There are reasons for everything, as you long-suffering readers must know by now. The particular form that these disjointed narratives take was spawned in a sort of roman a clef format, through the simple necessity that once upon a time (code for “sea story”) there was an implacable Agency that determined it had the authority […]

(The rows of 9/11 graves at Arlington Cemetery, 29 May, 2011. The 9/11 Memorial to their loss is on the left. Photo Socotra.) This first warm holiday of this strange year had a lot of co-workers sliding early to the door last week. There is a tempest coming in the business space where we work, […]

(The Canadian Side of Niagara Falls. Photo Niagara Vacations.) The roar of V-twin engines woke me before dawn. Normally. I waded pensively through the lead story in the NY Times this morning on the challenge of the kids returning from Afghanistan. I remember painfully well what it was like. The first couple times were extraordinarily […]

  I was as alert as a Magpie this morning, up early, getting prepared. The big Harleys are in town for Rolling Thunder. Some are camped out at the assembly of God/Iglisia de Luz Verderada across Pershing Street. The morning air is punctuated with the roar of twin V engines. It is The Day, the […]

(Willow butter-poached lobster tail and lobster ravioli with creamy fennel gratin, savory & sherry sauce. Photo Socotra.) I was walking in the late afternoon sun and thinking I might just start sweating. The conflict between the pleasant diversions of Willow and the allure of the sparkling blue waters of the Big Pink Pool is going […]

(Anook’s day. Lucy image courtesy ABC and Charles Schultz.) Anook tried to find the birth certificate and/or the passport for Magpie – but failed.  The house is in chaos with the remodeling activity. Things that a year ago were in one place are now in new ones, locations of specific items requiring a geologist’s knowledge […]

I don’t mind telling you that I am a little shell-shocked this morning, Campadres. I have been in a blur of emotional travel, as you have probably observed, and have been a little in denial about what I saw in Michigan. The trip to Commencement at Mt. Holyoke was a positive affirmation of the value […]

(Rapture in South Hadley, MA, 22 May 2011. Photo Socotra.) Apparently the Powers That Be miscalculated The Rapture. Simple mistake- the World will end on October 21st now, so we will get the whole pool season in without incident. I marked it on my Microsoft Outlook calendar so I won’t forget and tried to plow […]

(The former General Store at Lake Wyloa, MA.) You are going to just have to bear with me as I sort out the events of the last few days. I cannot believe it is the beginning of the working week again, and so many miles have fled under the wheels of the piece-of-crap rental Camry, […]

(Tan Son Nhut, Vietnam. This twelve year old ARVN Airborne trooper with M-79 grenade launcher accompanied the Airborne Task Force Unit on a sweep through the devastated area surrounding the French National Cemetery on Plantation Road after a day long battle there. The young soldier has been “adopted” by the Airborne Division. Photo US Army […]