Life in the Bristolwood

Well, it was a big event for me!

Today I went to the dentist to have the post for a mini implant “installed”.  The whole process was a lot shorter than I thought and not too bad. The worst part of the whole ordeal was when the dentist was screwing the post in.  You know how it always feels like the dentist has drilled a “cavern” for a filling when you run your tongue over the area ?  Well, even though the post  was the diameter of maybe a small finishing nail,  it felt like a spike going in!  What was really kind of tough was when he said his fingers hurt from screwing it in and he had to use a torqe wrench! He said my bone seems very hard and solid.

The dental assistant explained that people who bruise easily can have some bruising from this proceure.  Oh NO!  I*do* bruise very easily, but have no signs of it!  The dentist and assistant lauged when I told them it was okay…I would tell everyone the dentist did it to me, just like when the Rabbi hit me!  They, of course asked what that was about! Several years ago, a Rabbi rear-ended my car….my head was turned to the left to see if any traffic was coming.  The impact caused my head to bump hard against the window and I was left with a huge goose egg on my forehead.  Upon the Rabbi’s insistance,  Iwent to the hospital where Iwas told I had a concussion.  As time went on,  the bruising retreated downward until I was left with a dandy black eye!  So….the Rabbi gave me a black  eye when he hit me!

I was told the area around the tooth will be sensitive for a couple of days, but so far, it only feels like a lot of pressure.  It really isn’t “sore”.

When I came home,  I wandered down to where the Lilies of the Valley are growing.  They are spreading each year and each year,  it  is always like seeing them for the first time.

As I snapped the photo above, the sun came out and lit up this plant!

Tomorrow, we are supposed to see sunshine and a lot of warmth. I hope I can take some photos.  With all the colorless skies and rain we’ve seen lately, it isn’t very inviting to grab the camera!

Okay, I learned about blogging a few years ago from a friend.  She once made a comment that one shouldn’t  spend time talking about the weather on a blog.  HA!  That was before the Northeast developed a Monsoon Season!   I mean, when is the last time we have seen so much rain? Don’t get me wrong…I am *not* complaining. Honestly, by this time every year,  I have been bitten by mosquitoes and am counting the days until their dreaded season comes to an end.  This year,  it is so wet,  I have not had one single bite.  Very unusual!

We had a list of errands today that made me want to crawl back under the covers and hide!  There was just so much to do, and it had to be done.  We left the house early afternoon and dropped the kids off  at the mall so we could get busy.  As we were running around,  we saw glimpses of blue skies! Although the sky was probably 99.9% gray, those tiny streaks of blue cheered everyone right up!  The blue was so intense and it looked very “marbled”.  So enticing….until the rain began again later!

I took a couple of photos while inVictor….

That sun came shining through and warmed up the day!  It got quite warm, as a matter of fact!

Just to give you a “feel” for my day, here is a list of the stores Ivisited today:

Best Buy, BJ’s, Bill Gray’s (oh, those cheeseburgers were soooo awesome!) Guitar Center, Big Lots, Sam’sClub (both at the gas station and store) Lowe’s, TJ Maxx, Aldi, and WalMart.  None of these stores were connected…I just had to hop in and hop out! Phew, no wonder I am sleepy tonight!

Michelle has gotten most of her grades back for this spring semester from Finger Lakes Community College.  She did  very well and I am  thrilled for her!  She has gotten A’s in all her subjects which will result in a 4.0 average this semester!  She showed me one of her papers and the professor made a comment that he was honored to have a student of her caliber in his class. Wow.  Who ever would have thought?   We are so happy for our serious student!  She is now looking forward with great anticipation to attending Rochester Institute of Technology this fall. 

Tomorrow is a big day for me. I am off to the dentist where he will screw a stainless steel post into my gums (well, bone, really) to prepare for a crown to be mounted on it.  This is called a Mini implant.  I am told the area will be “tender” for a couple of days.  I am so excited about about this, I don’t care if it is sore for a bit.  It will be soooo worth it all when I no longer have to wear my “plastic tooth”!

