#hamshire road

[roesolo]

More Construction Fun with Pigs Dig a Road

Pigs Dig a Road, by Carrie Finison/Illustrated by Brian Biggs, (Sept. 2024, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers), $19.99, ISBN: 9781984816542 Ages 3-7 A construction crew is getting ready to build a new road to the Hamshire County Fair. Headed up by Rosie, the crew chief, this crew of pigs is ready to work, but they can’t seem to get things quite right and rely on Rosie to fix things. But…

[celtfather]

Celebrate the Things you Love #601

Celtic music is an integral part of my life. But like all things, it could be gone tomorrow. We have to celebrate the things we love in the moment. You can do that on this week’s Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.

Hanneke Cassel, Emerald Accent, Lily Bentley, Ben Doran, Mad Maudlin, Jim Brady, The Bookends, Celtic Conundrum, Chris Crawford, The Langer's Ball, Kyle Carey, APRIL MOON BAND, Stout Pounders, The Tomfooligans, Niamh Dunne

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VOTE IN THE CELTIC TOP 20 FOR 2023

This is our way of finding the best songs and artists each year. You can vote for as many songs and tunes that inspire you in each episode. Your vote helps me create next year's Best Celtic music of 2023 episode.  Vote Now!

Two weeks after the episode is launched, I compile your votes to update a playlist on Spotify and YouTube. These are the results of your voting. You can help these artists out by following the playlists and adding tracks you love to your playlists. Follow us on Facebook to find out who is added each week.

Listen on Spotify and YouTube.

THIS WEEK IN CELTIC MUSIC

0:02 - Intro: Barehead Bards

0:11 - Hanneke Cassel "Evacuation Day" from Infinite Brightness

3:42 - WELCOME

5:16 - Emerald Accent "Brosna / Padraic O'keefe / Merrily Kiss the Quaker" from All of Us

10:10 - Celtic Conundrum "Rosen Bridge" from The Promise

14:25 - Ben Doran "Bridget O'Malley" from Ceol an Chroi II

16:48 - Mad Maudlin "MacPherson's Rant" from Empty Chairs

22:35 - FEEDBACK

28:24 - Jim Brady "Whiskey on a Sunday" from Whiskey on a Sunday

32:24 - The Bookends "Waving to Muireann" from A Celtic Celebration: The Bookends with the Stratford Symphony Orchestra

38:34 - APRIL MOON BAND "Molly Malone" from Single

40:45 - Chris Crawford "Sword of Celts" from Single

45:20 - The Langer's Ball "No Irish Need Apply" from Hard Time in the Country

48:15 - KYLE CAREY STORY

Kyle Carey plays Gaelic Americana music. She’s originally from New Hamshire and sings songs in Irish and Scots Gaelic. Her songwriting is inspired by American and Celtic folklore.

50:33 - Kyle Carey "Tell Me Love" from The Art of Forgetting

55:32 - THANKS

57:22 - Lily Bentley "Selkie's Call" from Ways of Calling

1:00:34 - Stout Pounders "Sometimes" from Pour Decisions

1:04:09 - The Tomfooligans "Bayou City" from Single

1:06:15 - CLOSING

1:07:06 - Niamh Dunne "Roads of Old Tralee w/ Joshua Burnside" from Tides

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast was produced by Marc Gunn, The Celtfather and our Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs.

Visit our website to subscribe to the show. You’ll find links to all of the artists played in this episode. You’ll get access to our Best of this Year Playlist. You can subscribe to our Celtic Music Magazine and get 34 Celtic MP3s for Free. Plus, you’ll get 7 weekly news items about what’s happening with Celtic music and culture online. Best of all, you will connect with your Celtic heritage.

Finally, please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor.

Promote Celtic culture through music at http://celticmusicpodcast.com/.

WELCOME CELTOPHILE TO CELTIC MUSIC

* Helping you celebrate Celtic culture through music. I am Marc Gunn. I’m a musician and podcaster out of Atlanta, Georgia. This Podcast is here to build our diverse Celtic community and help the incredible artists who so generously share their music with you. If you hear music you love, please email artists to let them know you heard them on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast.

