My Oyster

Really, he did? Really, anything?

That is me at the yarn store in Waterville.  About 15 miles from Augusta.  It's the closest good yarn shop now that the one in Hallowell is closing.  Maybe a new business opportunity?

Today Deanna, Ma and I went to Waterville for a girls day out.  Tut, Mike & Chris went to see the Harvard football game, so it was just us three at home today.  So we went on a field trip in search of yarn and lunch.

I am really enjoying knitting again.   It's been a while, but when D and I were up here in August, I started up again.  Ma is a good coach.  D and I sit and stitch and chat and get help from Ma.  D calls it knitting boot(y) camp.  hehe.  get it?  baby booty.

We ended up knitting late into the evening as we watched the Red Sox.  Looks like there will be a game 7.   With both the Patriots and the Red Sox on TV tomorrow, we should be able to get in a lot of knitting...

Rediscovering Augusta's General Hospital...

I was born here.  Had my appendix removed here.  Had various stitches and other procedures done here.

This is the only pic I could find.  I think it's from the late 1800s.  It is the original hospital that was actually the mansion of Augusta's first mayor - Alfred Redington.

Now Augusta General (previously City Hospital) is called MaineGeneral Medical Center.  It sounds a bit more formidable than it really is.  Augusta General still fits better. 

Today I returned to Augusta General's ER - for an infection.  I tend to get infections when traveling.  Finger this time.  Nothing serious at all.  I was even still in their computer system.

Despite the small and cozy waiting room at the ER, there was LOTS of drama.  Too much.  Families fighting.  Lots of swearing.  Police.  Security.  Unbelievably, it was even more edgy than my visit to an inner-city LA ER. 

Go figure.  Big city hospital.

Ironwood and a big heart...

Today I visited the estate of a good friend here in Maine.   We are unlikely friends but it works.

I met him 15 years ago when I was working for the US Government.  He ran a nonprofit organization that my Federal agency funded.  I interviewed him for the job. 

At the time, I was fairly new in a job with more responsibility than I probably should have had.  I was just out of grad school - well educated, but not much real-life experience.  He was quite different.  Older.  Married.  Kids.  He had oodles of real-life experience.  A real entrepreneur.  A self-made man.  Hard working.  Hard playing (the stories make me blush).  Rough around the edges and sometimes offensive - but with the biggest heart of anyone I know.

We hit it off and did some very good work together.  And became friends and have remained close.

Today I joined him at Ironwood, his estate, along with a handful of Maine dignitaries - state Senators, Commissioners, and even the Governor.  We were there to celebrate my friend's latest venture based at his estate.      

Ironwood is just outside Belfast in the rolling hills of mid-coast Maine.

It's huge and beautiful - especially at this time of year.  Ironwood is 500 acres of farmland, horse trails, and woods and it is surrounded by another 5,000 acres of state park land and Frye Mountain.

It is stunning.

Even more stunning is what Ironwood has become. 

My friend has turned his estate into a residential treatment center for troubled kids from around the country.  The center offers intensive therapeutic intervention sessions over a 9 month-long stay.

He comes to this new venture for some very personal reasons.  He started the center after having searched for help for his own troubled child.  He thought he could create something better than what he was seeing and he did.  True to his entrepreneurial nature.

Today I met the staff and the kids at Ironwood.  It was an inspiration.

More on Ironwood here.

My Coming Out Song...

This is when I KNEW I was gay.  When I was dancing to this song at a bar in Ogunquit in the Summer of '85...and loving it.  I heard it again tonight while watching Dancing with the Stars - also a good indicator of gayness - and I still love it.

When I first heard the song, I had just finished my sophomore year in college at the University of Maine.  I was working for the summer at a campground on the coast in the little town of Wells.  It was just one town up from Maine's gay resort of Ogunquit - so I would ride my scooter down to check out the "scene" - such as it was.

I think Dead or Alive may have had one other "hit" but who cares.  They are a priceless '80s artifact and they still make me wanna dance.  And the cheesy video from the early days of MTV - priceless!

OK, one more time...

Knittin' Wit' da Pats...

knittin.JPG, originally uploaded by dcjay64.

Nothing more New England traditional (and butch) than Sunday afternoon watching the Patriots...and knittin' up a storm.

While I am only a part-time knitter - no pro here - I think knitting and sports on TV were made for each other.  It's easy to kinda mindlessly watch the game and knit and perl and chat away with others. 

It's all very relaxing.

The Patriots slaughtered the Cowboys - in Dallas.  And with the Red Sox in the playoffs - I should be able to crank out at least a few sweaters!!

Good Morning Weekend!

Nothing beats waking up to a crisp Maine sunrise with some fog slinking through the autumnal trees.

