24 September 2014: Wednesday ... 4 x 20 Blackbirds ... yardwork (driveway and sidewalk clearing) ... walk around neighborhood ...

Did some yardwork (actually driveway work) as I used the Toro to lift and grind leaves and  limbs and then cut away the plant blockage of the sidewalk by our neighbor to the Limestone Road side of our property. It was extensive and filled the two cans with yard waste. Spoke with Chris. Parents (step-mother Lana and father Bob) are loving it in Ocala. Bob plays a lot of golf but is a handyman down there and doing a lot of home fix-ups for the close-knit community. Lana is much happier in Florida.

Skeesha came early and left before 11 a.m. Mom a little groggy today but did OK with her and she's eaten well today. Banana and Honey Nut Cheerios, tea, and prune juice for breakfast followed by a new favorite, cottage cheese with pineapple/mango cup, a cheese stick and tea for lunch. Afterward, as I left she began to sing the childhood nursery rhyme ... "Four & Twenty Blackbirds" from Sing a Song of Sixpence:

Nice walk with Peg tonight and Dancer around the neighborhood tonight. Glad she came over. We all got some exercise on a crisp evening in early Fall. 

After the walk, we had Dancer up with mom for her treats. 

The beginning of the universe was an infinitesimal Black hole where time did not exist. God didn't have the TIME to create our world. 

15 August 2014: Friday ... Mom's birthday ... a rejuvenation ... a walk nearing sunset

My first picture of  Dancer on a too infrequent walk using the iPhone in weeks. Is is a rejuvenation on the birthday of my former mother-in-law, a woman who I love and consider my second mother and who is loved by my mother and who we called on her birth day this day and she answered and returned a phone call as promised? A person with integral and unchallenged integrity and fortitude. I don't believe so because change comes dripping slow and I ache or at least pretend to as I waste each day, one after another.  

21 June 2014: Saturday ... Summer Solstice (longest day) ... Breakfast @ Crossroads (my treat) ... Walk w/Doug & Dancer Paper Mill Park ... dinner at the Back Burner (a dad favorite)

The morning starts on the stoop with Dancer, hugging her, and listening to the subtle cacophony of bird communication. It's lovely and the road sounds from Limestone are less in the early hours of this Saturday morn. I want to identify the birds but cannot. Listen for the cat's sound, a marker for the presumed "catbird" with the black Mohawk patch atop its prehistoric head (I saw it this Sun morning outside the kitchen window, perhaps I should spread bird seed on the roof like dad did for years). 

We took a walk, together (Doug, Dancer and I) through the woods located along Middle Run Creek which runs beside Paper Mill Park, about 1.5 miles over a mountain bike trail with considerable ups and downs. And Doug enjoyed it even as we had to avoid the plenitude of Canadian geese doo-doo on the walkway around the park's perimeter. There was a child's birthday party going on with an inflatable jumping tent beside the eating covered area. 

Get a sneak peak of our new shop at "A New Nite Downtown" until 9 pm. We are in front of 58 E Main Street. 

A gentle suggestion from Gordon Roth "TO GET A MTB".

newarkbikeproject.org 

136 South Main Street, Newark, DE 19711 | Promoting bicycling to the community of Newark, Delaware,
two wheels at a time.

Back Burner Restaurant in Hockessin where we had dinner tonight.

I had two Heinekens (my limit) during the meal, in honor of dad, who was not a beer drinker but a dry (wave the Vermouth cap over the gin) martini enjoyer, that I shared with Doug last evening in the above restaurant, a favorite of dad's. 

14 June 2014: Saturday ... afternoon workout on Expresso.net (9.5 miles in less than 35 minutes) ... Sarah from N. Georgia fitness employee ... walk into paradise w/Dancer at Bark Park ... Netherlands hoodie from Amazon and Lindsay ...

It's not W. Eugene Smith's kids walk into paradise but it's my canine
child's walk outside Bark Park and it works for me this early Saturday evening.



A Father's Day gift from Lindsay via Amazon express. She texted me to see whether I'd received it.

12 June 2014: Thursday ... Body Vive ... virtuoso ... rhythm ... stretching ... youth ... Ohio ... DHS walk ... Carousel Western town ... dusk lantern light

1 June 2014: Sunday ... Rev. Greg hit trifecta w/service today (Kathe sang and daughter - Rebecca and grandson - Darwin, attended) ... late walk on abandoned PC golf course ...

From our new minister, Rev. Greg Pelley, at the UU Society of Mill Creek, these words prior to a pause from sound emanation during today's service:

"Silence is being present to all the sounds,

not the absence of it."

