We moved to Newburyport, MA last October and things are working out great down here . Just today I decided to begin writing again but have decided not to launch a new blog, just keep the thread going with personal and regional content. I really can’t wait to start given the current state of affairs in our Country . For me it has always been therapeutic to sit down and write. I feel better after posting. Twitter is just not cutting it for me.
Mike
Linda and I were able to get tickets!
See you there.
The geese are back in numbers. My pillow is maybe 75 feet from the shore of Clemson Pond.
So I drift off at night with honking and awake to the same. The geese communicate all night long.
One more month here.
I will miss the geese and frogs, and the constant burbling sounds of Clemson Pond. It is a sewage detention pond and it releases gas that forms bubbles on the surface algae mat. These pop and the sound is audible, from my living room. Last evening we took a stroll. The Clemson Pond half mile and over to the Swasey.
The Squamscott River smelled like cod liver oil.
Jon Ring who I spoke with on the walk agreed.
I have the taste and odor of cod liver oil in my brain, it was seared there long ago.
Jon said that he had been by the head of tide pool at dead low tide and had noticed a sheen on the exposed rocks.
The odor dissipated once one was past the Swasey Pavilion.
There is practically no water at all coming over the Great? Dam.
The river walk could be so unique.
Last evening the sunset was pretty good!
Mike
“Between 1979 and 2013, productivity grew 64.9 percent, while hourly compensation of production and non supervisory workers, who comprise over 80 percent of the private-sector workforce, grew just 8.0 percent. Productivity thus grew eight times faster than typical worker compensation.”
http://www.epi.org/publication/why-americas-workers-need-faster-wage-growth/
I am sure you as I have seen this fact above in the last few weeks, if you are reading. I have heard and seen it brought up many times.
Just an aside, when I heard Mr Bush had visited Mr Prescott’s place of business I was excited! I was away most of last week, and raced up to Winter St on Friday morning to check it out. Maybe such a visitor would be an impetus for change.
No luck, but at least he moved the pallet pile.
Eyesore.
Mr Bush stumbled at a campaign stop back in July with this statement.
“We have to be a lot more productive … It means that people need to work longer hours and, through their productivity, gain more income for their families.”
Jeb Bush
The fundamentals are askew really, they are messed up. The Boston Globe has an article currently regarding salaries of college graduates from top area schools. A Pharmacy School leads the list.
I wouldn’t wish a life working short staffed at Walgreens on anyone.
“Come back in 3 hours, it will be ready then”
The comments section on the Globe salary story shreds the reporter. It seems to me more of this class war, so now even the college grads are being hammered.
PhD’s , plumbers and pharmacist’s manning the barricades together.
15.00 an hour.
Finland has a significant social experiment pending of bestowing a basic income, they have not yet set on a sum.
This new plan would replace their complicated welfare programs.
The new Labour Party head in the UK and our own Bernie Sanders made me remember this fun exchange.
Mike
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Ann Hopkins, Spirit of the Seacoast 2015 winner, shows “unwavering compassion”
By Dave Johnson, United Way of the Greater Seacoast
“If you know me, you won’t get away without hearing about Seacoast Family Promise.”
So says Ann Hopkins, winner of this summer’s Spirit of the Seacoast Award, an award which recognizes an exceptional volunteer of one of United Way of the Greater Seacoast’s community partners. The Spirit of the Seacoast is awarded twice a year and comes with a $500 grant from Federal Savings Bank to a nonprofit partner chosen by the award recipient.
This time, Ann chose Seacoast Family Promise (SFP). Ann has volunteered with the organization, which provides shelter and support to families with children experiencing homelessness, for 12 years and sits on their board.
When asked what keeps her passionate about the organization after all this time, Ann cites multiple reasons: SFP’s mission, the dedicated and talented staff, her fellow volunteers, and seeing the success of families after they’ve gone through the program are just a few.
What it really comes down to, is that Ann believes in the program. She’s witnessed families struggle with homelessness, knowing how difficult it is for the children involved. She’s seen the strength of the community that SFP gives the families during those hard times. She’s watched parents and children move into their own homes and thrive after their stay with SFP. It’s all made her a life-long advocate for and a dedicated volunteer.
“Her compassion for SFP, its mission, and vision have been unwavering,” says Pati Frew-Waters, Executive Director of SFP.
More than that, Ann says, it’s important to her to give back and create opportunities for her fellow community members.
“We all have gifts, talents, and skills to share,” says Ann about her love of volunteering, “Really, you get back more than you give.”
