As I mentioned last week, my mother, brother Nick, and I took a road trip to Smith Island this past Saturday. We arrived on a cloudy Saturday morning, with periods of rain, to the small eastern shore town of Crisfield. There is not much activity that morning, other than various folks roaming around the docking area waiting for the boat to Smith Island. There is one boat over, as well as a mail bost, that travels the 40 minutes ride to Smith. In the winter, it is only the mail boat.
We are in high spirits as we board Captain larry's boat, no more than about 22 feet long. We are boarded with a group of 'older' women-probably late 60's, early 70's from hagerstown. They have been friends for about 40+ years, some with some physical handicaps but great spirit-until we got out in open waters. Dur to weather, the chop was 2-3 feet and if you don't have your sea legs, it can be a bit..unnerving. Fortunately, no one was sick.
We pulled in and the skies opened up so we made a quick dash to the Bay Cafe, where we feasted on crab cakes and peppered the fresh out of high school waitress questions about island life. They attend school until 6th grade on the island (population around 300) and then they ferried to the mainland for middle and high school. This is fine, except in the winter-and if you play sports, you simply spend the night in Crisfield. We asked if plans to return to the island after college-said she loved it here and people here 'are content'. Sums it up nicelt.
Dry island...no liquor anywhere..must bring your own. No police department. But then again, everyone knows each other and if you were to arrive by boat, getting away with murder might be very difficult.
It is also the best place to find artifacts..native american peices, spanish gold coins, sharks teeth. The Island has been inhabited since the 1600's and not much has been disturbed.
So, those same ladies of hagerstown decided Smith Island was not for them..don't you have a bowling alley? movie theater? roller skating rink? Sheesh..what do you all DO??!! Natives were polite: crab, swim, water ski, read, and simply set a spell on the porch and talk. Wow..there's a novel idea...
Monday, August 27, 2012
Thursday, August 23, 2012
library phone call
At the information desk today and the phone rings. it is a fairly quiet afternoon:
Customer: "Hi, I would like to know if you have a book."
Me: "okay, what is it?"
Customer: "Fahrenheit"
Me: "Fahrenheit? You mean Fahrenheit 451?"
C: "I guess so. My son asked me to call and get it. It is for Honors English 10th grade."
Me: No copies available, but I can order it."
C: will he have it by tomorrow?
Me: No.
C: Well, do you have the list of the books they have to read? And could you check the titles and tell me if you have any of them?"
Now I will interject and say this is Thursday. The book needs to be read by Monday. And now, I need to find the list AND look and see if we have any titles.
Me: I do have one copy of Handmaid's Tale.
C: OK I will be in the pick it up.
She arrives an hour later and goes to check the book out. Unfortunately, her son has a book out from LAST summer's assignment that was never returned and the book is considered lost. Her daughter tells her mom the overdue book is sitting in his room(looks like for a year). She leaves, without the book. But promises to be back with the overdue book. We explain it will be a 10.00 fine once she returns it. "WHAT FOR?" Well, because you are returning the book a year later.
Makes me more grateful for my daughter....
Customer: "Hi, I would like to know if you have a book."
Me: "okay, what is it?"
Customer: "Fahrenheit"
Me: "Fahrenheit? You mean Fahrenheit 451?"
C: "I guess so. My son asked me to call and get it. It is for Honors English 10th grade."
Me: No copies available, but I can order it."
C: will he have it by tomorrow?
Me: No.
C: Well, do you have the list of the books they have to read? And could you check the titles and tell me if you have any of them?"
Now I will interject and say this is Thursday. The book needs to be read by Monday. And now, I need to find the list AND look and see if we have any titles.
Me: I do have one copy of Handmaid's Tale.
C: OK I will be in the pick it up.
She arrives an hour later and goes to check the book out. Unfortunately, her son has a book out from LAST summer's assignment that was never returned and the book is considered lost. Her daughter tells her mom the overdue book is sitting in his room(looks like for a year). She leaves, without the book. But promises to be back with the overdue book. We explain it will be a 10.00 fine once she returns it. "WHAT FOR?" Well, because you are returning the book a year later.
Makes me more grateful for my daughter....
