Posted tagged ‘tourist’

“On Sunday mornings, as the dawn burned into day, swarms of gulls descended on the uncollected trash, hovering and dropping in the cold clear light.”

August 7, 2016

Sunday morning is always quiet for me. I read my two papers and drink my coffee. I always call my sister in Colorado at 11, and we talk for an hour or more. That’s what usually puts me behind the time.

Last night I had Chinese food for dinner. I have been craving it for a while and finally decided it was time to satisfy that craving. Dinner was scrumptious, and I have enough leftover for today. That’s a bonus.

My windows and doors are open, but I suspect it will only be a short while before the heat gets to me as the slight breeze just isn’t enough to counter the hot sun. If I were a tourist, I’d love today. I imagine the beaches are filled. Usually by this time of the day even the beach parking lots are filled.

This morning I started watching The Lady in White. I’ve seen it before, but I liked the movie enough to see it again. It takes place in 1962 at Halloween. The Lady is a ghost. The main character, Frankie, witnesses a murder in his class cloak room which had taken place 10 years earlier. The rest of the movie hinges on that event. When I saw the beginning of the movie this time, I hadn’t remembered how it started. I did remember the rest. That a ghost is an important character doesn’t bother me at all. She is woven into the plot and is as important a character as Frankie.

I have a few outside things to do this afternoon like water the plants on the deck, clean the outside shower before I take one later and check the connections to my lights on the deck and in the yard. None of the lights go on though they’re still connected to timers. One set is on the rail of the deck and two other sets are coiled around trees in the yard. My friend misses the lights and so do I.

Today is dump day. I imagine Gracie will be excited when she sees me hauling the trash bags to the car. I’ll have to open the doors and start the AC before I put her into the car or she’ll pant. Her window has to be open despite the air as she needs to smell the world as we travel. I totally understand.

 

“Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.”

August 20, 2012

Shades of fall arrived last night as the temperature dropped to the 60’s. It will be the same every night this week. When I woke up, I wanted to lounge a bit and enjoy the cool morning, but Gracie was insistent we get up. The day is dark as rain is expected later.

My friend Annie and I went out to eat to celebrate my birthday. She couldn’t believe that we are in our mid-60’s. Most times, unless I have to haul stuff into the house or go up and down the stairs, neither do I. Hearts and minds don’t ever seem to age.

Today is dump day, a belated dump day as I should have gone this weekend. Gracie will be excited as this is her favorite errand.

This weekend was as busy as I have seen it all summer. There were so many people at Stop & Shop you’d think a cataclysmic event was on the horizon  which necessitated stocking up on essentials. Carts were blocking the aisles and people stopped in the middle to chat leaving no way around. I was there because I needed dry cat food and not much else so luckily I was in and out quickly.

Many schools start next week so this weekend was the last hurrah. I can’t believe that two weeks from today is Labor Day, the end of summer, and in the old days, the end of wearing white.

The table in my bedroom is filling up with stuff for my trip. I have mosquito wipes as my feet were eaten last year, pop-up face cloths which I can discard, the iPad international charger, my cameras and their battery rechargers and a new guide-book written by four former Ghanaian Peace Corps volunteers. When I was a volunteer, I always knew the best cheap places to eat and sleep and so do they.  I have tabbed where I want to go and what I want to see. This time I’ll be a tourist up to and back from Bolga. 5 days and counting until my flight!