Two photos I took today, that is!  One of these, I posted one my “photo a day” journal.  I really did crawl down on the (REALLY) wet ground and shoot these photos from underneath a May Apple plant in the woods!  It wasn’t too bad, though….I was on my way up from the mailbox,  so I placed a few pieces of JUNK mail on the ground, then positioned myself on top of them!  Heck,  just look at what marvelous little parasols those leaves are!

I took these when the rain had ceased for a few minutes.  Then later this afternoon,  we saw some blue sky breaking through and a few streaks of sunshine may have reached down for a few seconds.  Yes, I  know I am being indecisive,  but I am still trying to figure out if there really was sun,  or if it was a mirage!

Phew.  I think that would be a fairly accurate description of how I feel!  Things just keep on moving right along…

The kids finished their last classes at FLCC for this semester.  For Michelle, this also closes a chapter in her life story.  She has now completed two years at Finger Lakes Community College,  although she will be taking three online courses this summer so she will receive an Associates in Applied Science Degree before beginning classes at Rochester Institute of Technology. She was a bit nervous about her grades as she wasn’t sure she would get an A in Micro Economics. Today, though, she received the good news she did indeed get an A.  She was thrilled, as she completes this semester with a 4.0 average.  Ben also looks like he is going to get an A in his class he took this semester as well.  We are so happy for both kids.  Although we have had some pretty stressful Tuesdays and Thursdays rushing to get out the door on time, it seems like the time flew by.  The kids think so, too!

We have been so busy taking the kids places the past couple of weeks.  It seems like they have a list of constant social engagements!  Mark and I really don’t mind taking the kids places,  as we find this allows us some time to kick back and relax!  The kids also have friends over an evening every week.  This is a bonus for me, as they scurry about, cleaning and putting things away.  That lessens my load!

We have been getting rain. And more rain. And even more rain!  I am not complaining, but it really is adding up!  The lake remains swollen and looks like it will take some time before it recedes.

After my little Panasonic camera took a tumble down into a ravine a few weeks ago,  I was a little heartbroken, as I missed my little point and shoot.  Well, Mark tried to fix that camera,  but it was just to no avail.  The camera is history.  Mark realized I really missed it, so he bought me another Panasonic camera.  This newer model was supposed to be great,  but after shooting in several different conditions, I was not impressed.  More like “de” pressed!   This sent Mark into deep research mode, looking for a high quality replacement. 

Mark’s saga found him turning to Ken Rockwell. Mark looked under his recommendation for the “world’s best point and shoot pocket camera” and saw the Canon S95. He then began looking for one of these models to no avail. One day,  we went to Best Buy, looking for something entirely different,  when Mark said we should check out the cameras.  Amazingly (and totally not showing up in the store’s inventory on the computers, as Mark had already checked) we saw one Canon S95. Naturally, we grabbed it.  I have been using this camera for my photos since May 5th and  I am still shaking my head in disbelief  that such a small camera could compete with images taken from my Nikon D-90. 

Yesterday, I joined a community (site)  that originates from Scotland after inquiring about it from a friend in Scotland who uses it.  The gist of this site is that you can only submit a photo you took on the day it is published and you may submit only one photo per day.  I have been looking for just such a challenge for some time now, as I love honing my skills and taking a bit of a more critical look at the world around me in an artistic light.  Grabbing at subjects becomes second nature and makes life more appealing and vibrant!

Today, I felt at such a loss when it came to shooting photos.  Taking an electronic device out into drizzling wet, damp weather could mean the recipe for a disaster!  I did sling my tiny camera bag over my shoulder “just in case” .

After picking the kids up from school this afternoon,  we took a (much needed on my behalf!) trip to Waterloo to shop at the outlet mall there. Mark set up his computer and, being in the good company of Angus and Murphy, said to take my time shopping.  Now, realize I rarely ever shop.  Sincerely,  I buy few clothes and wear them until they are pretty much useless! This past winter,  I  finally discarded a beautiful plaid jumper I had purchased at a Salvation Army Store for $4.99.  I wore that jumper for seven years, over and over again, until it had a few holes in it and was nearly threadbare in some areas. So, for me to go shopping at a real store is quite unusual.  (I have shopped a few times for clothing for a special occasion, though)

As I hopped out of the truck,  I did take along the tiny Canon camera. I walked the entire perimeter of the mall (quite a nice hike, methinks!) and even found some things to photograph! I did buy a pair of sneakers and when I stopped at Coldwater Creek, I found a skirt, blouse, and a beautiful tee shirt. 