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
bucket lists
Its hard to say when you should start thinking about your bucket list and how far along you might want to get with it. Fortunately, my list is kinda short at the moment and fairly easy to obtain. I don't have things on it like climb Mt. Everest, walk the entire Appalachain Trail, bungee jump over the Grand Canyon. In fact, I can pretty much eliminate anything involved heights over 5 feet. i actually did entertain a jump out of an airplane at one point (probably around the time I got a tattoo and bought a sports car), but I am lucky I can climb escalators without a panic attack. I'm sticking to less adventurous things...
This weekend, I am making a trek to Smith Island. It does involve an entire day, as the ferries only run twice a day. I am going to eat a crab cake. That might be it. Well, maybe some Smith Island cake.
Over labor Day weekend, I am going to rustle up some folks and hit the rodeo. Yes, Maryland has a rodeo. COmplete with barrel races, bulls, and clowns. Its the big buckle ceremony that weekend. Whatever the hell that means. I have no rodeo garb however. Think thats required?
I have also wanted to attend a college football game..which you would think is an easy task, having Maryland University with an hour of where I live. But no, I am going to South Carolina to see a game against Clemson, with some of my favorite relatives. This is a maybe plan-as said relatives are just moving to the area and still getting things together. There's always spring and a college lacrosse game I suppose. Just not the same.
So people, get your bucket list together. And be sure you make the effort to cross some things off. Even if its just to read Anna Karenina.
This weekend, I am making a trek to Smith Island. It does involve an entire day, as the ferries only run twice a day. I am going to eat a crab cake. That might be it. Well, maybe some Smith Island cake.
Over labor Day weekend, I am going to rustle up some folks and hit the rodeo. Yes, Maryland has a rodeo. COmplete with barrel races, bulls, and clowns. Its the big buckle ceremony that weekend. Whatever the hell that means. I have no rodeo garb however. Think thats required?
I have also wanted to attend a college football game..which you would think is an easy task, having Maryland University with an hour of where I live. But no, I am going to South Carolina to see a game against Clemson, with some of my favorite relatives. This is a maybe plan-as said relatives are just moving to the area and still getting things together. There's always spring and a college lacrosse game I suppose. Just not the same.
So people, get your bucket list together. And be sure you make the effort to cross some things off. Even if its just to read Anna Karenina.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
celebrations with young adults
Okay, this is going to serve as a reminder to me not to ever plan a surprize party when it involves young adults in their early 20's...
Andrew turned 21 this past weekend, so about a month ago, I began to plan a party for him as a surprize. The good news was the word did get out to those who needed to know. Bad news was I was never really clear as to who was coming. Instructions were to keep it a secret and to bring a side dish or an appetizer, and arrive by 7 PM. I had a friend of Andrew's take him out and return him at 7 30.
So, since I asked for some dishes to arrive, I kept the food simple..a deli tray, a pasta dish, a green salad, and a fruit salad. At 7:10, we had 2 of Andrew's friends at the house. I asked one of those friends to make some calls and see where everyone is..being fashionalby late to a surprize party does not work. One friend called me at 7 15 and said they were 15 minutes away. Great. They were instructed to call when they got to our street.
Menawhile, I give brownie points to CHelsea, who arrived at 7 and brought popcorn. The other friend decided to call the person who was WITH Andrew and announce loudly that she was at his house. The other friends arrived minutes before Andrew, and parked next to the house.
So, needless to say, surprize was somewhat subdued. He recognized the truck and then knew something was up. He was surprized to see his friends from Northern VA. And in terms of side dishes and appetizers? Well, I did see someone bring s'mores. And a package of Chips Ahoy.
One more thing about food and alcohol intake..must you clean the house of all food and beverages? it is necessary to make a 3 AM sandwich with a 1/2 pound of lunch meat and leave 2 slices of swiss? Must you pour 1/2 cup of frangelica into your coffee cause the alcohol content is not so high? Are 20 somethings simply oblivious or have adopted the attitude that all adults are wealthy and can afford all the stuff they can't?
And while I am at it, if I housed you, fed you, gave you a delicious breakfast complete with bloody marys, mimosas, and coffee drinks, could I hear a thank you?
I've said my peace...
Andrew turned 21 this past weekend, so about a month ago, I began to plan a party for him as a surprize. The good news was the word did get out to those who needed to know. Bad news was I was never really clear as to who was coming. Instructions were to keep it a secret and to bring a side dish or an appetizer, and arrive by 7 PM. I had a friend of Andrew's take him out and return him at 7 30.