Might not be exact (again, that's the journalist in me) but it captures the gist of his words.

My goodness, Susan is happy. You can't fake that smile. She has
found a true love and I am happy (really) for her. (As a personal
aside and selfish intent, I wish the same for myself in another person.)

A late walk along the asphalt cart path that snakes, up and down, the abandoned Pike Creek Golf Course was my venue tonight as the crescent moon rose and the shadows grew along the trail, where I saw no one and Dancer kept a healthy distance behind me, for most of the walk. She did go into the Pike Creek for a dip and I tried, unsuccessfully, to photograph her with a finicky, splattered flash image that did not work out. Well, the walk was worth it but I did cut it a little close. Made it back to the car shortly after 9 p.m. and then, the doggie do-do packet still in hand, drove around to the large trash container and deposited it within its cavernous and empty interior with resounding thud. 

25 May 2014: Sunday ... gorgeous day ... bday of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Debbie Murphy ... wonderful service by Rev. Greg Pelley ... great talk with Steve Mortensen ... Jane Frelick *HUG* ...

 
Ralph Waldo Emerson 
" Don't waste yourself in rejection,
nor bark against the bad,
but the chant the beauty of the good."
 
Debbie (today is her birthday) & doctor daughter Rebecca Cantu

Good long walk with Dancer today at Pike Creek Valley abandoned golf course and it exhausted both of us at 3.6 miles, spoke to John "Gooser" Webers for an extended portion of the walk ... at least 2 miles.


A new passion on Match. com ... here's how she writes "Genuine":I'm intelligent, funny, kind, musical, self-aware, and other adjectives, too. I'm a writer/editor in my professional life, and a musician in my other life. I was away from Philadelphia for many years, and moved back about 9 years ago. I love so much about this city. I'm a mentor to a young woman who is aging out of foster care, and, although it is not a big part of my life time-wise, it's a big part of my life. I love live theater, movies, exploring, playing music with other people, walking, talking, laughing. Seeking someone on a similar wavelength, with similar values. 

18 May 2014: Sunday ... Susan called to say she'll marry this summer ... Linda's service ... A Cappella group sang beautifully and expressively ...

Children's story time told by Linda Lucero with Kristen Tosh-Morelli holding the book during Linda's 60s service at church today. It went well. Notice Judy Papenhagen in the 3rd row. She returned after a lengthy stay in New York moving her Aunt Flo and checking on her ill mother. Her favorite aunt, 89, fell and broke her hip and required a replacement and had to be moved to a senior care center in Massachusetts. All went as well as could be expected and it was good to see her back in Delaware.


Dancer off leash in the woods next to Bark Park at Carousel
Equestrian Center's land, a New Castle County park area, during
our walk this late afternoon. 

4 May 2014: Sunday ... Rev. Greg Pelley confirmed as our new minister ... Carpe dentum ("Seize the teeth") - Mrs. Doubtfire; double dinner at Bridges ... traverse entire PCV CC with Dancer ...

Rev. Greg Pelley was confirmed by unanimous vote through a congregational meeting as our new minister.

Robin Williams is a genius. The movie Mrs. Doubtfire, where her teeth fall into her drink and she answers, "Carpe dentum, seize the teeth," to the hated suitor of her ex-wife in front of their children.

Dancer shakes it out after an earlier dip in Pike Creek during our walk that traced the abandoned Pike Creek Valley Country Club. According to my DigiFit app, a distance of 3.9 miles. — with Dancer in Pike Creek Valley, DE.

3 May 2014: Saturday ... lazy morning (late night) ... mowed lawn ... met neighbors on corner (Ed & Lisa parents; Michael & Tommy kids) ... storm rolls in early evening ... FB messaged Sierra Leone persistence

After these many months of watching the kids on the corner of Kingsgate Lane & Nicholby Drive playing, constantly, I met them, courtesy of Dancer, of course, and their parents. They are black children with white parents. Michael, who is high-functioning autistic, and Tommy, outgoing and inquisitive, and their caring parents Ed, from New Jersey, and his native Delawarean wife, Lisa, and their dog, seen from the inside, who resembles Dancer and may have the same chow/Golden Retriever lineage.

10 April 2014: Thursday ... met red-headed Grace, bilingual grew up in Cuban Miami ... back to Brandywine Springs State Park ... return to Papenhagen's home on Oldbury Drive ...

Moseying over the creek at Brandywine Springs State Park on a beautiful Thursday afternoon.
 

Why did Dancer cross the bridge? I have no idea but she was off leash at Brandywine Springs State Park on a, you guessed it, springlike day. — with Dancer at Brandywine Springs State Park.

