Favorite?

While eating my second or third bite of my favorite pizza, I wondered to myself, Why does this taste fishy?

I took another bite. Still fishy.

An errant anchovy? Huh. Tastes like a mild sardine. Sardines are supposed to be good for you.

I took another bite. Yup, nope, this is awful. Blah.

To be clear, not "blah" like tasteless blaw but rather with a short "a" where you end sticking your tongue out a little bit. Come to think it's probably an instinctual get-this-taste-off-my-tongue expression.

You can't say I didn't give it an honest try, but the flavors were not at all complementary. Despite a reputation for being super salty, these anchovies weren't. They were just quite fishy.

Inspecting the takeout order ticket, they put anchovies instead of artichokes. Very much not the same.

I did my best to scrape the rest of the anchovies off.

The Tentacle

The hallway was brightly lit as I approached the bathroom which was dim with its light off. As I turned in, I freaked for a split second because it looked like a tentacle was coming out of the sink.

Then I remembered, I did that. Earlier, I had placed a piece of aloe overhanging the edge of the sink so that if it dripped, it would fall into the basin instead of onto the counter. Phew!

To be fair though, it does look like a green tentacle even in daylight.

He Exists

 While waiting for an appointment, I heard a man check in.

He said his name and then spelled it.

Moriarty.

Captain America

Today's sighting: Captain America. He was working for a subcontractor of the cable company and installing a new cable line for the new utility poles.

He was wearing the classic Captain America t-shirt with the shield on the front, a matte black hard hat that gave WW2 vibes, and skinny jeans.

I saw him pulling a line from the spool on the back of the truck past the driveway into the yard and then down the creek bank. From there he hurled it across to the other side. Then he walked downstream on the bank a bit and quickly hopped across the big junky rocks the construction crew left jutting out of the creek to the other side.

He was so agile. I'm only sorry I wasn't shooting video because I had no idea that was coming. Later it occurred to me that I couldn't think of a reason he couldn't have just walked across the bridge with the line, but, you know, Captain America.

A while later he was up in the bucket arm of the truck working on the line at the new pole in my yard. This time I was shooting photographs and video. I had the top half of the window down with my camera resting on it. He was maybe 50 feet away but he was clearly aware of me since we were about at eye level and he kept glancing over in my direction. I think I was making him nervous.

If I were an extrovert or maybe if I hadn't felt like I'd lose my voice, I would've yelled, "Hey, Captain America! Thank you!" I suppose I could've waved, but ultimately I didn't want to interrupt his work.

I was just waiting for this cool machine they attach to the line to spin down to the next pole. I think it wraps the cable line around the metal wire line he'd already installed. Once I had that shot, I closed the window and went back to my workout.

He and his partner, Bucky?, who mainly did work on the ground and drove the truck left around lunchtime.

I thought they'd come back after to finish switching over to the new line and removing the temp line but they didn't return. My guess is the actual cable company will come back for that part of the job. We'll see.

In any case, Thank you for your work, Captain America!

10 years ago on TTaT: Temporal Transportation

Tarts

Regarding blueberries that were not very sweet, my Dad said, "They'd make a great pie."

"Or a tart," I suggested.

"What?"

"A tart," I repeated and then spelled out, "T-a-r-t."

I love that this exchange lead to me describing the Pitch Perfect 3 scene where Amy suggests they get "tarted up" and no one understands because of her accent and phrasing. Made him laugh.

 

10 years ago on TTaT: Dance Dare: a brilliant idea in action

Caller ID

Heard phone ring. Saw Dad leaning over the kitchen phone, reading the caller ID. 

"Anyone of note?" I asked. 

"Washington, D.C.," he replied. 

"Are they calling to personally apologize?" 

"No doubt," he said glibly. 

They didn't leave a message though.

 

10 years ago on TTaT: Best Business Practices for Photographers

New (to me) Word

In describing the efforts of the construction crew, my Dad said they were, "fiddledicking around."

Not really a portmanteau. A compound word, I reckon, made from "fiddling" and "dicking."

Somehow it's more offensive than either word on its own while also more hilarious.

10 years + 1 day ago on TTaT: 43. I Am Maru

Snap

Mom and I were out for a walk to take a better look at the wood forms the construction crew had built today when I spotted something on the temporary road. I leaned over for a better look.

"There's a little turtle," I said. Its shell was maybe an inch and a half long with a tail that seemed oddly long to me, maybe another inch.

Mom was a few paces ahead but turned back to see.

"That's a snapping turtle," she said.