You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes, along with show times, when you visit our website at celticmusicpodcast.com.

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CELEBRATE THE THINGS YOU LOVE

The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast is here because of your kind and generous support. Almost 300 people pledge $1, $5, $10, even $25 every week so that you can enjoy the show four times a month.

But not everyone wants or can afford to make a monthly donation to this podcast. And I get that. You should always make sure you are financially able to support the show if you love it.

There’s also another great way to support the podcast. You can make a one - off donation or buy something in our store at MageRecords.com.

There’s a Virtual Tip Jar if you just want to give a few bucks. You can buy a digital album, either one of mine or one of our compilations. You can buy a physical product like an Irish & Celtic Music Podcast t - shirt, pint glass, a sticker, or even a Celtic Heartstring necklace, hand - made by yours truly.

No matter what you buy, you can always name your price if you want to just give a little bit more.

There are other ways to support the podcast if you just want to donate through PayPal, Venmo or CashApp. You’ll find a link to all of these items in the shownotes.

A special thanks to our newest Patrons of the Podcast: Karl S

Make a donation to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.

THANK YOU PATRONS OF THE PODCAST!

Because of Your kind and generous support, this show comes out at least four times a month. Your generosity funds the creation, promotion and production of the show. It allows us to attract new listeners and to help our community grow.

As a patron, you get music - only episodes before regular listeners, vote in the Celtic Top 20, and you get a private feed to listen to the show.  All that for as little as $1 per episode.

HERE IS YOUR THREE STEP PLAN TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

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Decide how much you want to pledge every week, $1, $5, $10. Make sure to cap how much you want to spend per month.

Keep listening to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast to celebrate Celtic culture through music.

You can become a generous Patron of the Podcast on Patreon at SongHenge.com.

TRAVEL WITH CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS

Every year, I take a small group of Celtic music fans on the relaxing adventure of a lifetime. We don't see everything. Instead, we stay in one area. We get to know the region through its culture, history, and legends. You can join us with an auditory and visual adventure through podcasts and videos.

In 2023, we’re going on a Celtic Invasion of County Mayo in Ireland. We’re gonna explore the area and get to know Grace O’Malley, the Pirate Queen. Learn more about the invasion at http://celticinvasion.com/

#celticmusic #irishmusic #celticmusicpodcast

I WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

What are you doing today while listening to the podcast? You can take a screenshot of the podcast on your phone. You can send a written comment along with a picture of what you're doing while listening. Or how about a picture you took of a band that you saw.

How would you like to introduce an episode of the podcast? It’s super easy. Contact me for details.

Email me at celticpodcast@gmail, message me on Facebook, or contact me through Mastodon @celtfather@c.im.

Betty Collette emailed: "I'm listening to today's new podcast and sewing! I make tshirt quilts and this one is #3 of 5. I love listening to Celtic music when I sew and especially on Thursdays with a new podcast! Thanks a bunch for all you share with us!"

Solange Benoit commented on Facebook about Kilrush: "Love these guys and gal! Their friendship and genuine respect for each other, shows on stage. Individually talented but together, simply amazing!"

Mary Beth Carty commented on Facebook: "Sometimes you just gotta go to the fair, and when you're there, you gotta... move through it Thanks for the spin, it's an honour!"

Dan C sent a message on Patreon: "Hey Marc. Heard your request for new bands and I feel the Drowsy Lads would a excellent band to feature. I’ve heard them play on the main stages of the Dublin and Milwaukee Irish Music festivals.

I personally sent them a submission form from your website and hoping they fill it out because their music is great. Thanks for all the hard work you do for the podcast. Cheers my friend"

Bill M messaged on Patreon: "Hello Mark,

You have asked for feedback hundreds of times over the past 15+ years.  But there was something about your 534th request  that moved me to type you this message.

I am among the listeners who you once called – “the original iTunes 1,000”.  I think I started listening to your podcast at the same time I discovered iTunes.

