Bfth's Boring Blog

It seem as though summer is wrapping up.  Although my husband reminds me that summer still has several more weeks to go (autumn starts on September 22) once we hit Labor Day weekend it seems like that's it.  (For some people who have kids who go back to school in August, summer may end earlier.)  Although the calendar may tell us that summer began on June 21st and ends on September 22nd and temperatures still soar into the 90s, let's face it, the "summer season" is really from the Friday before Memorial Day till the Tuesday after Labor Day.  That's when we're all in the "summer" frame of mind.  (Teachers, you KNOW what I'm talking about!)   I know that summer is wrapping up because it is dark when I start my morning walk and doesn't really get light until around 6 in the morning.  Those June mornings when I could get up at 4:30 and see a smidge of sun headed my way is long gone.  The Day-Glo vest is back on and with the humidity (and ...

As a country we are "supposed" to mourn when one of our leaders dies and show deserved respect.  As a leader, I did not always agree with what Senator McCain had to say or did.  But that is how it is SUPPOSED to be.  We are NOT supposed to agree on everything. As  human beings, we should be expected to disagree.  There is not one among us (at least not that I have known) that hasn't made a bad call; lacked judgement at one time or another or said or done something that they later deeply regretted.  We are ALL flawed individuals.  That is not something to be ashamed of...it is what makes us, US. While I was saddened by Senator McCain's death, which we might have expected, but still hoped that somehow he might beat this dreaded cancer, I was more encouraged, enlightened and deeply moved by the message that he drafted as he came to the end of this life.  You may have heard them spoken aloud by his friend, Rick Davis, but I found that reading the...

In case you  missed it:   http://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2018/08/an-all-too-brief-summer-vacation-part-1.html   and  http://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2018/08/an-all-too-brief-summer-vacation-part-2.html Dressing for dinner is a must in my book.  Even if it's "resort casual" these days, in my family we are firm believers in dressing up for dinner in the Windsor Dining Room. We were ready before our 6:45 reservation, so the three of us went down to the Pine Room, hoping to take a few family photos.  We were lucky enough to find Phoebe, a member of the social/activities staff.  She was extremely personable and ready to help with the photos.  With her great personality, it was no surprise that later in the evening she lead the Elimination Dance and Grand March.  (Now if people only LISTENED to hear direction! [ https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2017/08/tradtions-elimination-dance-and-grand.html ]  Still she did an admirable ...

In case you missed it:   https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2018/08/an-all-too-brief-summer-vacation-part-1.html I had hesitated to tell my son about our  Skytop  vacation, but surprising him would have been impossible.  (I was only able to pull that off once in think on December 31, 2014 when I told him that part of his Christmas present included a trip to the "ice farm".  It took him a while to catch on but he'll NEVER let us fool him again!)  He had been away with his paternal grandparents (taking that postponed Cape Cod trip that my husband and I never got to do) and when he got home as I was doing his laundry, I told him that he should think about what suit(s) he might want to pack if he was going away somewhere.  He already KNEW we were going away, and he was 99% certain of where we were going (he's a smart kid), but he didn't know when.  So he immediately asked how much time he had to "prepare and pack" and when I told him we woul...

I know I am not yet finished with my relaxing vacation posts and sadly I have to interrupt it with a wrath of mom post... (So much for relaxing!)  But the wrath of mom is NOT directed at my son (who can breathe a sigh of relief), but to the middle school administration... School starts in two weeks.  Just this week the middle school released the student schedule.  And I was definitely NOT happy with what I saw. Before I begin my rant, let me say two things: This has NOTHING to do with the teachers.  In the course of his school life, my son has mostly had very good teachers.  Some were great and some were so-so.  This rant is NOT about the teachers.   My son's school is relatively small.  The middle school houses 4 grades (5-8) and there are less than 200 kids in each grade.  However, the school is divided into houses and each house has its own Principal and Guidance Counselor.  So ...

S ometimes it's good to do nothing.  With rain which has stopped but clouds that threaten sitting on the South Porch at  Skytop  is a good place to do nothing.  While I sit here and hand write (something that I haven't done in ages, but I refused to bring a laptop with me) the lady to my right sketches and a boy/man (not sure of the age so) to my left reads and texts.  My son, who is wearing his Panama hat went for his 2nd walk in the rain (sans trench coat...I may have complained when he purchased it at the  vintage clothing store in town  but he's gotten his money's worth by wearing it consistently and with the rain forecast for this weekend he probably won't take it off).  The sun peaks out and the rain pitters on the awning.  The bees buss among the magnificent flowers (Something that has NEVER changed at Skytop, thankfully).  Even the dark storm clouds that somewhat obscure the mountains of the Poconos have a certain beauty to...

My neighbors have been having some work done to their house.  This is not about my neighbors...I love my neighbors.  This is about the contractors they used. I know the houses are kind of close together.  I know when you do your work on the side of the house that faces mine you might have to use my driveway, but if you're going to do that...ASK ME! Now if this were unique to one contractor I probably wouldn't be posting or writing this.  But my neighbors used several different contractors for several different things.  And each one used my driveway (which I also like to use), all but one never asked. It is NOT my neighbor’s responsibility to ask me.  (Although they have in the past when they have had yard work done.)  It is the contractor's responsibility.  Just as it is to clean up the area after they are done. Let's start out with contractor #1.  This is the contractor that if I recall correctly asked if they could use ...

I'm thrilled that Michael Nesmith and the (incredibly talented) First National Band Redux are out there touring.  Papa Nez, as he's often known, recently had some health issues (nothing says summer fun like bypass surgery), but this September he's scheduled to be back on the road. Nothing would make me happier than to go see him and this "new" version of the band performing tracks from the holy trilogy (Magnetic South, Loose Salute and Nevada Fighter -- also known as the Blue, Red and White albums).  Unfortunately it's not going to happen. The east coast is part of his tour.  He will be in NYC on a Thursday evening, outside of Philly on Saturday and in CT on Sunday.  Although NYC is the closest, it's also the priciest, especially if I want to do the meet and greet afterwards. (And this devoted fan wants to meet him again; even though I've already done it twice!)  In PA, the meet and greet is sold out, and CT doesn't offer a meet and gr...

I'm not talking about the dance.  (I wish I COULD do that...my husband mentioned dance lessons the other day.  Maybe it's time to consider it, but since we rarely have an opportunity to dance...but if we learned maybe we would???)  I'm not talking about the weekly comic strip by Bill Amend.  (Although I do love it!  I read it every Sunday!)  I'm talking about that cute reddish animal.  You know... It's cute! Not so much when you are walking along around dawn. Let's back track a bit, shall we? We have entered the dog days of summer.  Meaning it's hot and humid. (I'm NOT complaining...I'm simply making an observation.)  The sun, which earlier in the season was peaking over the horizon by 4:30 is now barely visibly by 5:30.  Since I get up around 4:30 and try to be out the door walking within 15 minutes after getting up its still pretty dark when I hit the streets.  I've got the earbuds in so I can enjoy some music....