I wasn't sure if it was alive since it was so still and its shell was covered with pale dirt like from the construction site.

"It's dirty," she commented.

I crouched down to get a little closer to take a photograph. I was still a foot away when the baby turtle took off. It didn't go far but it was fast. I had entered its personal space and it was not having it.

At least it was at the edge of the road instead of on it then. Unfortunately it was on the side leading to the construction.

"It'll never get where it wants to go now," Mom said. "You should pick it up and move it."

"Where?"

"Over there," Mom said, pointing to the side of the temporary bridge that would lead down to the creek.

"Feel free," I said with a sweeping arm gesture.

"I don't want to," Mom said.

"Why not?"

"I don't want my fingers to get snapped," she replied.

"Gee, thanks," I said.

Having seen how fast it moved when I was still a foot away, I had no doubt it could swing around and bite me in a flash. I was not up for it.

"Sorry, little guy," I said as Mom and I walked further on.

15 years ago on TTaT: Multiples of Eleven

6 Pack

Thought I'd roll the dice and check for a 4th of July sale and saw my favorite underwear in a 6 pack with the color selection I like for a great price.

I checked the free shipping threshold price and started searching for the kind my Mom likes since I know she'd like some more too. Emailed her a link to check out and then went back to the sales page with the pack I want.

That's when I saw the only available size: 4.

Ah. Oh well.

16 years ago on TTaT: something I love

Utility Pole

Today the last line got removed and the power company removed 2 of the old utility poles. Doesn't take much to pull those suckers out. Just grab it with the robotic arm, wiggle it some, and then lift. Then 2 guys shoveled dirt into the hole.

I was shooting video and photographs of the process out of an upstairs window.

A 3rd man started walking across the yard towards the house and was looking right at me.

Oh god, why is he coming this way? I was still in my pajamas.

He yelled up, "Hello!"

"Hey," I yelled back.

"Did we do something wrong?"

"No!"

"Because we saw the camera..."

"It's just interesting," I yelled.

"Oh. Thank you," he yelled, not really understanding I don't think but reassured.

"Thank you," I yelled. Heat was pouring in from outside and the sun felt like it was just starting to burn the backs of my hands, so I closed the window and pulled the curtains shut.

I peeked out a few minutes later and they were driving away.

15 years ago on TTaT: #28, ahead of schedule

Neighborly

When the CDC and FDA announced that the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine was approved for 12-15 year olds, I immediately thought of my neighbors because I felt sure that one of their kids fell in that age range. I really only know them to say hi to but I figured I'd mention it the next time I was outside the same time one of the parents was.

Yesterday I was out for a walk and taking photographs when the dad drove by and waved on his way home. Aha, this might be my chance, I thought.

As I headed uphill, I didn't see him but he'd set up the auto-return on their basketball hoop for his kids. It's this large net that angles up and away from the hoop that funnels the ball down a chute even if you miss and then shoots it out to you like someone passing a ball. The kids were taking turns shooting, each with their own basketball.

On the way downhill, I ran through what I would say if the dad was outside. As I got closer to their house, I saw him join the rotation with his kids, shooting baskets. I decided to speak right after he shot to make the least interruption.

He took a shot but the ball hit the rim and actually bounced outside of the netting and started to roll downhill behind the hoop. He took a step towards it but his son ran after it. Perfect, I thought. His daughter stepped up to take the next shot.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey," the dad said with a friendly smile, turning around to face me.

Though I had thought of what I was going to say, it somehow came out all haltingly. "I was wondering if you had seen…" But at that moment I was seeing what he couldn't behind him because he was giving me his full attention: the ball return shooting out towards him.

I was supremely grateful it didn't hit him in the back. The basketball landed on the grass and rolled towards me.

"Sorry," I said. My inclination was to walk forward and pick it up but with social distancing, I held my ground on the street and let him instead.

I started again, "I was wondering if you had seen the FDA lowered the age on one of the vaccines."

"She already had her first shot," he said.

"Very good," I said with a smile. I wasn't at all surprised but mentioning it had still seemed like the thoughtful thing to do on my part.

"Hopefully it'll be his turn soon."

"Yeah," I nodded. "I just got my second shot."

"I can't wait for this to be over," he said.

I thought he meant the pandemic but then I realized he was looking beyond me to the massive ongoing road work on our street. I let out a low groan, shook my head, and said, "Yeah," in agreement.

Mission accomplished I took a step back to head home and let him return to playing with his kids.

"Have a good one," he said, smiling.

"Have a good one."