Figuring out how to download your podcast is the basically all I know how to do with my iPhone.  I am not any good with this social networking stuff.  In fact, I am not even certain if I am on the right website right now.  This message will likely shoot pass the Serenity and end up in the nihility of empty space.  But I will keep typing in the event this message somehow ends up on your desk.

I literally listen to every one of your podcast at least once a year and more likely two or three times a year.  Before you get a restraining order, let me explain.

I have a small goat dairy with about 15 goats.  I play your podcast for several hours a day, several days per week.  I download between 10 to 20 podcast every other week.  My sound system loops them over and over again, Monday through Saturday.  On Sunday I put on a playlist of religious music for the kids.

Your biggest fan is my #1 goat, MayBelle.  If I can figure it out, I will attach a picture of her.  You might say I am writing you in her behalf.  MayBelle really likes the lovely voices of women singers.  Sometimes you catch her taking a pause to listen to an angelic voice.  She will stand in the doorway of the barn, where the music is the loudest, and sway back and forth, just listening to the music.

And sometimes a song will make MayBelle throw a hoof my way.  MayBelle listens to your podcast while I am milking her.  She normally stands peacefully; but when you play some punk rock Celtic music; the change in tone startles her and she starts kicking.

So since you keep asking for feedback, here it comes.  You might want to consider doing a shout - out before you start playing the more heavy, rock - and - roll music.  Say something like  -  “Hey MayBelle, here comes a head banger!”  This way she can go to her happy place for a while, or at least I get a cue to watch out for flying hooves.

When I am not around the barn, I like to listen to your Pub Songs podcast.  In fact I am listening to Sci - Fi Pub Songs Podcast #265 as I type this message.   I don't play these podcasts in the paddock because some of the songs and stories have adult content that are not suitable for kids.  {just kidding  -  maybe}

A little more feedback.  I really like the way you link the singers to your podcast.  You introduced me to the Wicked Tinkers, Boston Blackhorn,  Irish Rovers, Three Mile Stone –  just to name a few.  Your podcast makes it easy to find their websites and download songs for my eclectic collection of Celtic tunes.  I even downloaded some of the headbangers that make MayBelle's ears bleed.

You have given me and my goats so many hours of wonderful and delightful music.   From all of us at MT Acres, we say – thank you, thank you, thank you......"

Check out this episode!

[pc3020]

2018-12-18 18:13:54

Vernacular Shopping trolley sculpture in Hampshire road near CentreCom’s warehouse.

[brainless-moe-white-lotus]

new hlampsh ire such a beautiful place …

I wish I lived on new hamshire road in new hampshire...

[dirtanddecadence]

IDA • A collection of feelings, during this, the first time I’ve sat *still* in three days. Back to the road I guess. Love y’all, see you for clean up. (at Hamshire, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTIzJxKlhD9/?utm_medium=tumblr

[scribbling-stiks]

AAR - III - Close Call

The phone begins ringing again, and Russia jerks out of his thoughts.

'What is that?'

Then the ringing registers and Arizona answers, turning off the radio and connecting to the speaker with the phone.

"Hey, can everyone hear me?" California asks.

Texas gave affirmation, as did others from other cars.

"Okay, so, I think York-y and I figured out what happened. We're pretty sure some official is working as an informant and is tracking purchases from our cards."

"So renting hotel rooms is out of the question," Dixie comments.

"Unless we stock up on cash, yeah," California answers, "and I don't think we should be withdrawing anything right now though. I'm afraid they're right on our tail."

"Well, what should we do? I can't drive constantly," Texas says.

"And I can't sleep in a moving car," New Hamshire complains.

"How much longer can you guys drive?" Colorado asks.

"I can manage, but I'd rather get settled sooner than later," Texas replies.

Several other answers also come in, varying from "I'm fine" to "I'm about to pass out."

Colorado sighs.

"Dixie?"

"Yeah, kiddo?"

"The next road you can turn off onto, take it. It doesn't lead really anywhere, but the end shouldn't be visible from the main road."

"Hold up, how many cars are with us?" Utah asks.

