite easily by now. About a week ago we lost some big trees just a mile away during an ordinary thunderstorm. I wonder what the autumn storms will bring. We still need more rain but I hope not this weekend, the big free 3-day openair music festival will happen downtown. I just checked tomorrow’s festival program but most likely I’ll just walk from stage to stage and see what I like.
September 5, 2019 at 8:35 pm
Birgit,
We will get some rain from the hurricane. I’ll not complain as rain is always welcomed.
Tonight is cold, down to the 50’s. It will be a great night for sleeping.
September 5, 2019 at 9:18 pm
Hi Kat,
Hurricane Dorian leveled the Bahamas and still isn’t through wrecking havoc in the Carolinas. By the time a hurricane reaches the cold waters of New England most of its energy has been spent. On a similar note The Trump administration is canceling the Obama era regulation prohibiting the sale of incandescent light bulbs. A small item to add to the global warming.
Another clear day with a high in th upper 90s. I think the triple digit temperatures are over for this year. 🙂
September 5, 2019 at 9:25 pm
Hi Bob,
We have a cold night. It is only 57˚. Dorian will bring a ton of rain to us but not a high wind.
My friend Charlie sold his house on Man of War Key, right across from Marsh Harbor, last year. His timing was perfect as the house has been destroyed as has the whole Key and Marsh Harbor.
Trump has destroyed all the initiatives to halt global warnings. He doesn’t believe in it so incandescent light bulbs make no difference to him.
Tonight will be perfect for sleeping.
September 5, 2019 at 11:41 pm
Just when I thought triple digit temperatures are over, Saturday and Sunday the forecast calls for 100 degree plus weather with no rain in sight.
September 6, 2019 at 12:35 am
Next time knock on wood!
September 5, 2019 at 10:23 pm
Thank you for helping me remember my favorite “remember” song which I’d forgotten all about (lots of irony to unpack there!). A favorite in his home state of Hawaii, Kui Lee’s career as a singer-songwriter was only just taking off when he got cancer and died at 34 in 1966. That makes listening to this tune all the harder.
September 6, 2019 at 12:33 am
Idle Mind,
This is the first time I’ve ever heard him. He has a lovely voice which isn’t an adjective I usually use with a male voice, but it is a perfect description.
The music is wonderful as well. I’m glad it I could jog your memory!
Thanks!!