10 years ago on TTaT: Life of Art SitRep #67 Cool at a price

Speculation

A couple days ago, I was watching the construction going on out a window, taking photographs and shooting videos when a cop car sped onto the street and told the big dump truck that was only sticking out into the road a few feet to move.

He promptly did, parking on the road which actually took up much more of it, but fortunately didn't impede the next cop car, small firetruck, another cop car, and eventually 2 ambulances that went to the top of the street.

They were there for a long time. I thought no one could be seriously injured because the ambulances didn't blaze out with lights and sirens going.

Today we were speculating about what might have happened. A kitchen fire perhaps, maybe smoke inhalation to deal with or things to be moved outside. Whether Roscoe was okay, either freaked out by the ruckus or wanting to greet all the emergency responders.

I voiced the stray thought that the emergency vehicles wouldn't rush out if someone was already dead.

Horribly that turned out to be the case. It's not like my thought today caused anything to happen, well, ever, or a few days ago, but it still felt awful to have had that thought and been right.

I read his obituary and when I got to the survived by section, and they included Roscoe, their beloved family dog, I burst into tears.

I'm still crying now.

I didn't know him well but he was always nice when I saw him when I was out walking. He'd always say, "Roscoe, look who it is, go say hi to Claire."

Dinner at the Lake

Today is the first day I've eaten dinner out in over a year.

And by dinner out, I mean we took a mini picnic made at home with us to the lake and ate it while we sat in the car, looking out over the view.

To be fair, this is always how we'd eat at the lake except we'd usually pick something up for dinner and on the way home debate whether or not to pick up dessert somewhere. Ben & Jerry's or a slice of cake from the fancy bakery section at the grocery store.

Today was just dinner and people watching. Two groups of people on either end of the bulwark midway in the distance, a couple of kayakers, two small boats, a fisherman with two poles.

Blue water rippling. Puffy clouds with some blue sky peering through. Late afternoon sun hitting the trees, houses, and low mountains beyond the far side of the lake.

I wore my old sunglasses, the one's without a prescription, and it was the right choice. They are tinted ever so slightly pink, not that you can tell when wearing them. They just make everything look more awesome. The sky and the water, more blue, colors more vibrant. I lifted the shades up to check. The lake view and mountains in the distance looked quite nice, but with my sunglasses on, it looked amazing.

15 years ago on TTaT: I smell bacon

Light

A weighted metal cord hangs from a picture hook on my wall. Several postcards and images are attached to it via very small disc-shaped magnets that came with the cord as a stocking stuffer years ago.

This morning:

My blackout curtains were still closed but light seeped through a narrow gap at its edge illuminating part of my wall. It wasn't too bothersome because it was mostly blocked by the tall desk my grandfather built.

To the far side of the desk is where my metal cord hangs.

Every postcard or small image on it was completely outlined with light.

It was beautiful, strange, captivating.

The one larger image on the cord is a cover from an old Scientific American with a painting of a cheetah's face close-up. Instead of being surrounded by light, shadows fell across it which were moving. My curtain looked still, so I couldn't decide where the shadows were from.

I drowsily closed my eyes but kept turning back and forcing them open to see this unique light framing my postcards.

Eventually I got up and opened the curtain closest to me, perpendicular to the wall with the desk, other windows, and the metal cord. Although it's relatively North-facing, my room was infused with bright light which extinguished the cool light effect on the other wall.

Until tomorrow, maybe.

15 years ago on TTaT: New rule, please

Ice Slabs

Today it was above freezing for the first time in a couple of weeks, up to 41ºF. While it felt nice it also means all the snow on the roof has compressed into thick sheets of ice which are falling off with loud crashes.

I missed getting clobbered by a 4' wide, ~9" deep slab of ice by about a foot when I was out shoveling slush and ice. I was working on the thickly coated bricks in front of the front stoop when I heard a thunk, snow and ice falling from the roof. I didn't see it but it must've landed on the ground since it wasn't that loud. 

I looked up to check on the snow hanging out past the roof's edge. This is not uncommon and it's been like this for weeks. However, I could see that a slab right over where I was working had slid further out from the roof and shifted to an angle which suggested it could fall at any time.

I had sent my Dad off to get the spade to try to break up the ice on the stoop, but I knew it was now a no-go.

He was coming up the stairs towards me and I took one step down away from that main zone to tell him he couldn't work on the front stoop when CRASH!

The ice slab fell behind me and broke into large pieces and small particles. The finer debris spread out on impact hitting the gators I was wearing over my calves. Like I said, I missed getting clobbered by about a foot.

