the shad

The shad is blooming. Does that mean that the shad is running, and that for the brief period when Block Island is white with flower, Citarella's is selling shad roe? It would be nice if one could have both in the same location.

the bird's nest

There are now more beds in the Birds' Room thanks to My Brother Chris, who built a loft there.
Already first thing in the morning I hear the Trick or Treat bird, the T-shirt bird ("T-shirt, T-shirt, T-shirt"), the Booger Bee (red wing blackbird) and many others, most unidentified.
Once they start tromping around overhead and giggling and falling down the ladder I may have to move out.

up on the roof

When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a scaffold and mason to counter my fears. And the chimney up it rose.

by popular demand

here's Simon, doing the guy thing

what's in the truck II

And the clear winner is:
Dada, with a combination of inspired guessing and years of observation. His only error was in thinking that I was making a trip straight up from NYC, which would have resulted in a more significant Zabar's run. The winning entry, annotated, is as follows.

5lbs. Zabar's coffee beans, dark roast (check, 25 points. also 1 pound decaf expresso). Three rye breads, seeded (15 points, I actually brought 4). One pound western nova (no. refrigeration issues). Two containers pickeled herring (no). One bag pistachio nuts, Zenobia white, salted 5 points). One flat, pansies (no). Six avocados (no). Half dozen ruby red grapefruit (no). Pound and a half cream cheese with chives (no). Two whitefish chubs (no). A bit of belly lox for Alan No). No nuts for Roberta 10 points). Fifteen rolls Bounty (at least, 75). Two cans Bon Ami (oops, should have, 20 points). One new broom (oops, need 2, 10 points). Nine chairs (only 5, 25 points). Eleven rugs (only one, 5 points). Two packets coffee filter paper, unbleached (10 points). Box of Cheez-its (5). Jar of marmite (nope, I have my blood pressure to consider). Can of herring bits (no). Bottle cucumber bath oil (actually, it was monoi bath oil, 5). Two natural sponges (no). Six wishes (60, I wish I had remembered the brooms). First mowing already done (10 points). One used surf board (no). Four mouse traps (oops again, 40). Quart of Clorox no--I have enough from last year!).
That's 295 points!
Mr. Li got 5 points for boiled peanuts (which I had to throw away). And nobody got the nieces and the $250 worth of junk food.

what's in the truck, I

What's in the truck I, Scored
If you recollect, this was the month-long Great Road Trip.

Dada
Ipods, 3 actually 2 (10 pts)
Macs, 3 actually 2 (10)
Cell Phones, 3 (15)
(chargers, 2) actually 3, I think (10)
Rolls of Bounty, 1 actually 4 (5)
Sunglasses, 4 actually more like 8, including clipons (20)
Rolex, 1 (5)
Coolers, 2 actually one (5)
Canon DSLR, 1 (5)
Misc Digital Cameras, 2 (10)
Bananas, 3 NOT! (-15)
Pocket Knives, 2 to begin, later 5 (10)
Zippos, 1 (-5)
If I added correctly, this comes to 85, making Dada the clear winner

Runner up is J, earning 10 points each for what should have been in the truck and five for what was in the truck: love (5), creativity (10), intelligence (10), compassion (10, humor (10), oneness of a kindness (10), cameras (15) for a total of 75. It could be argued that some of those things were in fact in the truck and she should get fewer points. Not for me to judge, however.

Neruda earned some points with food (5), computers (5), shovels (5) books (5), ipods (5), iphones (5), desire for spring (in abundanza, 10!) for a total of 40

Otra Rubia pointed out correctly that she was cheating by saying a case of Red Stripe (since I had said I planned to buy it, actually I bought two) but gets 10 points for 2 pairs of shorts.

Anonymous gets about 5 points a day for beer. Which may in fact make him the winner—I know who you are.

Nobody guessed the 5 dozen H & H bagels, two tents, three sleeping bags.

Tomorrow, I will score What's in the Truck II (seen in picture above) and III-- Something to look forward to.

internet interromptus

Issues with Verizon (and how!) now resolved. Back soon.

block island honeymoon

Erin did the final ad for the Block Island Times wedding edition. Here's hoping I get some off season weekend bookings.
And the chimney finished first.

lapse

Sorry, what with my nieces visiting and mouse shit all over the new house, my attention has been otherwhere. I'll resume presently, like maybe on Wednesday.
Meanwhile here's a picture of the top of the Pope's canopy at Yankee Stadium, shot from Elaine's balcony.

boiled chicken

And speaking of boiled peanuts, I rashly insisted that no boiled peanuts were to be found south of Tampa, Fla., and promised to dance the chicken dance if I was wrong. Well, halfway down the Keys, I had to pony up. I should have inserted and adjective: No DECENT boiled peanuts. I had to throw the bastards out.

what's in the truck now?

Alas, it's time for a new What's in the Truck and I haven't even scored the LAST What's in the truck. I promise I will score both very soon.
This time, it's up to Block Island from New York.
Hint: No bananas. Well, no bananas yet. Maybe there will be some by the time I get to BI on Wednesday.

watchee weeki wachee

own beds

Just a note to say that after a month on the road, we are all returned to our homes. It was a long day today, starting out at the weirdest Ramada Inn ever in Virginia (about which more later!), then to Providence, and then me back to NYC about an hour ago.

the long way home

One last meal at the Hogfish. . .

passing up Palm Beach for a campsite north of Jupiter. . .

we put pennies on the railroad tracks to flatten overnight

and then, thank heavens, we found it. . .

tipping south

We headed down the seven-mile bridge, thinking of Carl Hiassen and the reason swimming pools are painted the color they are.

We were welcomed by our host GG in the classic manner—poolside and beer friendly with dead animal flesh on the barbie.

Upon consulting various maps and options, we set forth to discover a tourist town that has been discovered many years ago.

And we took in the southernmost spot in the U.S.A. Cuba: 90 miles.

soft landing

Thanks to Gene "Master of the Universe" G, we stayed at these delightful condos in Old Town Key West, just steps from Duval. Both are available for purchase, should you be interested. Pix by Chris Garrison, set styling by Hannah and Claudia

another roadside attraction

panacea

Some days start out worse than others, with photographs to download, tents to dry out, the car to reload (yes, I'm getting to "what's in the truck" though the lading list varies daily) and a late start. There is always hope, however. And just a few miles down the road, we caught a bit of the hopes of yesteryear.

Apparently the town was named after mineral springs that promised succor.

They had fallen into disuse, but we dipped a toe into the tepid pools.

Soon thereafter, we found the lone boiled peanut man beside the road . . .

. . .Chris finally found the tree of his dreams. . .

. . .and we could tell by the signs in the sky that we were meant to stay at a fab motel directly across From Weeki Wachee Springs! About which more later, including mermaids. . .

it's warm here

We frolicked on the Redneck Riviera's Emerald Coast. And yes, the water is really this color. And clear.

We finished off the day at Boss's oyster joint in Apalachacola, where we ate, well. . .

family reunion