It's been a while...

Wow, it really has been a bit since I wrote anything. But I will merely pretend that it's been a day or two or five. Stick with me here.

My main distraction (or my Maine distraction):



Behold the view from the porch of the cabin off Indian Point in Maine. This was my home for a brief jaunt with the boys from the neighborhood. And yes, that is the ocean right outside the back door. It was amazing just to be there.

In many ways, going to Maine was like going to camp: bring your own linens, deal with mosquitoes, cool nights, forever-damp towels. I knew just what to pack, minus the zillion dance dresses. But it was so different being on a non-dance vacation without that structure of classes to go to (or to skip), meals served at specific times, and over a hundred people who want to do just what you want to do, when you want to do it. Is this what other people do all the time when they travel? Have to plan their days, meals, naps?

I would go back in a heartbeat, if my schedule permitted, and if I'm invited back. It will be better next time, as most things are, now that I know what to expect, where to go, and what it's like being with a different and small group for days.

Plan the trip around the local dances. It's the only way...

Waterfalls!

One of our jaunts this past weekend was a Circle Line tour of Olafur Eliasson's New York City Waterfalls Exhibit. I'm a big fan of boat trips, ocean views, swimming and seafood, so this activity was right up my alley. And while these constructed waterfalls don't have the sound and the power of, say, Niagra, it was fun to see them, great to see New York from the unusual vantage point of the river, and even good to get a brief taste of tourist New York down by the Seaport.











And of course, because this is New York, there is a water taxi to take you directly from Manhattan to the new Ikea in Brooklyn...

Boom!

The weather broke.

Making it extremely exciting to get home. Remind me why I don't live in Center City anymore...

The storms that finally hit tonight took out power lines to some parts of Mt. Airy, and shut down first the Chestnut Hill East line, and then the Chestnut Hill West line.

Tanya phoned about the power outage, but when I called home to check in, the answering machine picked up, so all was well on the power front. Then according to the signs at Market East, the R7 was only running few minutes late - fine. Until the announcement that it wasn't running at all. Less fine. But it was a good night for a walk from Allen's Lane, so off to the R8 I went. It arrived, and then stranded us all at 30th Street.

High winds, downed trees, branches, power lines. Downed trains.

But I'm from New York and I know how to throw money at the problem. A visit to the ATM and a chat with a cop about the status of the Lincoln Drive later, and I was in a cab, and finally, poorer, but home.

And at last there's a cool breeze blowing through the windows. I'm going to sleep well tonight.