There is a brief pause before Dixie answers, "11, the right number. Why?"

"I was just making sure," Utah replies.

Dixie sighs.

"Don't be scaring me like that," Dixie mutters.

Then a few moments of quiet, the car slows, and it turns down onto a gravel road. Russia hears the stones kicking up onto the underside of the car. Looking out the window, he sees how the trees overtake the sky.

The road winds and rocks loudly clang against the underside of the car.

Finally, they pull over and the overhead light in the car flickers on. America groans.

"Is it safe to get out?" Texas asks after pulling the parking brake.

"Yeah. Nothing here," Massachusetts replies.

"Come on, let's get out and find somewhere to sleep. If there ain't anywhere, we should just stay in the cars."

America gets up and stumbles out. Texas pulls Russia out in a fireman carry. Russia shivers at the winter air. He briefly sees the others begin to dig through the trunk and pull out blankets. The walk down the now narrowing path.

The wind whips by and Russia's shivering gets a little worse.

"Hey, can one of y'all toss a blanket on top of Russia here?" Texas asks.

Someone tucks a blanket around him and the wind feels less harsh.

"Why can't we just stay in the car?" Ontario asks. His siblings chime in with agreement.

"I got a very bad feeling about staying in the cars," Dixie replies begrudgingly.

"That is not a good reason," Quebec complains, her french accent making her nearly unintelligible.

Dixie stops and turns around.

"Please. Y'all have to trust me on this. We can't stay in the cars. We can't," Dixie says, a pleading look in his eyes.

The others look torn.

"Y'all, I think Dixie might be right 'bout this one," South Carolina says.

"Yeah. Let's just see if there's anything to stay in for the night. I ain't sleeping on the floor," Texas says, leaving the "again" unspoken.

There are a few more minutes of walking until they stumble upon an abandoned building. It looks like it used to be a homely one-story cabin. Now, both front windows are broken, and one is boarded up. It looks abandoned, but not unstable. The logs making up the outside walls are thick and dark.

"Hey Coco, wanna help me and New Mex search to make sure there's no one already here?" Texas asks.

Colorado nods and a group of four states walk in, guns out, and clear the house. It takes only a few moments for them to reappear and wave everyone inside. Russia looks around and sees that the cabin only has one room and a curtain that used to be used to divide the space is ripped, and the entire interior is covered in pieces of discarded items.

"Who's keeping watch?" Dixie asks.

"I will," Connecticut volunteers.

A few other states volunteer, and Texas lays Russia down on one of the blankets that had been put on the ground, his back against the wall. America snuggles up next to him, laying in his lap. Once America lies down, the states follow. Before he knew it, Russia finds himself surrounded by a huge group of people shuffling around. A bit of complaining rang out, but it quiets quickly. Surrounded by people, and America tucked under his arm, Russia feels warm.

The younger children try their best to push their way to the center of the group to America. When America was covered, some of them even took places against Russia.

Russia didn't know what to do. He knew there wasn't much to do, with his limited movement, but being surrounded like this, made him feel shielded, almost protected. Although he wanted to be the one doing the protecting, having all these people who seemed to trust him, surrounding him.

He felt less exposed.

Unfortunately, this does not last.

Russia doesn't remember when he'd drifted off, but he woke up to the sound of a muffled walkie talkie and shuffling outside the building.

Even if he could move, he lays frozen in terror.

He stares around and sees that the people who were on watch had drifted off against one of the walls, except for Dixie. Dixie stares up with wide eyes at the window behind Russia's head, in his hands is a shotgun. Dixie meets Russia's eyes and brings a finger to his lips as if to shush him.

"What are we even looking for?" a voice says.

"The people who were in those cars," a second voice replies, a deeper tone than the first.

'Who is that?'

"But how do we even know they're here?"

"This is the direction they left too."

'Oh no. What are they doing here? Are they some of the soldiers that were chasing us? They have to be.'

Russia tries to keep his breathing as calm as he can manage. In through the nose and out through the mouth. He had to keep quiet. He had to.

