I stayed over at my parents house last night after coming back from Schoharie around 4:15 PM. Maybe not a perfect weekend, I would have rather had more space up at camp and no neighbors, less humidity on Saturday morning and more sun and warmth on Sunday afternoon at pool but on the whole it was a fun weekend even if the band was bad and car show was a bummer.
I am feeling relaxed after a good weekend. I thought Big Red was well behaved, no real issues beyond t the regular complaints, groans and somewhat sloppy handling of a 14-year old getting beat up old jacked up truck. I’m ready for good, quiet, trouble free summer vacation up at Chicken Coop or Potomac Road. 13 days this year with the extra days I added on plus Labor Day. But I think it will make it through summer vacation most likely. If not I’ll get it repaired and/or rent a car. I am going to set up at tent at camp for storing boxes, gear and dirty clothes. Honestly, I worry too much and so much of my problems are just in my head. And when I realize that, take a deep breath it’s great. It will be so nice once I arrive at the Finger Lakes, get unpacked, get the hammock out and relax with a cold beer.
Landlord is ripping the windows out and replacing them in my apartment. 🪟Not sure what was wrong with the windows upstairs, maybe he was concerned about the moss that was starting to grow in the frame and it potentially leaking into the building frame. I don’t know but he was working on it over the weekend and replaced one of the windows and is chip-sealing where I normally park. I’m not going to worry about it, I do want to so more cleaning before vacation so things aren’t a mess when I get home, but I had no notice until Saturday evening that he was going to be buy to work on the building. I kind of more wish he would replace the front door and downstairs windows, the door is all rotted out and those windows definitely leak air downstairs. Hopefully he will be done by the time I get home, but maybe not if he’s milking cows in the afternoon, but I want time to get packed tonight without having to work around people swapping out windows. If he wants to tear at the walls of my apartment or make other changes while I’m gone that’s fine, especially if I he could replace the rotted out door and not jack up my rent further.
Looks like it will be a cool but sunny for vacation. I am debating if I want to pack my propane heater. It takes up a fair amount of space in the truck, and it’s just one more thing to pack and unpack and lock up at camp, especially if I want to bring two coolers. It would be good if we have some cold rainy days, especially I think Wednesday is going to be cold and rainy to start out the trip. But the space issue is a bit of a worry, especially if I were to have a breakdown. Truth is though I’m over that, I got things checked out, but you just never know. And it’s one more thing to keep track of at camp and lock up each day before I head out. It could be cool especially up on Hector Backbone, but it is still August.
I am thinking about getting clams on the way out to the Finger Lakes as with it being kind of a cold and rainy day to start out camp, boiling down clams in beer with maybe some of those mini onions and fresh sweet corn and any other veggies 🫑 I get at farm stands on the way out there may be an excellent way to start out vacation, even if I am setting up in the rain. I would like to leave before the morning rush, and be able to be in the hammock camp all set up by 1 or 2 PM at the latest. Then maybe after some clams grab my fishing pole and see what I can catch in Foster or Potomac Ponds. I just want some peace and sanity in my life – a deep breath and not living my life constantly in fear of daemons that only lurk inside my mind.
Thursday I might loaf around the National Forest with my bike and fishing pole as it looks like Friday would be best day this week to go down to Watkins Glen to swim and maybe paddle on Seneca Lake if it’s calm enough. Maybe eat a bunch more clams and sweet corn. Float on one of the ponds, see if the snapping turtle bites at my shorts too much. Listen to cows. Read and relax. Just try to get my sanity back, read a bit, stay off the internet maybe a bit.
But anybody who knows anything about drugs knows that is not how cannabis works. THC is a fat soluble chemical like dioxin, it binds tightly to fats in the body and can be detected long after exposure. This is why it’s so hard to chemically test drivers for intoxication as THC in the blood stream can be detected as much as a month after consumption, long after any intoxicating effects exist.
It’s actually kind of interesting how dioxin and THC are related – their binding mechanisms to fat are similar and the result of the decomposition of certain chemicals after exposure to moderate amounts of heat. Both are carcinogenic and cause cancer too though like anything with cancer it’s one risk factor in many. But that’s beyond the point.