When we got home,  I had to sort through my photos and find one that I really liked and wanted to share for my journal.  I was disappointed that my choices would be limited,  but was surprised by what I saw on the SD card! And so, I will share a few photos from today.

I took this photo before we left to take the kids to Canandaigua this morning.  I love the way it turned out with the fog in the background, making the leaves even more exciting, but I wish I would have been more careful not to capture the side of the garage. These are leaves coming out on the Shagbark Hickory tree.  I love the way the outer “shell” rolls back and exposes the cluster of leaves in the center, looking like hands clasped together.  At this ‘point,  they remind me of drawings I have seen of candles hung on Christmas trees before electricity was a mainstay in homes.  The candles were placed in little “cups” and clipped onto tree branches.

After dropping the kids off at school,  Mark and I went over to Lowe’s.  I wanted to look at some things,  so Mark pulled out his small travler guitar and began strumming  away.  He connects the guitar to the sound system in the truck and his music issues forth through the speakers!

Having  no one else with me,  I got to really look over all kinds of goodies in the store.  It sure was fun.  After looking at lots of building materials and lights and all sorts of other things, I went outside to look at fountains and flowers. These New Guinea Impatiens were so beautiful and had just received a good watering via Mother Nature!

After I returned to Mark and the Scottie boys in the truck,  we passed some time just talking and waiting for the kids to call us when they were done. After we picked them up, we were off to the outlet mall.

I was originally looking for a sundress or two.  It became evident within a short period of time Iwasn’t going to find anything Iwas looking for. All the dresses are such bold colors and I just didn’t like anything I saw.  Also, the lengths of the dresses were so short! I  have never liked short dresses and these remind me of what one wears on a wee baby….short dresses with tights!  Ugh!  Oh well, that didn’t phase my intent to look inside several stores and walk the perimeter of the mall.

As I walked along,  there were areas where the sweetest “perfume” seemed to be pouring out.  As I halted my brisk pace,  I spotted the source!

I only wish  I could send along a sample of their scent….

There were many kiddie rides with different themes located throughout the shopping areas.  I saw some Mickey Mouse,  Sesame Street,  but most of all……

The rides were all shiny and sparkling clean, power-washed by (once again!) Mother Nature.  It seemed so sad seeing them sitting idle,  but kids would need some serious rain gear today!

I got back to Mark and the Scotties before the kids.  So we waited…

When the kids came back,  Angus was very happy.  So was Michelle!

As you can see,  the image quality of this little Canon camera is awesome!  The only problem, though,  is this camera is made in Japan. Because of that,  it is nearly impossible to find one.  We have discovered that some auto manufacturers here in the US have closed some production because they cannot get parts because they are made in Japan.  Many Japanese companies remain down because of insufficient electricity to run them.  Forget seeing any of the new cameras and gadgets recently introduced.  I read that some autos shipped to the US from Japan had higher than safe levels of radioactivity.  I am thinking this terrible earthquake and resulting tsunami might cost the entire world some inconvenience and maybe even some jobs….at least for a time.

We awakened to (even) more rain.  Even though the day was fairly dismal weatherwise,  we managed to accomplish a few things we intended to do. I also was able to hurry outside and take a few photos in between douses of rain.

Life has been one activity after another lately! With two teens,  there is rarely a dull moment,  let alone a quiet one!  When Mark pulled over into a parking lot located not too far from where the Canandaigua Lady is moored, I got out to explore a bit.  I was so glad I did, for this area was so peaceful and inviting!

Finally!  Yes, the weather gave us a bit of a break…the torrential downpours stopped and the temperatures climbed to a milder springlike clime.  As happens every year, as soon as the sun and warmth arrived,  so did bursts of color!