"Well, what cars were they supposed to be driving anyway?"

"..."

"You're no help."

"Well, the cars are empty. I opened 'em up and checked. You think anyone's in here?"

"Nah. Listen, I'm f***ing freezing, and I don't want to be walking around here any longer than I gotta be. Besides, it's almost dawn and the cars are cold. We'll just tell 'em we found a few cars from an old wreck. I am not going in there."

"We have to investigate. We can't just go back without looking."

'Please don't. Please don't,' Russia mentally begs.

"Oh, but why? It looks empty anyway and I don't want to run into any rattlesnakes."

There is a long sigh.

"Fine, we'll go back to the patrol car. But we are keeping watch."

"Yes."

The footsteps lead away, and the crackling leads away from the cabin's wall. Russia holds his breath until he hears a nearby car roar to life.

"Wha-" America starts, rubbing his face.

Dixie shushed him harshly. America falls silent and looks up to Russia.

"What's going on?" he mouths.

Russia shakes his head. When America begins to sit up, Russia sloppily puts his arm on America's back, trying to pull him down. America relents, giving Russia a confused and panicked look.

'Please, don't say anything. Please. They're too close. Please stay quiet. Please.'

America stares into his eyes.

America looks away and closes his mouth, still looking confused, but he puts his head back down into Russia's lap.

The car speeds around the area, and Russia can still almost make out some of the conversations the soldiers were having around the area as they would occasionally get out and continue to stray closer and closer to the cabin. Russia feels paralyzed, and the look on Dixie's face makes Russia believe that he felt the same.

America still looks confused but doesn't argue, but instead of speaking, he just stares around, confused by the sounds around them. Then, the soldiers' conversations became intelligible again.

"Boss is not gonna be happy," the deeper voice says.

"And? I told you, I was looking through those windows and didn't see anybody."

"We should still check before we go."

Dixie clutches the gun tighter.

"Well, I don't hear anything. And besides, no one tried to run. Face it, no one is here."

"Then, what's with the cars?"

"They were cold when we got here. And no one was sleeping in them. Come on, let's get back to Lambda. Our shift is almost over anyway."

"I'm still gonna look."

Then he hears them walk around the house. America hurriedly sits up and pulls Russia down on top of him, curling around his head. America used his back to muffle the sound. America flinches after hitting the ground but doesn't make a sound.

Russia could have sworn he felt someone staring right at him.

'Please, no. No. NO. Please don't see us. Please.'

He could feel someone staring a hole into his side.

He bits his lip and tries to stay as still as he could. He hopes, prays that no one saw his subtle shivering.

There are a few moments of silence before the footsteps continue.

"Looks like it might be a couple of druggy squatters. Guess you were right."

"I told you!"

"Let's head back to base. Maybe they turned around and went the other way."

"That's what I've been saying!"

The footsteps trail away. The car started back up. He heard both doors open and both people get in, talking about something he hadn't listened to.

They drove off. Once the engine was out of earshot, America whines.

"America," he tries to say. His voice doesn't cooperate, and his mouth feels full of cotton.

America hisses in pain.

"I think I may have ripped the stitches or something," America stammers out quietly, his voice soaked in pain.

Dixie slowly pokes his head up, peeking out the windows. Once he does, he quickly makes his way over to America. the states silently shuffle out of his way.

"Why did you do that?!" Dixie hisses.

"He would've seen Russia," America defends, shaking.

Then Dixie gasps. "Oh my god, there's blood everywhere," he mutters.

Texas pulls Russia away and Massachusetts hurries forward. Virginia and Delaware herd the other states away to give California and New York enough space to work.

"Dad. You need to be more f***ing careful," Massachusetts hisses, summoning a dull green light.

New York and California quickly approach and Russia watches on, helpless as America tries not to thrash about while California and New York examine his wound. New York curses under his breath and Louisiana helps disinfect their hands and she sits nearby with Georgia, ready to step in if needed.

'What do we do now?'