There isn’t a lot of scientific evidence that residual THC as found in the blood bound to fat is acutely intoxicating. But does it have other more subtler impacts? I’ve wondered that a lot. There is little evidence that cannabis is addictive anymore then any other pleasurable activity though it is known in heavy long term usage to dull the minds, especially of the youth.
But can it also make more subtle changes to the brain chemistry? That’s more of a mystery because the human mind even in the modern times remains largely a mystery to the advanced science of today. I know I have really gotten into wildflower identification and pictures this year and really enjoy deep rich colors. While cannabis certainly enhances this by increasing focus and perception on color, I think the impacts are far longer lasting. Is it because of perception gained while high or because something has changed in my brain? Maybe I’ve always been taken aback by beauty but now I find it much more necessary to study the wildflowers and nature every day.
Cool but pleasant this morning…not humid this morning but it’s expected to warm up in a bit. I took down camp a few minutes ago and now are out for a walk at Looking Glass Pond.
I ended up hanging out at camp 🍻 drinking and then reading 📖 and listening to music until I don’t know 10:30 or so by the fire. Lots of produce to cook up. It was a nice evening but it seems like I just set up camp. I never did go and visit the other campsite as after dinner I was pretty drunk after washing down a lot of leaks and zucchuni 🧅 with beer. Bunch of sweet corn 🌽 too. I should have gone and visited last night but with the sun, alcohol and beer I was pretty darn tired after a brief fire 🔥 admittedly mostly to burn accumulated camp garbage like corn cobs and plastic wrappers.
Beautiful morning at Looking Glass Pond 🌻 🦋 saw a monarch butterfly and hiked back to the lean to on Burnt Hill. It’s actually a bit cool for swimming 🏊 though by mid day it should be good for floating and swimming. ⭕ They say thunderstorms ⛈️ are likely in the afternoon but that’s to be expected on a summer afternoon.
I realized that I forgot a few items at Shauls and want to get more of their amazing cherry tomatoes 🍅. I am eating good from Shauls. But that said, come Wednesday when I head out to the Finger Lakes much more good to eat. Then I will change into my bathing suit 🏊 put in at Max Shaul Campground to float a bit, then I’ll head to Mine Kill Pool for the balance of the day before heading out to the folks house to visit and Sunday dinner. 🍔
It will be so nice to have a campsite for 13 days when I head out to the Finger Lakes on Wednesday through Labor Day. 🏕️ Not having to set up and take down camp. Get a nice set up done, hang out and relax. Enjoy the time on vacation, some days head into town for adventure but also days spent doing things not far from camp. 🎣 🚲 It always seems like I’m rushing to and from camp, one adventure after another. Have literal days where I can just hang out and read. 📖 I’ll bring the kayak 🛶 and tube out to the Finger Lakes but I don’t have to paddle every day at any rate. I will take the kayak off my truck and keep it locked up at camp most days.
Looks like rain showers for driving 🚘 out to camp on Wednesday but I think I still want to go out then. ☔ I might get clams 🦪 and sweet corn 🌽 to start out the trip plus bacon 🥓. I didn’t yet open up the grass I got on Friday, I’ll hold off until the following week at checking out one of dispensaries in Ithaca. I’m just tired of working all the time, 💾 it’s like drinking out of the fire hose at work but then again I find ways to keep myself busy by developing new services and processes. 📚 But I also just want more time to read 📖 up at camp. Not be racing 🏁 each day to a state park 🏞️ to see just yet another waterfall or swimming pool. I’m not saying they’re won’t be hours of fishing, hiking or floating in the National Forest though.
One of the things I want to do is ask questions and listen to people on vacation. 👨👨👦 It sounds werid but I’m increasingly interested in meeting new and interesting people. 🆕 As much as I enjoy the wilderness 🌲 and my fires and freedom 🔥 I think there is much to be learned from others. I also want to sit down and play with Facebook dating to see who I can spark up a conversation with from my hammock up at camp. 🩴Being in my forties I realize it’s a great time to meet people who are either divorced or looking for a new direction in the second half of their lives. Myself included.
