#3 Boston - The Cure for the Common Cold - June 23, 2005
Friends - I have discovered the cure for the common cold and other ailments and indispositions that might befall any of us - just simply go and see the Red Sox play in Fenway Park and you will be healed of all your maladies!
It was a most appropriate cure for my weary soul this weekend - my first time in this exquisite traditional ball park!!! I was as as happy as a clam (maybe I should not say that in this state where most of them end up in chowder) - our beloved Red Sox played the Pittsburgh Pirates, and it was brutal! The Pirates played pretty much as if they had never seen a baseball, the whole thing seemed mysterious to them, and I think they were not even sure how they got there. The Red Sox, of course, stepped right in and gave them a good thrashing, and ended up winning 8:0!! Go Sox!! I for one do not care if the came is close, as long as my team is winning, who cares if the other team looks like a bunch of losers!! Renee and I feasted on the traditional ball park libations, sausages, hot dogs, beer, ice cream - you name it!! Even the sun came out toward the end of the game, and a good time was had by all. (http://www.fenwayfanatics.com/fenway/)
I had been not feeling well at all this weekend, and I am not quite sure what was the cause of it - just general exhaustion, or maybe some bug bit me and I had a bout with encephalitis, lime disease or the Ebola Virus - there was also a little incident with some vodka and orange juice, but I am getting ahead of myself, let's revisit this later.
On Saturday morning I decided to again venture out into the great green outdoors and join the AMC for a hike, this time in Maudslay State Park in West Newburyport, Massachusetts (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/maud.htm) - located along the Merrimack River on the former estate of the wealthy Moseley family, one of 19th century New England's wealthiest clans. The hiking trails took us along the old carriage roads of the property through marvelously luscious forests laden with oak, maple and beech trees, flanked by Rhododendron, azaleas and dogwoods and mountain laurels in bloom, and 19th century gardens, most of them in fairly shoddy shape as we were surprised to discover. We also stumbled upon a pet cemetery, where Tinker, Buddy and a slew of other 19th century pets found their final resting place.
Our hiking group got along famously, and the mood reached a new high once we came upon a section of the property with objects of art - sort of an exhibit of local artists. At this point some of us completely lost it - in particular a spry and very quick-witted older gentlemen who attributed a piece of whatever-it-was-made-from-wire-paper-color-creation to "those kids who smoke too much whacky-weed". Then he proceeded to yell at an oversized Raggedy Ann doll, who leaned against some grapevines, "aren't you ashamed of yourself?" To come to his support, she looked kind of unchaste and showed no remorse for her scruffy appearance. The hike was topped off by the appearance of the Virgin Mary in a grassy field, immediately adjacent to what appeared one of the Apollo capsules.
Bad art aside, Maudslay State Park also features a summer series of "Theater in the Open" with an array of theatrical offers ranging from Shakespeare, to Samuel Beckett and CS Lewis to arts workshops and puppet shows.
While not everyone knows Maudslay, Newburyport is quite the tourist attraction (http://www.newburyportchamber.org/visitor.htm - http://seacoastnh.com/arts/photosnewburyport/) - one of your typical quaint New England seaside towns (if you are into that sort of thing) - so I strolled alongside the tourist mob for a while, but then decided not to join the long line of cars heading toward Plum Island (http://www.kieranchapman.net/photos/plumisland/).
Nice as it is, I just wanted to head home and relax, and get myself recuperated. Back at the crib, I made the mistake and drank a little orange juice with a little vodka, and that was literally the end of me. I was so completely knocked out - still cannot believe it. It was not as if I gulped down huge quantities, just a little flavor in the OJ, that is all I wanted..... Jeez! This led to my not leaving the couch Saturday PM, Sunday AM - pretty much almost until I had to head over to Fenway Park. The only interruption was a pretty pathetic and brief outing during which I joined my friend Elaine at Boston Beer Works on Canal Street Saturday night, and get this, ordered a hot cocoa!! The waitress thought I was completely retarded, and I had to ask Elaine to drive me home. What in the world was that? (My bet is still on Ebola......).
Anyway, I am fine now - the dreaded NCI site visit is over - we did well I believe, but it has not quite sunk in yet that we are done!!
To celebrate I went for my first ever 8-mile run last night, which resulted in a most strange phenomenon this morning. I woke up, and my mind was absolutely willing to get up, ready to face the day, but my body refused to even move an inch. Took some coaxing to get it out of bed. More pain is awaiting tomorrow morning, when my running buddy Joanne and I will meet at the crack of dawn and attempt to run about and down Beacon Hill. We'll see how that will pan out!!
Boston is expecting a scorcher of a weekend, my friend Matt from the UK is visiting, so more tour guiding on the way!!