It's great to be able to catch this from the front door.  This view greeted me this morning on my way to pilates at the local YMCA.

After a nice workout, I took Ma shopping for an outfit for the special event next month - that we can not yet talk about - but that I think everyone pretty much knows.  It involves Suzanne and Grant.  :-)

I think Ma was the only woman there, in the mature lady's section of Macy's, with her own personal (male) shopper.  Bringing her different sizes, hunting for different options.  We didn't actually look around all that much before we found a nice suitable number.

Here I am waiting outside the dressing room to see Ma model an outfit.  This view of the bra rack doesn't really compare to the view of the sunrise.

After lunch at the Olive Garden, we headed back home for a dinner of spinach lasagna and spicy & sweet carrots.  Prepared by me.  Oddly, in Maine I am able to cook.   Kinda.

A Good Day for Al Gore...

Nobel Medal, originally uploaded by slondon.

And I am glad.  He deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.

He was working on global warming long before it was fashionable.  Before corporate America saw it as good business - or at least good marketing.  Before centrist politicians (in this country) in both political parties saw it as an easy issue to support.  He was ridiculed for his environmental positions when he ran for President (and won) in 2000.

On the radio this morning there was discussion of how environmental issues really ARE issues of war and peace - as the environment and world change and as resources shift and disappear (particularly water), we are already seeing conflict between countries and regions and communities.

It is fitting that Al and the UN get the Peace Prize for their work.

Rediscovering Augusta's Crime...

Growing up here in Augusta, I always loved reading the Police Blotter in our local hometown newspaper - the Kennebec Journal.   

Once a week, there would be an accounting of recent police activity.  Complete with full names, ages, and interesting descriptions of just what went down.  Always something quirky.  Apparently, we do not have run of the mill crime here.

Inevitably, I would have the guilty pleasure of seeing someone I knew in the Blotter.  This is a small town.

Boy, after living in DC for 15 years, sometimes in quite "transitional" neighborhoods, Augusta's crime is looking pretty vanilla.  But still quirky.

Take a peek at this week's Blotter.  We have odd goings-on here in Augusta...

AUGUSTA -- A woman told Augusta police that someone stole the power cord to her wheelchair while she was napping at Waterfront Park on Front Street Sunday afternoon.

An ambulance was called to take Charyse DuVallee, 47, from the scene.

Police Sgt. Chris Massey said DuVallee, who is from the Biddeford area, reported having no money, no food and no place to stay.

An intensive case manager from the mental health system was handling the problem, Massey said on Monday.

He said DuVallee had been in Augusta previously.

Augusta

SUNDAY

At 1:02 p.m., a caller from the Maine Veterans' Home, Cony Road, reported theft.

10:08 p.m., a caller from Irving Blue Canoe, Civic Center Drive, reported theft.

12:07 p.m., Christine Anne Zikowitz, 23, of Augusta was arrested on a warrant.

**She asked me not to print her name so I edited it.

12:56 p.m., a caller from Central Maine Property Management, Northern Avenue, reported receiving terrorizing phone calls.

MONDAY

At 12:10 a.m., Sheila Anne Tardiff, 48, of Winthrop, was arrested on Western Avenue and charged with operating under the influence and operating a motor vehicle in violation of a restricted license.

West Gardiner

MONDAY

At 8:266 a.m., a 16-year-old was summonsed on High Street on a charge of receiving stolen property.

Winthrop

SATURDAY

At 4:07 p.m., a 34-year-old Winthrop man was summonsed on Route 133 on a charge of operating after his license was suspended/revoked.

SUNDAY

At 1:31 p.m., an incident reported as a vehicle fire on Main Street ended up as apparently an overheated engine.

Hard At Work In Maine...

Here I am in my Maine office.

Since I am lucky enough to be able to spend time in Maine with my parents, I need a place to work.  An office to call my own.  This is it.

I have decorated my office with a table saw and recycled beer bottles. 

My Maine office/bedroom suite is actually in my parents garage.  It's attached to the house and heated, so its nice and cozy.

You can see that I share my office with an overweight cat.  Two actually - the other is hiding.  This one is relaxing on my bed.  That is also in my office.  Or maybe my office is in my bedroom?

Here is my officemate - up close.

We are working on a presentation and policy paper together.  It's already late.  He is a bit lazy.

Must Love Dogs...

This dog is so sweet.  His name is Gauge.  I am not sure what breed he is.  Maybe pointer or somesuch.

He hangs out at the bike shop here in Augusta.  As soon as you get out of your car, he runs up to you and sniffs you and wants to get to know you.  So friendly. 

He made my day today when I picked up my bike.  I think I may be a dog person.

And...apparently, there are lots of reasons why dogs are better than men.  See here.