I’m avoiding heading back to camp because I don’t want to deal with having neighbors nearby even though I told them it’s fine to camp there. I should go over and spark up a conversation with them to learn something new and because it’s good practice to meet new people. Ask questions don’t speak so much. It’s just so hot and humid and I don’t want to spend all night drinking and stoned.
It was hot and I didn’t really love the pool thought reading one of Temple Grandins books on livestock handling and listening more to an audio book in one of the Adirondack Chairs they now have was nice. Really bummed out about the non car show, I wish I had spent more time floating in the Schoharie Creek. Maybe tomorrow, depends on the weather. Pool swimming with the chemicals is kind of gross, I really prefer floating on the tube in the Schoharie Creek.
Landlord emailed me, he’s replacing my windows. Hopefully on days when I’m not home. I didn’t think the upstairs windows were bad or drafty but it’s his building. Rent goes up too much or I get evicted, I can find somewhere else to live. At this point it’s silly to worry about him discovering what a dump my unit is, I’m sure he’s aware when he bought the building. I should clean it up a bit before vacation but honestly I don’t care. I could have something much nicer if I wanted, something I own don’t rent. Closer to work now that the express bus is done.
After my truck or maybe before it my housing situation is what I find most alarming. I could afford something newer than a 14 year now kind of beat up pickup or more than $800 a month rent. Or camping on some remote dirt road rather than staying in a fancy motel, campground or cabin. But it’s the life I choose. There are many less fortunate then me but I don’t like the professional ass wipe services that most people have. I hate all the trash, the fake luxury and comfort. I like dirt, my freedom and doing it myself with basic stuff.
I thought Big Red was well behaved, no real issues beyond t the regular complaints, groans and somewhat sloppy handling of a 14-year old getting beat up old jacked up truck. I’m ready for good, quiet, trouble free summer vacation up at Chicken Coop or Potomac Road. 13 days this year with the extra days I added on plus Labor Day. 
But I think it will make it through summer vacation most likely. If not I’ll get it repaired and/or rent a car. I am going to set up at tent at camp for storing boxes, gear and dirty clothes. 
Honestly, I worry too much and so much of my problems are just in my head. 
And when I realize that, take a deep breath it’s great. It will be so nice once I arrive at the Finger Lakes, get unpacked, get the hammock out and relax with a cold beer.
If he wants to tear at the walls of my apartment or make other changes while I’m gone that’s fine, especially if I he could replace the rotted out door and not jack up my rent further. 
I am debating if I want to pack my propane heater. It takes up a fair amount of space in the truck, and it’s just one more thing to pack and unpack and lock up at camp, especially if I want to bring two coolers. It would be good if we have some cold rainy days, 
especially I think Wednesday is going to be cold and rainy to start out the trip. But the space issue is a bit of a worry, especially if I were to have a breakdown. 
Truth is though I’m over that, I got things checked out, but you just never know. And it’s one more thing to keep track of at camp and lock up each day before I head out. It could be cool especially up on Hector Backbone, but it is still August.
as with it being kind of a cold and rainy day to start out camp, boiling down clams in beer with maybe some of those mini onions and fresh sweet corn 
and any other veggies 🫑 I get at farm stands on the way out there may be an excellent way to start out vacation, even if I am setting up in the rain. I would like to leave before the morning rush, and be able to be in the hammock camp all set up by 1 or 2 PM at the latest. Then maybe after some clams grab my fishing pole 
and see what I can catch in Foster or Potomac Ponds. I just want some peace and sanity in my life – a deep breath and not living my life constantly in fear of daemons that only lurk inside my mind.
and fishing pole as it looks like Friday would be best day this week to go down to Watkins Glen to swim and maybe paddle on Seneca Lake if it’s calm enough. 
Maybe eat a bunch more clams and sweet corn. Float on one of the ponds, 
see if the snapping turtle bites at my shorts too much. Listen to cows. 
Read and relax. Just try to get my sanity back, read a bit, stay off the internet maybe a bit.
