On This Day – November 6, 2023

Monday – A Cold Start

It was a chilly 27.7 degrees F when I woke up. The cold has killed the foliage on the dahlias and I need to dig the tubers and bring them in for the winter. That is my next chore.

A better mousetrap?

I didn’t trap any mice last night, but I thought I should make a product recommendation. The trap on the left is a sure killer and very easy to set. The “better” one on the right is junk. As I’ve stated before, please don’t use poison, the crows do a fine job of dead mouse removal. The Victor trap on the left will do the job.

Diary or Journal?

Last night I thought about what I hope to convey via these postings. As a member of the Historical Society I deal with journals and diaries written in the past century. Diaries are accounts stating facts in a sequential order. Poultry farmer James Roger would start his diary entry with a weather report and then list his chores. His entries are “just the facts”, they seldom state his ideas or opinions. On the other hand I would regard the writings of William Kaula as a journal. They were written when he was studying art in Paris and contain commentary about art, his fellow artists and even the politics of the day.

It’s a Journal

My cousin told me that she had been keeping a journal for years and in retrospect I wish I had started earlier There were so many people and events in “my strange life” that I wish I had jotted down notes at the end of each day. Nevertheless it is not too late to start, even as I look at 80 as not being that old. As in all pursuits it requires the discipline to do the work. I still encounter interesting people and events, and plenty of mundane tasks, and most importantly I have this platform as a a way to document it. So what happened today?

Biopsy

I love feeling the sun on my face om a summer day. In my teens I had a lawn mowing business and in the warm months would always be shirtless. There was no such thing as sun screen. Back then the only protection was zinc oxide on the nose of lifeguards. My years of sun worship have come back to haunt me. I’ve already had several cancers removed with MOHS surgery so I know the symptoms. I had a suspicious spot on the tip of my nose. What I learned today is how sensitive the nose when getting a dose of lidocaine. Hopefully the test will be negative.

Only In New Ipswich

You can see some interesting things along the roadside in New Ipswich. This Kiosk on Dark Lane always has something. Today it was two waiters, a giraffe, Santa and a gnome. I suspect that these items all came from the Green Center.

I made a stop at Happy Hardware, the latest addition to the NeWest mall. I was looking for an angle bracket for my birdhouse but left with a propane lighter fashioned as a shotgun. Where else would you be able to buy such a thing? I suspect that Happy Hardware will be my destination for impulse buying.

On This Day – Eight Years Ago

On November 6, 2015 I attended a ribbon cutting ceremony for a solar array that was constructed on a brownfield in Peterborough, NH. Senator Jeanne Shaheen was one of the dignitaries that spoke. I’m happy to see how many installations have been added since these photos were taken.

That’s All Folks

That conclude this journal (diary?) entry. I’ll try to continue with this enterprise. I’ve read that it is actually therapeutic and helps with emotional wellness. If you haven’t noticed the world does not feel like it is chaos, the world is in chaos. Be well readers.

Keeping a journal helps you create order when your world feels like it’s in chaos. You get to know yourself by revealing your most private fears, thoughts, and feelings. Look at your writing time as personal relaxation time. It’s a time when you can de-stress and wind down. Write in a place that’s relaxing and soothing, maybe with a cup of tea. Look forward to your journaling time. And know that you’re doing something good for your mind and body.

University of Rochester Medical Center