Free as a bird - Weekenders 11 - 14 September 2020
Sobriety is Traditional
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Orcas Island, Washington
Posts: 9,067
Hi all!
We have pretty thick smoke from wildfires today, but yesterday was the hottest day and it only got up to about 80˚ F (26˚ C). The smoke is forecast to leave tomorrow, then we have a couple more sunny days before the fall rains start.
I have worked more this past week than I did all summer--I am doing prep work for the seafood store at the shellfish farm just down the hill from my home, and some of the kids working there are going back to school. They also have a restaurant going this year down there, and due to their outdoor seating they are the busiest restaurant on the island. There is some fine gourmet food coming out of the restaurant, but I just spend my days making halibut ceviche and crab cakes.
Remembering back to 2001 on this date, my late wife had recovered after quitting chemotherapy, and we were going on a vacation on the other side of the island (this was on Maui). Her daughter was a United Airlines flight attendant who was living next door at the time. One of the planes crashed in Pennsylvania very close to my wife's and stepdaughter's home town. Everybody considered their mortality on that day, and my wife was on one of the first flights out of Hawaii to visit her granddaughter before my wife died of cancer. On the flight, she sat behind Willie Nelson, who was going to LA for a 9-11 concert.
We have pretty thick smoke from wildfires today, but yesterday was the hottest day and it only got up to about 80˚ F (26˚ C). The smoke is forecast to leave tomorrow, then we have a couple more sunny days before the fall rains start.
I have worked more this past week than I did all summer--I am doing prep work for the seafood store at the shellfish farm just down the hill from my home, and some of the kids working there are going back to school. They also have a restaurant going this year down there, and due to their outdoor seating they are the busiest restaurant on the island. There is some fine gourmet food coming out of the restaurant, but I just spend my days making halibut ceviche and crab cakes.
Remembering back to 2001 on this date, my late wife had recovered after quitting chemotherapy, and we were going on a vacation on the other side of the island (this was on Maui). Her daughter was a United Airlines flight attendant who was living next door at the time. One of the planes crashed in Pennsylvania very close to my wife's and stepdaughter's home town. Everybody considered their mortality on that day, and my wife was on one of the first flights out of Hawaii to visit her granddaughter before my wife died of cancer. On the flight, she sat behind Willie Nelson, who was going to LA for a 9-11 concert.
saoutchik
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: London
Posts: 16,203
Welcome to Weekenders Erica!
I was not allowed to view Lynyrd Skynyrd's Freebird so for my fellow Brits here it is again. Apologies for the backdrop - I don't approve of some of the things they stood for but Freebird is a outstanding song.
https://youtu.be/QxIWDmmqZzY
I was not allowed to view Lynyrd Skynyrd's Freebird so for my fellow Brits here it is again. Apologies for the backdrop - I don't approve of some of the things they stood for but Freebird is a outstanding song.
https://youtu.be/QxIWDmmqZzY
saoutchik
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: London
Posts: 16,203
I'm glad Hissing Sid turned out to be fence wire Captain.
Halibut Ceviche sounds amazing. Halibut is pricey in London.
It has been a while since I posted any canal pics so here it is at dusk. The fish in it are definitely getting bigger.
Halibut Ceviche sounds amazing. Halibut is pricey in London.
It has been a while since I posted any canal pics so here it is at dusk. The fish in it are definitely getting bigger.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,874
Originally Posted by CaptainHaddock 
Thanks Bim, but I was bit ratted.
So I’m doing some light gardening and as I was putting some stuff in the compost bins standing in one corner, a loud hissing sound seemed to come at me from behind or between the two composter bins. I backed away and could have been imagining things, but I’m hoping it’s not a snake. We live right next to an open grassland area. The regular gardener once told me that he had heard “something” moving around in that area. I think I might need a bit of help before I investigate further on my own (and not the liquid kind). Will keep you posted.
So I’m doing some light gardening and as I was putting some stuff in the compost bins standing in one corner, a loud hissing sound seemed to come at me from behind or between the two composter bins. I backed away and could have been imagining things, but I’m hoping it’s not a snake. We live right next to an open grassland area. The regular gardener once told me that he had heard “something” moving around in that area. I think I might need a bit of help before I investigate further on my own (and not the liquid kind). Will keep you posted.
