Bethel Beach

The other day I drove to Bethel Beach for a quick visit.

It was an unusually calm, windless day. 

Also unusual was the fact that the sun was out.

It feels like we've had nothing but rain and misery dreariness for months on end.

We all survived Christmas and I for one am very much looking forward to 2019.  To help motivate me to exercise more, which I desperately need to do, I've signed up for a half-marathon in Virginia Beach in March.  Whether I will be able to complete it remains to be seen.  My only goal is to be able to walk it and finish.  If I don't, though, I don't.

It wasn't that long ago when my goal was to finish these races without walking at all.  Given the six months of chemo and subsequent heart issues, however, I have to adjust my goals downwards.  It makes me a little mad, but it all just makes me want to do and be better. 

So, here is to a healthier and happier 2019 for all of us.

Happy New Year.

Moon

These were taken from my back deck around Thanksgiving. 

My son, who recently returned home from several months in Spain, was attempting to show me how to adjust the camera settings to take pictures at night.  He takes amazingly good pictures and is pretty much self-taught like his mother.

Unlike his mother, however, he actually knows how to use settings other than Auto, something I've struggled with for years.

Once again, I've neglected this blog and haven't been out to take any pictures even though there have been many great photo opportunities, like the Mathews Christmas parade this past Saturday.  And even though we had the first decent snowfall of the season yesterday.  (Nothing stuck in my yard but it was nice watching it come down all day.)

I've been in a physical and mental funk, so to speak, and still haven't gotten back into the swing of things here on the blog.  I suppose I can once again make it a resolution for 2019--along with exercising more, eating better, all the stuff I know I'm supposed to be doing. 

On the plus side, my monster of a Christmas tree is up.  It's over 20 years old and still fighting me every step of the way, but for the time being I claim victory in our ongoing feud. 

Click here and  here and here for pictures and stories from past Christmases.

I hope to get out and take some pictures soon.

Sunset

Last evening, after a long day at work and a meeting at the high school regarding winter sports, Daughter and I arrived home just as the sun was setting.

(By the way, we're only a few meets into the fall cross country season, and all of a sudden we're talking about basketball, and why are we talking about winter and winter sports when it's only the first day of fall-- and why does summer ever even have to end? Ever?)

Since I had absolutely no new pictures and no reason to live now that I've just been told that December and the first basketball game will be here before we know what's hit us the sunset was glowing even in the eastward sky, I dashed into the house and managed to get these just as the light was dimming for the day.

The next two below were taken facing west--the house, which belongs to my parents, 

is known as Waverly.

This is looking north from their yard.

This is facing east towards Queens Creek and Gwynns Island.

The temperatures this first full day of fall were a little on the chilly side. It was 57 when I pulled in to work this morning.  

I'm not vehemently opposed to this particular time of year; in fact, it's rather nice sleeping with the sliding doors open and not having to run the air conditioner.

But all of this buildup of cool temperatures, brisk nights, leaves starting to drop--plus tonight's winter  basketball meeting--reminds me that hibernation season is just around the corner.  

Only I'm not allowed to hibernate.

If I ever live long enough to retire from my job--I think I have ten years. three and a half months, two hours, sixteen minutes and seven seconds until I'm eligible but who's counting--I might seriously contemplate leaving the state of Virginia from November through March.  I think I'd do just fine living in a tent in a campground on Key Largo during that time. And if for whatever reason I can't temporarily move to Florida, I do intend to close all the drapes, turn off the phone and sleep until spring.

Since neither one of those options is available this year, however, it looks like I need to continue to focus on running and eating right.  And napping, whenever possible.

This protracted discussion of the winter blahs has been brought to you by one full day of crisp, cool temperatures and one mere mention of winter at a meeting this evening. And also the Farmers' Almanac, which predicts "more shivery and shovelry" this winter.

The End.

This Old House

This old house lives at the corner of Routes 682 and 643 as you head toward Haven Beach. I've been taking its portrait for years now and really admire it.

Over the weekend I took Commenter LLC's advice from a few days ago and looked into the site Abandoned America:

 "The site "abandoned america" has photos of countryside structures but also will feature old churches, schools, factories, defunct cemeteries and urban decay: www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151902567162320&set=a.57751472319.66979.51371492319&type=1&theater....abandonedamerica.org ."


I "liked" them on Facebook and have been mesmerized by the photos ever since.  They're really incredible.

Anyway, many thanks to LLC for turning me on to that site, it's nice to know I am not alone in my love for and admiration of old, decaying structures.  They're absolutely beautiful.