• Madhuri Land -Mary Sutherland, Claudia Boldt McIntyre, Charla Larrimore and 28 others like this.
• 

  Susan Louth She's a happy camper!!! Looks gorgeous.

  April 10 at 8:22 pm · Unlike · 3
• 

  Rudy Nyhoff She wears a perpetual smile, seemingly. Hope she's "happy" Susan. She makes me and the people she meets that way.

  April 10 at 8:33 pm · Like · 5
• 

  Harriet C. Brantley To get to the other side!! Why else?

  April 11 at 3:23 pm · Like · 2
• 

  Charla Larrimore looks to me like she's got important business on the other side--"pee mail" to answer!

29 March 2014: Saturday ... an AM of Facebooking (more Jihed revelation including learning German) ... Mozart FB friends in Finland (HS lover) and Albania (middle name Mozartiana)

Rain? No problem. We had a short, soaking walk (by its conclusion) along the Brandywine River in downtown Wilmington at the self-named park. Met a great duo, meeting on a day they wanted to hike but were not deterred by the precipitation, one of whom snapped my photo after I took hers meeting Dancer. Such a nice encounter.

Michael Chen, Katie Chang, Alex Wolff, and Kodi Smit-McPhee in A Birder's Guide to Everything.

15 March 2014: Saturday ... the ides of March ... walk to DHS for first time in months ... talk with Beatrice Webb for Church canvass at Panera's ... Liberty Yoga ... dad's travel journal

Two walks today with Dancer, no trip to the "Y" for spinning because of my Pony Express/Canvass meeting with Beatrice Webb (choir member) from Church at Panera's for coffee and a sweet and two hours of revealing and delightful conversation from 10 a.m. to noon. The walks totaled over 4 miles. 

Realigning the books on the shelf where dad's father's ring and the letter openers rest, I found a gem, words penned by my father, a diary of sorts, from his trip with Doug to Russia. I took it, immediately, to his longtime translator (the writing was his usual scrawl), my mother, and she worked out some of it. Pretty basic stuff ... departure times from New York and Helsinki to arrival time in Moscow. There's probably more but I placed it back where I found it (I will remember its location), it is a rare artifact of my dad's writing outside of his professional duties of myriad patient note taking. 

A rarity -- Dad's words describing Russia trip with Doug. 

13 March 2014: Thursday ... Aunt Carol's birthday (she would have been 84 today ... "What is it?") ...

Just remembered and shared with mom the iconic phrase that was Aunt Carol's, whose birthday is today (she'd have been 84 today), and it is: WHAT IS IT? ... I can hear her voice now, that incredible sense of humor she possessed and shared with so many, it is a legacy that is profound and meaningful to the memory and being of those who loved her. 

Called Liz and as I was talking to her the doorbell rang and Julie, the PRN nurse from Hospice, who has seen my parents a handful of times and always is attentive and helpful and thorough and totally professional, was there and we began to immediately talk about the patient, my mom and I TOTALLY FORGOT THAT LIZ WAS ON THE PHONE. Later, when she was talking to mom, I apologized effusively and she understood as she heard me talking to Julie over the phone and knew that I was involved and just hung up.

5 March 2014: Wednesday ... walked the trail (about 2 miles) to the Mill Creek and back ... takeout and Flyers at the Hayman/Eakin home (concern for Bob) ...

3 March 2014: Monday ... the snow has stopped after about 6" or so since early this morning ... Steve and his bassets Kirby & Harriet just plowed past goin' up Nicholby ... Dancer is sacked out in the TV room floor ...

She was leash-less today and although it brought me
pause, she returned without incident and really enjoyed
herself in the 6-8 inch snow fall today.

Addendum (4/4/14): Thought of Steve and Annie and their bassets, Kirby and Harriet, during our walk tonight, a slightly chill evening that prompted a jacket and no more and a walk of just under 2 and 1/2 miles, as I took Dancer along Milltown Park's creek. I wonder and hope that Annie has recovered from her knee injury that prompted solo walks with basset duo by Steve.

Addendum (3/23/15): The hermit emerged (that would be me) from the house just as Annie walked up with Kirby, one of her and her husband Steve's two Bassett Hounds, the other being a slightly cantankerous Kirby, held by Steve, as I started to put up the plastic doors that arrived from Amazon (paid for by my cousin Liz ... need to let her know the they're up ... her birthday is the 26th this week, Thursday, and she'll turn 64).

