Seventeen campers whittled down to four and at least three of those ready for a nap. Here’s maybe the final movie.

Quote of the day or any day, “College is like a vacation with classes sprinked in.”

Michael,

While Matt was moving into Temple, Patrick was getting married to his lovely and effervescent fiancee Georgia Williams. We took lots of pictures of the exciting event, but haven’t gotten our pictures out yet. Fortunately our
friend Lynn Kenny has beat us to the punch and posted a pile of pictures to posted by michael at 6:59 am  

One more camping video.

I’ve been stalking the local herons for months, determined that eventually I’d produce pictures that would show rakkity how big they are. Here’s my best effort so far. (Accompanying music is Mozart’s String Quartet No.16 in E Flat, K.428, III. Menuetto. Allegretto)

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Speaking of rakkity:

Michael,

Yesterday rakkity & the Mrs. took another big step to moving west. Our house got a FOR SALE sign, and we had 6 people come through (while we were off in Annapolis). Our agent said that one of people actually made an offer. We’ll hear what it was tonight. I’m guessing that they want to pay $100K less, have a couple of our huge pine trees cut down, the patio concrete repaired, a new driveway, a better garage, dormers and skiylights on the master bedroom, and a couple of new room additions.

More later (including a picture or two).

rakkity

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Canned Heat’s On The Road Again

BirdBrain sent me these photos of her son, Chris, at Western New England College. Looks darn familiar.

BirdBrain sent me these photos of her son, Chris, at Western New England College. Looks darn familiar.

It’s over, he’s all moved in and Matt’s first class is this morning at 9:40. Here’s a short bit from Friday and Saturday’s events. Background music, “A Nice Life” by Paradox.

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This New York Times article and linked video from Adam.

Dear Helen,

Diane and I are chillin’ here in Boothbay Harbor. We’re sleeping late, eating out and dreading our return trip home. As we crested Eastern Ave., about to descend the hill to Hannaford’s grocery store, I thought I’d give you a call and talk about Matt going off to college. Then I felt a quick hollow beat in my chest. All those years, all those calls, and especially all those shared stories. Not gone, but over. Shortly after I cut off the end of my finger I reached for the zipper on my jacket but missed. It was no longer there to grab – in the old way – between thumb and forefinger.

Well, you’re not here to grab, in the old way, either. I guess from now on our conversations will be one way. Diane doesn’t frown on this, she tells me I’m incorporating your spirit within mine. I think of it as taking the good parts of you and sprinkling them around in my head.

Mostly what I have in my head right now is the cheerleader. At some point in my life you gave up being a judgmental mother and became my reinforcer. I’m not really sure when that happened, but it might have been when your brother died, and you called me for support.

If you were still around, I would have told you about missing Matt. As Diane and I headed out of Acton, we stopped by Hil K’s house to give her the CD version of a movie I’d made. Hil K is Hil K because there is a Hil B. You’ve seen her picture in the last two proms and on that sophomore camping trip to Ed’s place.

Hil came to the door dressed in a black t-shirt speckled with yellow paint. When she leaves she’s handing her newly spiffed-up room over to her sister. Hil and I had sort of talked before about change, this transition from high school to college, and I’d joked about wanting all of Matt’s friends to get married and settle down. Frozen in amber at eighteen, if you will.

Hil described how hard it was to no longer have Debbie a quick drive away, and then she asked me, “Will you miss Matt?” I said, no, but that I already missed Debbie. A funny variation of the answer I’ve been reciting for months. Usually I frame it as, ”I’m so happy for Matt that I’m not feeling the loss.”

However, Hil’s asking kicked the loss door open. Today I’m dreading Matt’s leaving, and I thought I’d ask you for advice. You have to admit, our family handled leaving in an odd way. I remember when I left for college. Brian drove me to IU’s campus, opened the car door and said, “Goodbye.” I remember when I hitchhiked around the country in 1969. I walked out of our side door to the highway in front of our house, and waved, “Goodbye.” I had imagined my father’s transitions were similar but without the fanfare.

But, mom, I know you must have had feelings though you didn’t share them. So that’s why I’m asking now, what do I do with those same feelings? The ones you sat on. The one’s I kept hidden until Hil came to the door.

I want you all to know how much work these tiny throw-away videos are – even on a Mac. If someone were eaten by a bear, or flipped over a fire, and I could post without editing, it’d be no big deal. But this endless hanging around the campfire, though entertaining for those involved, threatens to chase away our few remaining readers.

That said, here is my latest. Inspired by Debbie who wrote, “Im loving all the blog videos by the way.”

How is this for an accurate title?

(Adam’s photo cropped by me)

First come first serve.

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Open sky near Ed’s cabin is a rare commodity. The two best places to look at the stars, or shoot off fireworks, are the pond and the field where rakkity and the Mrs. were married many years ago. On this night Dennis and Sandy’s home-schooled children are camping in the field to better view the Perseid Meteor Shower.

While we all watch an intermittent display of near commercial-grade fireworks setoff of by nearby neighbors, Daryl prepares to launch one of his own. The bright object in the video is the near-full moon. If you listen closely you can hear someone say, “Everyone’s gonna die,” and at the end, Matt says, “That definitely was a dud.” Matt’s comment gives me pause and I think you’ll see why.

First come first serve.

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Open sky near Ed’s cabin is a rare commodity. The two best places to look at the stars, or shoot off fireworks, are the pond and the field where rakkity and the Mrs. were married many years ago. On this night Dennis and Sandy’s home-schooled children are camping in the field to better view the Perseid Meteor Shower.

While we all watch an intermittent display of near commercial-grade fireworks setoff of by nearby neighbors, Daryl prepares to launch one of his own. The bright object in the video is the near-full moon. If you listen closely you can hear someone say, “Everyone’s gonna die,” and at the end, Matt says, “That definitely was a dud.” Matt’s comment gives me pause and I think you’ll see why.