So, since I asked for some dishes to arrive, I kept the food simple..a deli tray, a pasta dish, a green salad, and a fruit salad. At 7:10, we had 2 of Andrew's friends at the house. I asked one of those friends to make some calls and see where everyone is..being fashionalby late to a surprize party does not work. One friend called me at 7 15 and said they were 15 minutes away. Great. They were instructed to call when they got to our street.
Menawhile, I give brownie points to CHelsea, who arrived at 7 and brought popcorn. The other friend decided to call the person who was WITH Andrew and announce loudly that she was at his house. The other friends arrived minutes before Andrew, and parked next to the house.
So, needless to say, surprize was somewhat subdued. He recognized the truck and then knew something was up. He was surprized to see his friends from Northern VA. And in terms of side dishes and appetizers? Well, I did see someone bring s'mores. And a package of Chips Ahoy.
One more thing about food and alcohol intake..must you clean the house of all food and beverages? it is necessary to make a 3 AM sandwich with a 1/2 pound of lunch meat and leave 2 slices of swiss? Must you pour 1/2 cup of frangelica into your coffee cause the alcohol content is not so high? Are 20 somethings simply oblivious or have adopted the attitude that all adults are wealthy and can afford all the stuff they can't?
And while I am at it, if I housed you, fed you, gave you a delicious breakfast complete with bloody marys, mimosas, and coffee drinks, could I hear a thank you?
I've said my peace...
Friday, August 3, 2012
library news
Now, this is an interesting report coming from one of our libraries:
"Shortly before seven o'clock I took a call from a male patron that was unique to me. He asked if we were the branch located on West Street. He then went on to say that a woman with red hair and lots of tattoos had been using our computers to solicit sex. He said he thinks she stole money from him. I interrupted him and asked if he would mind speaking to our PIC- he said yes. I told Cameron the story very quickly but he hung up before she could get on the line."
Today I was on the desk and the man who spoke with Suzanne came in and said he needed to speak privately with me about something. I sat with him at the tables in our reference area and he repeated the concern about a woman using our computers for prostitution. He said that it wasn't right because this is a county building. He added that he knew she was doing this because "we've been checking her email and we know that is what she's doing." He also said he thought from the conversation last night that we would make sure that this wouldn't happen in the library anymore.
I responded to this to tell him about the scope of the library's filter, and to clarify that library staff do not monitor private communications of patrons. I suggested that he contact the police, especially since he had mentioned that she may have stolen from him. He was nervous about contacting the police and asked me what they would do--I said that I didn't know exactly, but they were definitely a better resource for his concerns. I gave him Gloria's card in case he (or the Police) needed to follow up. I asked him for his name and contact but he wanted to stay anonymous. He seemed anxious about staying in the library any longer, saying "I can't let her know I was here" and "I'm asking you to not tell her that I did this." He said he had to go because he is a cab driver. His description: white, middle aged, slim build, has red hair and lots of tattoos.
Perhaps he has a duel personality? And he is soliciting sex with himself?
"Shortly before seven o'clock I took a call from a male patron that was unique to me. He asked if we were the branch located on West Street. He then went on to say that a woman with red hair and lots of tattoos had been using our computers to solicit sex. He said he thinks she stole money from him. I interrupted him and asked if he would mind speaking to our PIC- he said yes. I told Cameron the story very quickly but he hung up before she could get on the line."
Today I was on the desk and the man who spoke with Suzanne came in and said he needed to speak privately with me about something. I sat with him at the tables in our reference area and he repeated the concern about a woman using our computers for prostitution. He said that it wasn't right because this is a county building. He added that he knew she was doing this because "we've been checking her email and we know that is what she's doing." He also said he thought from the conversation last night that we would make sure that this wouldn't happen in the library anymore.
I responded to this to tell him about the scope of the library's filter, and to clarify that library staff do not monitor private communications of patrons. I suggested that he contact the police, especially since he had mentioned that she may have stolen from him. He was nervous about contacting the police and asked me what they would do--I said that I didn't know exactly, but they were definitely a better resource for his concerns. I gave him Gloria's card in case he (or the Police) needed to follow up. I asked him for his name and contact but he wanted to stay anonymous. He seemed anxious about staying in the library any longer, saying "I can't let her know I was here" and "I'm asking you to not tell her that I did this." He said he had to go because he is a cab driver. His description: white, middle aged, slim build, has red hair and lots of tattoos.
Perhaps he has a duel personality? And he is soliciting sex with himself?
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