Addendum (6/11/16): Coming from Maplecrest on our bikes, Peg and I saw Steve and Annie walking Kirby (Annie's leash) and Harriet (Steve's) at the park in Sheridan Square. They're such dear animals, perfectly named, and the abused one, used as bait (teeth filed down) for a dog fighting ring, Harriet, was quite affectionate and did not growl once. She even rolled over for Peg as she pet her. So nice to run into the two of them with their canine charges on a beautiful summer evening.

23 February 2014: Sunday ... WDAV.org on the iPhone ... coffee (he bought at Pathmark as I cycled at Y) wafting up from downstairs (Doug up early) at 4:48 a.m. ... UU Choirs assemble, Greg Pelley does sermon (dividing walls) ... Katia there, presentation at DBI tomorrow

Katia Sol-Church will be giving presentation at the Delaware Biotechnology Institute tomorrow afternoon. Unfortunately, it's a new group and she'd rather I attended other seminars at the Nemours Institute, which are open to the public, and which she will keep me posted.

Today was bow tie day and Gordon wore one (A CLIP-ON!!!) but I could not tie mine even though I brought it with me, purchased from J. C. Penney's yesterday for $25.00 (ouch), but better than $54.50 from the high-priced clothier (name eludes me) and its dewy-eyed vixen of a salesgirl. There was talk-back with our new, interim minister and talk of going to Anthony's Pizza afterward but I headed home to Doug and mom and no conversation and warmed up lasagna (pretty good). My brother left at 2 p.m., promptly, for the airport and his flight home.  

23 January 2014: Thursday ... the chill continues ... to the Y twice today ... Flyers' losing streak reaches three ...

We got our medications, thankfully, dropped off, as usual, almost clandestinely and furtively on the front doorstep by FedEx and everything was there. Mom has her med for the coming week at least. Calls from Beth were most helpful.

Worked out at the Y this afternoon with weights and did a selection of available ones and had to modify my workout on the computer. Ended with the stair step machine and that kicks your butt. I made it to the top of Big Ben or 37 floors and was spent. It's hard work and of course, great cardio, if you can stand it.

Made it back to the "Y" for a primer by Jennifer Fawzi, a trained instructor in LesMills workouts (which I will take -- her class -- on Monday), in the early evening and it was quite helpful and instructive. Working out consistently has certainly been in her favor as she is fit, attractive and I would say, middle aged. She gave a thorough description of cycling and her own discipline of lifting weights during a workout with songs. The name eludes me at present, have brochures downstairs which I'm too lazy, or what the heck, it's called BODYPUMP and you use weights and lift in traditional poses but do extended reps. Should be interesting.

The walk tonight was another chill one and mom called me as I circumnavigated Mealey's Funeral Home about a need for morphine. Told her it would be about 30 minutes. I crossed the road, tentatively, as the cars come quickly and the snow is a dangerous deterrent, but I made it into Limestone Acres past the homes (probably moved by now) of the Snyders (Rocky and Jay) and the McCauley's (cannot recall his name, my age who always impressed me with doing his homework on the bus before he got home, oh Greg, and who I learned later in life was treated for a mental illness), and took the first street on the left, walked an extended block to Pickwick, turned left, crossed Limestone Road, again, with care back to 4546 for a total of 1.25 miles on the digifit app. A decent walk as I received the sole word -- "Congratulations" -- in a flat, officious tone from the iPhone female-voiced app.

So disappointing to watch the Flyers tonight play the Columbus Blue Jackets in Ohio. They went ahead 2-1 only to give up the next 4 goals and lose 5-2 to their former high-price signer goal, Sergei Bobrovsky, who is on an unbeaten streak as are the BJs this January. Not so with the Flyers.

 

15 January 2014: Wednesday ... When it rain, it pours, especially when you're napping mid-morning ... Carol, the Jehovah's Witnesses (who will come back), and Skeesha's call ...

Just had an idea for a daily entry on the blog ... why not, like I did in my classroom, have a Word Of The Day (WOTD). One of my FB friends, who I didn't know at Dickinson HS (she graduated in '75), Charla Larrimore, lives now in Hawaii (always wishing me 'aloha') and is a graduate of Stanford University. She is one smart individual. Well, she's sent me a WOTD for the past two days through instant messaging on FB.

Here's the first, or make that the second that she sent, which is part of the definition and not the exact word, but I love the definition offered up from the web site m-w.com. 

1. pecksniffian -- unctuously hypocritical
   
   
   
2. 
   

