Life – Page 16 – New England's Narrow Road

My Son’s Dragon and Koi Tattoo

When the kids came to visit this summer, my oldest son showed up with a huge tattoo on his leg. The artwork was quite amazing. It shows Koi fish and a dragon swimming through bands of black (the water?) on a hairy calf……It has some sort of story to it.

I imagine it was quite expensive – he didn’t say – and it took quite a few visit with the tattoo artist to get it finished.

I don’t have any tattoos. My other son has a couple and so far my daughter is tattoo free.
Just thought I’d share this amazing artwork.

And if you are interested, I have been looking for a story to go with the tattoo and found one about 9 Koi fish that take a perilous journey and turn into dragons. Read it here.

A Trip to Boston

My two sons who live out of town came to visit me this summer and while they were here they went to Boston with their sister and her boyfriend to see a Red Sox / Rangers game at Fenway. They all love baseball (well, my daughter not so much), but they love the city too and had a great time – and sunny, warm weather for the short trip. My son took a ton of photos during the game and I think that this one is a pretty good shot showing the “green monster”.

statue at the cigar store — Nick and friend

How nice that Nick found a cigar smoking buddy.

My son, Nick, is a firefighter in Florida so he had to snap this shot of the Boston fire department’s truck running a call. He also took a photo of one of the fire hydrants and a wall hydrant. Funny.

Of course they had to visit “Cheers” and they all drank water I guess!

They had a blast even if it was only for a couple of days. The weather was great and I got a break from all their bickering! Ha ha!

The Air Up Here

When I visited North Carolina one year I remember standing outside on the deck of the house we had rented just breathing in the cool, dry air. I lived in Florida and air like that never happened. We would get less humid air – our “winter” – but it still was not the same as the “northern” stuff.

I realized then how much I missed that lack of humidity that wasn’t brought about by air conditioning.

I also thought it was odd to think of the Carolina’s as “north”. I never could get used to everything being north when I lived in Florida.

Now that I am back in New England the world seems right again. North Carolina is in the south and the air I breathe up here is mostly wonderfully dry. I swear there is no air like the air up here. Even during this hot, and sometimes quite muggy, summer we get a break and the air clears.

This morning at 4AM it is like that.
I just let my cats out, against my better judgment, and I went outside on the deck to scare away any wildlife that might want to hunt them, and the air is just awesome.

The day before yesterday I finally bought an air conditioner to help with this humidity we’ve been having, and now the temperature has dropped to about 40 degrees! But I love it.
It feels like Fall, but I am not fooled. It’s only the beginning of August and we are bound to have more humid, muggy days, but this morning I feel the energy that comes with this sweet smelling northern air.

St. Augustine Photos

house in florida — St. Augustine, Florida

For the past twelve years or so I have not taken a vacation. I haven’t planned a get away and just relaxed at a nice place for at least that long. This year is no different. My kids came to visit me, which has been so nice, but not at all relaxing. Siblings quarrel and eat lots and are constantly on the go.

My second to oldest son came up from Florida where he had just spent a weekend in St. Augustine with his girlfriend. It’s one of my favorite places to visit and not too bad (tourist wise) if you choose an “off” time to visit – whenever that might be. He took some photos of the old houses there as well as the much photographed Castillo de San Marcos Spanish fort which was built using coquina rock.

Just thought I’d share.