I have photographed those tulips year after year,  but they still fascinate me with their intense yellows, reds, and oranges.  Inside each flower, it looks as though someone used a paintbrush to streak a blush of color to contrast with the bold black centers…

Of course, few people can resist visiting the local nurseries once things begin to show signs of  spring!  I was amongst those,  Imust admit and this year, the pansies are looking especially appealing!

The spring also heralds the return of some old friends,  like my formally attired guy who last year pecked the window to alert me of sparse seeds in the feeder!

The Hummingbirds are also back, their shrill but tiny chirps heard near the house.  They are always so exciting to see!

And, just for a contrast,  I spotted this old Case tractor sitting up on a bank while taking the kids to school on Tuesday.  Although it was a rather colorful photo,  I really liked it best in black and white!

This post has nothing at all to do with red tomato sauce that is placed upon hotdogs and hamburgers!  But it is about (slowly or otherwise) catching up!

 Last Saturday was one (very!) full day.  Michelle has made up her mind that she will definitely attend Rochester Institute of Technology this fall.  When Carly asked if she was attending the RIT fair, Michelle decided she should/we would.  This was slated as an all day affair, but we had some other things on the burner as well. 

We began our day by stopping at Mark’s mom’s house to wish her a Happy Mother’s Day a day early.  We visited and had a nice time spending time outdoors where the weather was chilly, but beautiful.  We left my mother-in-law’s house and scooted on over to RIT.  It was pretty late by the time we arrived and met up with Carly and her family.  The event was scheduled until 5, and we made it there at about 3:30, so I think we missed much of the festivities.  This fair is a big event and the students and faculty all work hard to put their best innovations and ideas out for the world to see!  Last year, about 32,000 people showed up at the school and we were told the number grows larger and larger each year!

As Mark and I read comments by alumni from RIT, we laughed because some people were “distraught” by the RIT “brick presence”.  RIT has its own brick….it is manufactured solely for their buildings.  However,  upon  completion of study,  alumni may order this unique brick to build their home if they desire!  All of the buildings on campus are constructed using this brick, and although some might complain about it, I found it cool, as the buildings match.  Instead of hodgepodge buildings,  the scenery blends nicely.  The buildings are not all built alike, so there is individuality even in the midst of conformity!

And speaking of individuality,  there are some unique “artforms” throughout the campus!

We wandered about some,  looking at exhibits and seeing  just how this university encourages students to dream and innovate!  The display that absolutely captured my attention is one that would appear less “academically oriented”,  but to me,  it is mind-boggling!

This entire display was created from balloons!  It was very large and colorful and impressive!  Michelle overheard students saying this project was begun on te previous Monday at 10 in the morning and was completed on Saturday (the day of the fair) at 1pm!

Just across from the awesome balloon display was a young man and woman who invented edible cupcake “papers”!

They are currently looking for a company to take up their invention! We had so much fun wandering about,  but 5 o’clock came quickly and everyone began to take down displays.  Carly’s family headed home and we went to a couple stores. Michelle and Ben were going to meet their friends for a concert in Rochester, so we were just biding some time.  After dropping the kids off,  we went to Carly’s house and picked her up.  Carly, Mark, and I went to dinner at Applebee’s in Pittsford.

We relaxed and had a great time,  even without the kids! (Carly’s husband, Jeff, stayed home with their kids) After enjoying our meal and chatter,  we went back to RIT. Mark wanted to drive me around to see the size of the campus,  which is actually the size of a small city.  We took a few night shots…..one of Michelle’s new “home”. (in the dark)

This is the business school.  Right across from the school is a gigantic field where guys were playing soccer under some pretty powerful lights!

As we sat in the truck,  Carly honed in her “shooting skills” even with Angus perched (quite happily!) upon her knee.  Actually, he was sitting on the seat, just hanging outand enjoying the fresh night air!

We dropped Carly back at her house and then awaited a call from the kids.  Finally, they called and we were on our way home  from one full day! We arrived back home late and I cannot begin to explain just how awesome and comforting it was to fall into bed….

My friend Jeanne has been away for a bit and when she returned, she was surprised at how high the water in Canandaigua Lake had risen.  So, here are some photos I took during our “monsoon” (or so it seemed!) season.