Thankfully there are plenty of old, abandoned structures to choose from around here in Mathews.

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In completely unrelated news, today is the last Monday holiday until Memorial Day.  On the one hand that's depressing, because May seems like it's so many months away.  On the other hand, Memorial Day!  It's somewhere out there just waiting to make an appearance on the calendar!

Let me be the first to say that I simply cannot wait.

Bring it.

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p.s. I'd also like to share my new favorite song and video (click here), which my blog friend Laurie brought to my attention over the weekend.  This may be the one and only thing that pulls me through the month of doldrums otherwise known as February.  This may also be my new theme song.

(Not sure what my old theme song was, that's a question for another day.)

Whites Creek Landing

These were taken from Whites Creek Landing on Sunday when the temperatures hovered around sixty.

Monday brought cooler temperatures and lots of rain, so the snow is now all gone.

Although normally I despise Mondays, yesterday was particularly wonderful.

(For me to call a winter Monday wonderful is verboten in my house highly unusual.)

The one and only reason this Monday is allowed to be called wonderful is because the Mathews High School girls basketball team beat Middlesex in a very important game and for one of the few times all season played consistently well without giving up. This win is long overdue and hopefully a sign of more good things to come. Please!

Other than basketball and work and filling out financial aid forms for Son's college, there is not much to report from my world.  I'm suffering from a bad case of the February Blahs that seem bound and determined to linger right up until Spring brings more sunlight, warmer temperatures and lots more outdoors time, which I seem to require in order to function properly.

Anyway, feel free to help liven things up with a comment about anything going on with you and how your February is going thus far.

Three Things

Aarons Beach

It's Thursday?  Again?  It feels like Tuesday. Maybe Wednesday. But if in fact it's Thursday, that means it's time to share three things. Three thoughts.  Three Whatever Is On Your Minds.  Keep in mind that three is merely a suggestion. Nobody will be scolded for bending the rules and sharing one, two or even twelve thoughts.

Let's begin.

1.  Today is Daughter's very last cross country practice of the season before the teams depart Friday morning for the state meet at Great Meadow on Saturday.  They've been practicing since August, so it's a bit bittersweet to see the season come to an end. Although back in August she was rather noncommittal about cross country, it is clear based on our discussion last night that she is sorry to see the season come to a close. I am too.

2.  The weather here the past two days has been way too cold. Could someone please just declare Hibernation Season until March?  All I want to do is sleep. Thank you.

3.  In spite of the above, I'm still psyched up from last weekend's half marathon.  So much so that I am contemplating adding another one to my repertoire before my next one in April, perhaps the Shamrock in Virginia Beach.  We'll see.

Now it's your turn to share three (or more) things.  Whatever is on your mind.  Anything at all.

Weather

Aarons Beach on Thursday

Although the calendar proclaims spring is here, 

Mother Nature begged to differ these past few days.

Thursday we had snow flurries. The wind at Aarons Beach was fierce

 and brutally cold (although it doesn't necessarily appear so in these pictures).

It was c-o-l-d.

The wind was blowing so hard  my car shook when I parked here.

They say it's supposed to be sunny and in the fifties on Saturday. 

("They" better be right. Otherwise I'm packin' up and headin' south.)  

May your weekend be filled with sunshine and mild temperatures.

Have a good one.

Callis Wharf

Here are a few more shots of Callis Wharf taken from the Gwynns Island Boat Shop, which is owned by the Mathews Maritime Foundation.  (Click here for more info on the Boat Shop and its partnership with the local community college.)

My weekend was spent doing a whole lot of nothing other than watching CNN's coverage of the unspeakable tragedy in Connecticut. Which meant I spent most of the weekend trying to imagine and take on on the pain and suffering of all those parents and grandparents and sisters and brothers and others who are impacted by such a devastating event.  Which seems to have thrown me into a bad case of the Winter Blahs as I write this Sunday evening.

Because of all this, I don't have a lot to say today other than I am so grateful to have my two happy, healthy children safe and under my roof.

Very, very grateful.

Hope your weekend was a good one.

Williams Wharf

These are some more shots taken after my jog down Williams Wharf road the other day.  About a month ago I posted similar photos from this location.

However, I like these better because there's more color, and the sun is hitting the bricks there on the shoreline just so.

This rubble is from the recent demolition down there as they make way for a new boathouse. I'm more fascinated by the old than the new, though.

And that's all for today.

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For something a tad more exciting, visit my mother's post about turning a year older.