Seacoast Family Promise | 603-658-8448 | sihnnh@comcast.net | http://www.sfpnh.org
6 Emery Lane
P.O. Box 233
Stratham, NH 03885
Correct me, if I am wrong but the editorial demanding the resignations/ firing of the entire top tier of the Portsmouth PD is the first time ever in my years here that the paper has stood up.
What else could they do?
Did you read the scathing decision from the Judge? It had less to do with Officer Goodwin than the look the other way attitude of his superiors.
In a world lacking clarity on many fronts, there is no dispute here at all.
They all have to go.
Mike
I bought Doug MacDonald’s new album after seeing him knock em dead in Newburyport last weekend.
He performs with his guitar and Patty Short on drums, that’s it and it’s great.
Mike
Margaret Rugg of Front Street died this afternoon on Epping Rd in Exeter. The accident has the road closed while the State Police accident investigation unit does their job. She was struck by a large truck while riding her bicycle, thetruck was a waste hauler. The accident occurred in front of the new Great Bay Kids Daycare. My prayers are with her family tonight.
Update 7/23/15
I had to stop in this morning to Herb & Robs for an engine light check and spoke with Robbie about yesterday. He was still very emotional about Mrs Rugg’s death in yesterday’s accident. I understand there was a policeman on detour duty yesterday . He was some distance from the location of the accident. There was a definite pinch point that was not visible at yesterdays scene, today you can see it and get a better idea of how this accident may have happened.
The policeman was very upset according to Robbie, and was consoled by a fellow officer. I have only been first to an accident twice and both incidents remain quite vivid in my memory. I hope the policeman gets some time off.
I was at the scene yesterday at Herb & Robs because I was retrieving mail box keys from Doozies key ring, her car is in the shop. I had to cut through the woods to get there , but that was at the direction of an Exeter police officer. I knew there had been an accident and knew it was fatal given the police presence,the policeman only answered me with “It’s bad”
Our son Jeff is riding his bike with 2 chums across the USA, they are in Wisconsin now, home later in August. I ride a bike occasionally, we had a nice ride to Hampton beach a few weekends ago. When I ride a bike I feel like a pain in the ass to cars, don’t know why, but I do. I assume when driving a car that there will be a bike around the bend, or over the next hill. Yesterday in Boston coming out of the tunnel near Albany St I came around a bend and a guy was walking right up the ramp. It didn’t throw me because I was ready, for anything.
I want to get home, I don’t want any trouble, this is true wherever I drive.
So, I am worrying all the time about Jeff and his gang riding bikers back East. One morning a few weeks ago I spotted two riders near Whirlygigs checking their map. I inquired if they needed help as they were touring cyclists with French accents.
“Could you help us with Route 27?”
“Mais oui” said I and pointed out Route 27, straight ahead. I think we once had a Route 27 sign hanging from a wire over Water St.
Before they struck off on their way home to Montreal, I asked about how courteous our drivers had been on their trip.
The woman answered almost gushing about how great people are “here”. How wide a berth that they have been given.
“Not like in Montreal” she huffed, “”they cut you right off”
This was a terrible accident yesterday and in reflecting on it, we can all be more careful. We need to be focused, slow down, and be more courteous behind the wheel, and the handlebars. This admonition extends to pedestrians and joggers.
I want everyone to get home safe.
Mike
“When we have the deepest affection for a dog, we do not possess that love but are possessed by it, and sometimes it takes us by surprise, and overwhelms us”
Dean Koontz “A Big Little Life”
Linda and I had to take Bailey in last evening for his final rest and it was most difficult to let him go. It was our first time having to do this and it will not be repeated as Bailey was enough dog for a lifetime.
That is what you must do though as a responsible pet owner, you take the pain so they do not suffer.
He had begun to fail since we moved from Locust Ave and his dignity in the end was paramount to us.
All the family albums are packed away from our move so I have no photos to share of the camping trips when he was a pup, nor photos of Bryce and Jeff loving him up. I have a photo of him and his Mom too buried someplace when we picked him up from our breeder Irene Selden. This post is for everyone that got a chance to meet Bailey and also so we can visit it from time to time, though all the images and feelings are stored forever in our hearts.
Bailey did maintain that game exuberance, “let’s go for walk ” right up until a few weeks ago. Anyone that met him about Town was amazed at his age.
He was a good boy.
He would agree to this sort of fun for one holiday photo, only one.
Thanks so much to the staff at Exeter Veterinary in Stratham for last night and to Bittersweet Kennel in Newfields for all the care they rendered over the years.
Mike
The Exeter Town Crier 