First, here are some photos showing the south end of the lake.  This is in Woodville, which is maybe about five miles from our house.  I have said before that Woodville is situated at a very low level on Canandaigua Lake…

You can see there is little to distinguish where the parking lot begins and the lake ends! I can’t remember exactly how many days it had been raining at this point, but it was heavy, relentless rain! Here is some looking rather innocent, coming down from the surrounding hillsides.  Multiply all this water by, well, a great deal.  Canandaigua Lake is basically a “bowl” for the hills running from the south end of the lake to about midway. (The lake is about 20 miles long)

The water running down the side of the road runs into conduit under the highway and then into the lake.  This was a rather small “waterfall”. 

The flooding at the south end of the lake made me curious about what was happening at the north end!  The Canandaigua City Pier would tell the story.

The boathouses looked like the water was literally going up to their doorsteps!

As I walked around taking photos, I saw a man looking along the boardwalks.  I commented on how high the lake was and what a mess it was. He told me the water actually made its way *over* the pier during Hurricane Agnes in 1972. 

Just before driving onto the pier,  there isa marine located on the lake.  Their docks on the eastern side of the lake were completely submerged.

A day or two after visiting Woodville,  I wandered that way again and couldn’t believe my eyes!  The water had risen even more!

During our wild weather,  it was almost cruel at the day’s end when beautiful sunsets would seem to appear from nowhere!

Thankfully, this weather has passed! I have never seen so much rain for so many days, at least that I can remember. We still have the little clouds with drizzling rain showing up in the weather forecasts, but thankfully,  the chances of rain are reduced to about 20-30% instead of  90-100%!

Once again, it looks as though I am writing to myself!  Argh.  Oh well.

Been a terribly busy week.  Well, not for me. But…I did not spend hours in front of the television,watching the big event in the form of the royal wedding.  That  just isn’t my cuppa.  But,  today as I was thinking about it,  I did watch the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana.  I guess I had a little more time back then.  Anyway,  I did look at many photos of Prince Wm. and Kate’s wedding….wow! Those hats!  And the queen dressed in canary yellow.  My oh my, what an event!

Michelle has made her decision about college and sent in her deposit to RIT. (Rochester Institute of Technology)  In speaking to some of her business professors, they were rather pleased with her choice.  Michelle could have attended a public school, but instead, chose RIT, which is a private institution.  I am happy with her choice and I think she will be, too.  At the moment, she is feeling a little overwhelmed by everything,  but she will be okay.  Of that, I am sure!  She earned a great deal of financial relief in the form of grants and scholarships from her excellent grades…we are so pleased she is such a good and serious student!

The news about the death of Osama bin Laden has been screaming out everywhere.  People are arguing about whether to rejoice or just be thankful.  There is so much controversy that it has nearly sent me into media shock.  I will be grateful when this death is no longer newsworthy.  My gut feeling is that although he is now gone,  there will rise up more enemies and they might even be more deadly.  I do not mean to sound pessimistic but there will always be people out to destroy others for one reason or another.

We have gotten so much rain!  I don’t think I ever remember seeing so much rain for so many days.  In looking back, I think we have gotten maybe one “semi” nice day a week with some sunshine peeking through the clouds inthe past two or three weeks.  The ground is so saturated!  I had been thinking about planting a small garden with at least tomatoes, but wonder when Iwill be able to plant!  This dreary weather is bad enough, but it is accompanied by quite a chill as well.  Today, the temperature was about 38 degrees most of the day and I finally made a fire in the woodstove late this afternoon to take the dampness out of the air. 

We are looking forward to the summer, but it will be another busy one.  Michelle didn’t realize she would receive more money towards her schooling if she received her Associate’s Degree from the community college she attends.  Once she discovered this,  she began to make amends immediately.  The net result is that she will be taking three online business courses from the college this summer so she will receive the degree.  She contacted RIT’s admissions  and they noted that she will be getting her associate’s  and have tentatively agreed to give her a bigger grant once she has her degree in hand.  Michelle is determined to get the degree and is sure the coursework will allow for some fun activities despite the fact she will be working on schoolwork!

That about sums it up here.  With all this rain, I have not been taking photos like I normally would. Rain just isn’t that good for the camera!!!