I'm grateful I'd sent my Dad to get the spade so he was out of harm's way and that I stepped away just in time.

Huge chunks have been crashing onto the deck since we came in. I told Dad right off he wasn't allowed to shovel it off. It often doesn't fall straight down so it's not like you can safely reach over with a shovel. 

He wasn't happy about it but the persistent loud crashes and many large, thick ice chunks littering the deck convinced him it's wiser to stay in.

Unfortunately it will all freeze to the deck as temperture's drop tonight and remain below freezing for the foreseeable future but, ya know, life.

10 years ago on TTaT: 57 Degrees

Bacon

Mom was watching a cooking show when I passed by, well, a cooking competition show. The contestants were adults and it looked like they had paper cones propped in stands to keep them upright filled with bacon strips.

"Their bacon looks good," I commented, meaning it was uniformly dark brown how I like it. It looked like it would snap to the touch, also how I like it.

"It's carrot bacon," Mom said.

I considered her statement for a moment quizzically. 

"You mean it's not bacon at all?"

"Right."

"Hmm. I like carrots too much as they are to screw them up." Didn't seem like a promising ingredient to me. I would try it but without much in the way of positive expectations. I won't be going out of my way to procure it.

10 years ago on TTaT: Bleck

Insomnia Adventures

A few nights ago, or early in the morning, I suppose, at around 5 AM when I was trying to fall back asleep, the heat came on and sounded like a pack of wolves howling.

10 years ago on TTaT: Sketchbook, page 59

The Sound of Music

Mom, singing: The hills are alive...

Me, joining in: ...with the sound of music.

Me, singing alone: I don't know the next line...

Mom, finishing: da, da, da, da, da, daaaa!


10 years ago on TTaT: 28. The Book of Codes

Today's Many Sightings

Today's sightings: purple and white iris reticulata blooming, Rosco lying on the grass in his yard on my 2nd lap. Fortunately his owner was standing nearby, saw me and said, "You stay right there," to Rosco for which I was much appreciative since he was off-leash. I didn't mean to be rude, but I didn't even glance over to them because I didn't want to trigger Rosco's usual charge to come say hello.

At the bottom of the hill, I stopped on the bridge to look down a shaded creek and saw a large dark bird swoop down. The silhouette didn't look like a crow, and then it seemed to land in the water at the bend. I took a few steps to see better and it was paddling along the surface of the water. A duck!

At least that seemed most likely. It was pretty far away and I didn't have my glasses with me. But then I saw it in profile. Yup. Duck.

Meanwhile there was some incessant chirping that sounded like it was from smaller birds going on. I hadn't seen them but started looking at the rocks in the creek closer to me. Then I caught the movement: two little ducklings that were silhouetted in the shade about twenty feet away.

I bet it's them chirping their heads off because mama flew about fifteen feet downstream past the shallows with rocks (where the babies were) to where the water's a bit deeper.

I watched the ducklings float around, chirping away, until finally they started to swim forward around the rocks. There were a bunch of rocks showing above the water because the brook was shallow there, so there were little eddies the baby ducks had to navigate. In no way would you call it rapids, but I found myself thinking it was still probably pretty scary for them to forge ahead.

All the while, mama patiently swam around saying nothing.

When the little ducks were mostly through the ten feet of shallow rocky section, the chirping stopped. They must be able to see mama, I thought to myself.


15 years ago on TTaT: Not so much about Star Wars

Something big and black

When I was eating lunch/breakfast today, I saw something big and black moving through the woods.

"What's that?" I said, my excitement rising with the thought it could be a bear.

After a moment I decided it was just a big black dog.

"Hey, is that Rosco?" I said, standing up to get a better look.

I lost sight of him behind the grill but then found him again walking through the yard towards the street.

Yes, Rosco.

I was happy to see him. The last time had been months ago another time he'd gone walkabout, but he'd crossed a more heavily trafficked road at the end of the street. One of his owners had been following after him, but I never saw if she caught up with him.

As I watched him out the kitchen window today, he stopped and seemed to be looking back at me. I waved.

Then he took a whiz on the pachysandra before heading to the house across the street where Apollo lives. I'd seen Apollo out for a walk on leash with his owners earlier but was pretty sure he was back inside.

A while later the rain picked up and then it started snowing heavily. I hope Rosco decided to go home or that his owners caught up with him before that.

Stay safe, Rosco!


10 years ago on TTaT: Gettin' My Groove On... (vol. xv)