We had one recently on the lanai; it liked the plants and found one especially appealing. It’s head was hanging about a foot over one side of the planter pot and it’s rear end about a foot over the other side. I knew it wasn’t poisonous but, as it was not the look I was going for, it was unceremoniously escorted away. (I have a photo of that, I think. I will look for it and see if Suze will post it).
Good luck.
*******
Edit: so glad it wasn’t a snake, CaptainH. Whew!
Magsie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 26,687
Coldfusion, Many memories today for you, 
. Keep safe from the smoke, pleased it’s going soon.
The seafood restaurant sound good. I had to google halibut ceviche.
Captain, that’s a relief it wasn’t a snake.
. Keep safe from the smoke, pleased it’s going soon. The seafood restaurant sound good. I had to google halibut ceviche.
Captain, that’s a relief it wasn’t a snake.
saoutchik
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: London
Posts: 16,203
They are called Shiver Sharks Mags, part of an art installation. There used to be a couple more. They blow bubbles, sing songs and give lectures about art and urban architecture, as sharks do. The yellow thing further away is a floating inflatable theatre which cannot be doing much business right now.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
I'm inside today and no chance of a walk since (like Coldfusion) we have a lot of smoke. The air quality is officially "Hazardous."
Unlike the other hazard of singing/lecturing sharks in a London river. That's pretty funny.
I guess I'll finish watching the Netflix series I'm watching, "Terrorism Close Calls." It's pretty well done, appropriate on this somber memorial day. I was in computer school when 911 happened. That was the first day I missed class...I mean, how could anyone in the U.S. not be glued to their TV on that day?
Unlike the other hazard of singing/lecturing sharks in a London river. That's pretty funny.
I guess I'll finish watching the Netflix series I'm watching, "Terrorism Close Calls." It's pretty well done, appropriate on this somber memorial day. I was in computer school when 911 happened. That was the first day I missed class...I mean, how could anyone in the U.S. not be glued to their TV on that day?
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,425
Sorry for everyone out west who is near the fires.
I have a good one. I was flying in a Cessna 182 on the morning of 9/11 and didn't know what was happening until we radioed the tower to let them know we were inbound. They told us that we should maintain our course directly to the airport and land immediately or could be at risk of being shot down. There were military aircraft in the air near the airport and I would not have been surprised if they had some kind of weapons lock on us. They had the coverage on the TV when we came inside.
I have a good one. I was flying in a Cessna 182 on the morning of 9/11 and didn't know what was happening until we radioed the tower to let them know we were inbound. They told us that we should maintain our course directly to the airport and land immediately or could be at risk of being shot down. There were military aircraft in the air near the airport and I would not have been surprised if they had some kind of weapons lock on us. They had the coverage on the TV when we came inside.
Erica375
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: MA
Posts: 493
Thank you for the welcome, Biminiblue and Mags1! Happy to be here. Happy to be sober, happy I didn't wake up hungover.
Been thinking about my "drinking cycle," as I call it. First I drink too much, for too long, and I finally get disgusted with myself and quit. It's tough at first, then after a few days I feel better. Then a few weeks go by and it's great, I feel like I'm riding the wave of sobriety and rocking it.
Then we get to the phase I realize I am entering now. I start looking around at all the stuff I've neglected while I was drinking, then recovering from drinking. I start feeling revved up and I want to get everything done NOW. The next phase is me getting frustrated because I'm not perfect, and I drink again, and the cycle starts over.
And I'm finally realizing this. I finally see it. So, time to do something different. Today I will be patient with myself. I will eat well and take care of myself. I will get some things done this weekend, but not everything. Just typing that out makes me feel calmer.
Thank you all for being here.
Been thinking about my "drinking cycle," as I call it. First I drink too much, for too long, and I finally get disgusted with myself and quit. It's tough at first, then after a few days I feel better. Then a few weeks go by and it's great, I feel like I'm riding the wave of sobriety and rocking it.
Then we get to the phase I realize I am entering now. I start looking around at all the stuff I've neglected while I was drinking, then recovering from drinking. I start feeling revved up and I want to get everything done NOW. The next phase is me getting frustrated because I'm not perfect, and I drink again, and the cycle starts over.
And I'm finally realizing this. I finally see it. So, time to do something different. Today I will be patient with myself. I will eat well and take care of myself. I will get some things done this weekend, but not everything. Just typing that out makes me feel calmer.
Thank you all for being here.
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