   
   
   I began this post with the phrase: "When it rain, it pours." Well, what did I mean? I was napping in my jammie bottoms and dad's leather slippers on the couch, listening to WHYY radio and the front bell sounds. It is the volunteer from Delaware Hospice, Carol, who has volunteered for 5 years as a companion and is a retired Special Education teacher from southeastern Pennsylvania for 10 years and happy to be so. It was hard and demanding work and her colleagues were not helpful. She has a wonderful visit with mom, who comments, initially on her name and its matching her sister. Mom loves people and it's good for her to have this companionship. She will return, weekly, to share some time with mom. I think it is good.
   
   Just moments later (here comes the rain), a couple of women, Jehovah's Witnesses, were at the door to talk about my faith. I stated, without equivocation, that I was "agnostic humanist" and a Unitarian Universalist. A lot of big terms, the woman said. And I was up front with my lack of belief and she wanted a conversation and I did, too. She left me with an interesting doc entitled Was Life Created? and it is surprisingly on topic and relatively unbiased. It's basis is the fact that ALL this complexity on earth, all its cycles and species and balance could not possibly have arisen by chance. There had to be a creator. Oh, if it were only that simple.

   

Had a good walk over 2 miles and avoided the mud on the sidewalks and circled St. John the Beloved School and Maplecrest in a mist that wetted Dancer and my jacket, pulled up over my neck (still have a lingering cold and tightness in my throat) and my hat over my ears, a necessity on this chilly, wet night, where the cars seem a lot closer on Milltown than they appear when I move to cross the road.

Some good PBS programs tonight. Fascinating piece on the German Zeppelins, made from cow's intestine (collagen) for its outer shell. It took a quarter million cows intestines to cover one zeppelin. They had a fleet of over a dozen and they flew over England and performed the first bombing runs, many incendiary. As a defense, the Brits put up the first rinky-dink fighters but they had to figure out how to shoot down these enormous, aircraft-carrier size structures. It didn't ignite with regular bullets. You needed to make a large hole to introduce oxygen that made the hydrogen explode and burn. A young pilot took down one and became an immediate hero. He made three passes and his last poured all his firepower into one section and opened up a large enough holed that ignited the gas and brought down the huge craft. Just incredible. 

The German commander in charge of the Zeppelins went on the last air assault and was shot dead in the craft going over the English Channel. Just desserts for a warrior who brought killing onto civilians during war, innocence on the ground.

*Something to note ... I did write Lindsay today!

11 January 2014: Saturday ... it is rainy, gloomy and dreary day highlighted by "dog walk" talk with Heide ... signing up for a Pen Pal website ...

Performance space at Anson B. Nixon Park in Kennett Square.

In downtown Kennett Square ... suggested walk venue w/Heide and Dancer, or course, on Sunday, January 12, 2014, beginning at 1:30 p.m. 

  

Further out via the Oxford/Kennett Square Highway (Route #1), about 40 minute drive from home, this looks to be an interesting place that Heide and Dancer and myself can discover in the future.

Just heard a terrific thunder boom (Linda heard it too as she was lunching out with a friend at Panera's and thought an accident had occurred) as the rain continues to pelt down at 12:15. It's unusual in winter to hear thunderstorm activity and it certainly surprised Dancer, who jumped up in the TV room at the sound. The fire alarm is now sounding, a regular occurrence in the area. 

Took the photo after I left the performance space with a need to cough. Avoided returning to my seat because I thought it too disruptive during the final movement of the Mendelssohn.

Clockwise from top left: Larry Stomberg, cellist; Esme Allen-Creighton,
violist (would never have played any other instrument); Kate Ransom, violinist (plays
the only Serafin instrument, made by Sanctus Serafin in 1728); and Lisa Vaupel, violinist
she and Kata switch playing first violin ... in tonight's concert, Lisa played first for
the Wolf and the Mendelssohn and Kate finished up with the Debussy).

Great concert tonight at Trinity Episcopal, the historic church at the beginning of downtown Wilmington, next to a bank building -- the old clashing with the brazen new and ugly. But tonight's concert was the opposite of disgust as it highlighted the beauty of the quartet and the artistry of Serafin playing Wolf, Mendelssohn, and Debussy. Just a joy which I shared with Linda at this beautiful church with superb acoustics.

Afterward I got to talk with the founder of the quartet and switching first violinist (the two share the first chair), Kate Ransom, who shared a story of meeting with mom and dad at an organ concert in a church where there was a small gathering and really getting to talk. She remembered them well. She went on to talk about her violin, a Serafin, made by Sanctus Serafin in 1728 and bought from the 1st chair of the Toyko String Quartet, her mentor and teacher. 

Lot 128: A Fine Italian Violin by Sanctus Serafin, Venice circa 1730
(Kate Ransom's violin was made in 1728.)

                                      Estimates :

                                                        £70,000 - £100,000