Yesterday was my Last Day of Summer. I’m waiting for some decisions to be finalized at school, so I can’t quite start working on classes. So it was either sit around at home, or do something to distract myself. For a long time, I’ve been meaning to borrow Michele’s canoe and go canoeing. Marshy Point Nature Center is a place I’ve canoed while on a field trip with eighth graders. It’s also the place where I took honey bee classes. It’s also free. I talked Denis into going with me, and off we went!
Tying the canoe to my pickup truck was a challenge. The canoe is almost as long as my truck is. Fortunately, I have several ratchet-type straps that held it firmly in place and we transported it with no incidents.
The water at Marshy Point is just off of the Gunpowder River, which runs into Chesapeake Bay. It’s not salty at that point, so there were lots and lots of plants and algae in the water. It was sort of cool, but sort of gross. Denis took the back of the boat. He has quite a bit of rowing experience, what with being from an island and all. He was very patient with me and my amateur rowing skills. We rowed around for about an hour. It was hot and humid. Thankfully it was overcast, but that didn’t stop me from sweating like a pig. (Where does that expression come from anyway? Do pigs really sweat a lot?)
Anyway… Thanks, Michele for the loan of the canoe. Thanks, Denis for coming along. It was a wonderful day in denial.
Is that Michele’s house? For a second I thought it was mine, and then I noticed that it was clean, so it had to be someplace else.
Good last day plan! That looks very peaceful, except for the alligators and leeches. and marsh monsters.
…”oh, my!”
…and some assorted imponderables for the morning:
* Is there a mirror placed somewhere beneath your truck upon which is imprinted in white block letters “Objects hung over the back of the truck are not so low as they appear”? If so, who would be able to read it and how would it help in one’s navigation? Bet those speed humps are tricky!
* Technically, everyone‘s last day of summer should be 9/20…but ours appears to be Sunday coming up due to Monday faculty meetings. Pray, tell: what made yesterday your last day of summer, sir?
* You are so diplomatic – “looking for some decisions to be finalized” – HA! I think you meant “Praying for some sanity to return to life as we know it”, didn’t you? It’s ok, buddy – nobody’s been able to find the course notebook for my newest offering either. That could make for a very long week next week while wheels are re-invented…
* …and no…not really….the pigs sweating part…that’s why they use the icky mud bath. I always figured the expression came from someone who really worked up a sweat, since if a pig were to sweat that much, it would be a medical miracle, so to speak. But then I could be all wet…………[get it?]
* How do you know the wild grasses in that photo were not really your own hairs?! (We have a funny snapshot of my confirmation class all lined up in front of the altar at Bethlehem. Pastor Rook hadn’t much hair any longer by ’66, and he stood just so that when the pictures printed out he looked like he was wearing gold earrings in both lobes due to the tips of the horizontal bar on the altar cross directly behind him. We all giggled about that for years, nicknaming him “Mr. Clean”, which wasn’t quite right since Mr. Clean only word one earring.)
You call them speed “humps”?
I’ve never known anyone to call them that. Only speed “bumps”.
Fascinating. Does everyone in Baltimore call them that?
When we go visit John and Cheri in Rockford IL, they have speed humps. They are very different from speed bumps – at least in Rockford.
Indeed, there seems to be a slight technical difference between the two: the “bumps” are not so broad but higher than the “humps”. In other words, “humps” are generally easier on your alignment…so in my neighborhood they don’t effect the desired slow down…for me, anyway.
Denis – you are SO cheating with that vest! You missed a few important buckles that would help to save your life should the canoe tip. Just because you were the expert paddler in that canoe doesn’t give you license to ignore safety rules!
Nice pic. How many takes did you do before settling on that one?
Maybe that’s why Denis’ vest is unzipped. He was already hot and sweaty…but waiting for the perfect pic sent him over the edge.
Figuratively, of course.
What’s that thing hanging off the end of the canoe (when it’s on the truck)? Tell me it’s Ned.
Er, Max.
I thought it would be a good weight loss plan for him: tie him to the end of the canoe and have him run along behind the truck. He’s a surprisingly fast runner.
In the words of the former DOOL character, Susan Banks,
“Why, that’s just mean, mean, mean, mean, mean!!”, said with a fake Southern accent.
Poor Max!! – were his pads bleeding??!!
[……….oh………..well, then………never mind!]
🙂
“Sweating like a Pig” sounds illogical, as pigs have ineffective sweat glands, but the term is derived from the iron smelting process. After pouring into runners in sand, iron is allowed to cool and is seen as resembling a sow and piglets – Hence “pig iron”. As the pigs cool, the surrounding air reaches its dew point, and beads of moisture form on the surface of the pigs. “Sweating like a pig” indicates that the pig has cooled enough to be moved in safety.
Wow! You are surprisingly well-versed in the smelting process. whereas I have mastered the ‘dealt’ing process.
Heh heh.
wow – Denis, you are one muscular dude! Sorry, Brad, but I can’t see yours.
Those are his rock-solid tennis legs – right Denis?
I should mention that Brad has wicked tie-down-strap skilz!
That canoe wasn’t going anywhere!