Hope this e-mail finds you all in good or at least decent shape, and remember - not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
pet:)
It was a most appropriate cure for my weary soul this weekend - my first time in this exquisite traditional ball park!!! I was as as happy as a clam (maybe I should not say that in this state where most of them end up in chowder) - our beloved Red Sox played the Pittsburgh Pirates, and it was brutal! The Pirates played pretty much as if they had never seen a baseball, the whole thing seemed mysterious to them, and I think they were not even sure how they got there. The Red Sox, of course, stepped right in and gave them a good thrashing, and ended up winning 8:0!! Go Sox!! I for one do not care if the came is close, as long as my team is winning, who cares if the other team looks like a bunch of losers!! Renee and I feasted on the traditional ball park libations, sausages, hot dogs, beer, ice cream - you name it!! Even the sun came out toward the end of the game, and a good time was had by all. (http://www.fenwayfanatics.com/fenway/)
I had been not feeling well at all this weekend, and I am not quite sure what was the cause of it - just general exhaustion, or maybe some bug bit me and I had a bout with encephalitis, lime disease or the Ebola Virus - there was also a little incident with some vodka and orange juice, but I am getting ahead of myself, let's revisit this later.
On Saturday morning I decided to again venture out into the great green outdoors and join the AMC for a hike, this time in Maudslay State Park in West Newburyport, Massachusetts (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/maud.htm) - located along the Merrimack River on the former estate of the wealthy Moseley family, one of 19th century New England's wealthiest clans. The hiking trails took us along the old carriage roads of the property through marvelously luscious forests laden with oak, maple and beech trees, flanked by Rhododendron, azaleas and dogwoods and mountain laurels in bloom, and 19th century gardens, most of them in fairly shoddy shape as we were surprised to discover. We also stumbled upon a pet cemetery, where Tinker, Buddy and a slew of other 19th century pets found their final resting place.
Our hiking group got along famously, and the mood reached a new high once we came upon a section of the property with objects of art - sort of an exhibit of local artists. At this point some of us completely lost it - in particular a spry and very quick-witted older gentlemen who attributed a piece of whatever-it-was-made-from-wire-paper-color-creation to "those kids who smoke too much whacky-weed". Then he proceeded to yell at an oversized Raggedy Ann doll, who leaned against some grapevines, "aren't you ashamed of yourself?" To come to his support, she looked kind of unchaste and showed no remorse for her scruffy appearance. The hike was topped off by the appearance of the Virgin Mary in a grassy field, immediately adjacent to what appeared one of the Apollo capsules.
Bad art aside, Maudslay State Park also features a summer series of "Theater in the Open" with an array of theatrical offers ranging from Shakespeare, to Samuel Beckett and CS Lewis to arts workshops and puppet shows.
While not everyone knows Maudslay, Newburyport is quite the tourist attraction (http://www.newburyportchamber.org/visitor.htm - http://seacoastnh.com/arts/photosnewburyport/) - one of your typical quaint New England seaside towns (if you are into that sort of thing) - so I strolled alongside the tourist mob for a while, but then decided not to join the long line of cars heading toward Plum Island (http://www.kieranchapman.net/photos/plumisland/).
Nice as it is, I just wanted to head home and relax, and get myself recuperated. Back at the crib, I made the mistake and drank a little orange juice with a little vodka, and that was literally the end of me. I was so completely knocked out - still cannot believe it. It was not as if I gulped down huge quantities, just a little flavor in the OJ, that is all I wanted..... Jeez! This led to my not leaving the couch Saturday PM, Sunday AM - pretty much almost until I had to head over to Fenway Park. The only interruption was a pretty pathetic and brief outing during which I joined my friend Elaine at Boston Beer Works on Canal Street Saturday night, and get this, ordered a hot cocoa!! The waitress thought I was completely retarded, and I had to ask Elaine to drive me home. What in the world was that? (My bet is still on Ebola......).
Anyway, I am fine now - the dreaded NCI site visit is over - we did well I believe, but it has not quite sunk in yet that we are done!!
To celebrate I went for my first ever 8-mile run last night, which resulted in a most strange phenomenon this morning. I woke up, and my mind was absolutely willing to get up, ready to face the day, but my body refused to even move an inch. Took some coaxing to get it out of bed. More pain is awaiting tomorrow morning, when my running buddy Joanne and I will meet at the crack of dawn and attempt to run about and down Beacon Hill. We'll see how that will pan out!!
Boston is expecting a scorcher of a weekend, my friend Matt from the UK is visiting, so more tour guiding on the way!!
Hope this e-mail finds you all in good or at least decent shape, and remember - not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
pet:)
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