~

Next

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Table of Contents

[hhmoto]

7/23/15

Brattleboro VT to Meadowbank Campground Bath, Maine

We woke up early in our beautiful room with morning light pouring in over the hill and city. I was up at 5:45 but Jesse slept til 6:30 when I got in the shower. After getting dressed we had cereal in the hotel lobby and then walked up the street to Mocha Joes for local coffee and a better look around. We split an iced coffee and raspberry walnut bar, and wandered back down to our hotel. 

We packed slowly and got going around 9, heading all the way across New Hamshire. So many old houses. Trees. Gardens. I finished my last Percy Jackson book, wore Jesse's sunglasses under my helmet, and we got super fed up with the long slow drive. Google maps took us onto a dirt road, and we were in the boonies starving for lunch. We finally stopped at a hot dog shop called Bite Me for New York dogs and a break from riding. 

After another hour we got coffee and a big oatmeal raisin cookie in Maine. Then suburbs as we skirted around Portland. Clouds. Stiff legs and anxious bodies. 

We got onto islands and it's so forested you can barely see the ocean. The first campground we looked at was crap so we backtracked through bath and got a good spot in the trees, but not before getting sprinkled on. The rain let up and we set up our tent and went to the campground office and lobster pound! We walked past all the campers, some cute families with little kids. There was one couple with an adorable tiny white camper with flowers painted on its curved walls. Jesse said he could imagine me living in that, but without the kid. (The woman had a one year old toddling around with her husband) and it bothered me again to hear Jesse talk about not wanting kids. What is this? If he doesn't want kids that's not going to work. But he used to never want to talk about marriage either and that's on the table pretty easily now as long as it's casual talk. 

At the camp office we spent $44 on camping dinner: two fresh lobsters, corn on the cob, a baked potato and a six pack of twisted tea. While we waited, we played nerts with a new deck of lobster playing cards and the canada flag set from my backpack. The old couple from Vermont next to us watched us laughing and eating our huge hot lobsters. The woman was reading and then eating, ignoring her husband of 30+ years. He was smiling at us, maybe thinking of their old days. We chatted a bit, and ate our lobster with a dish of melted butter. Jesse used a wooden hammer. We got a little drunk on teas and salt water lobster. 

As the office closed I got a cone of Maine moose tracks ice cream. We finished our game and went back to the tent where we turned on music and finished an awful bottle of red wine in the glow of white lantern light, and talked more about where I might live for the next year. More of working our way to our future. We brushed our teeth with mugs of water and peed in the woods and fell asleep. 

[terrycanales40]

RT @DadePhelan: Interstate 10 East & West bound at Hamshire Road - the water is still not draining and both lanes remained closed. Please do not attempt to take Hwy 124 either. IT is impassable to anything but a high water vehicle or boat. #Imelda #setx #txlege https://t.co/QfcMF2colA

Interstate 10 East & West bound at Hamshire Road - the water is still not draining and both lanes remained closed. Please do not attempt to take Hwy 124 either. IT is impassable to anything but a high water vehicle or boat. #Imelda #setx #txlege pic.twitter.com/QfcMF2colA

— Dade Phelan (@DadePhelan) September 20, 2019

via Twitter https://twitter.com/TerryCanales40 September 21, 2019 at 08:40AM

[camouflagekiss]

thirty

Have you ever seen an alligator in person? Probably at a zoo.

Have you ever lent pantyhose to anyone? Uh no.

Does your doctor freak you out? No, he's super nice.

What kind of gum do you absolutely hate? I don't know.

What does the inside of your shower look like? Like a normal shower?

What celebrity’s hairstyle do you envy? Anyone who has thick curly hair. I used to love Miley Cyrus' hair when it was super long and brown.

Are you good at ping pong? Probably not.

Does it annoy you when people’s eyebrows are a different color than hair? I don't really care too much.

Has your grandma ever cussed in front of you before? Yes.

Have you dated someone with some serious halitosis? Ew, no.

What is the stupidest thing you’ve done to a friend’s pet? My ex's dog...I was taking her for a ride and accidentally locked her in the car with my keys, but we were able to get mine out. She didn't even care.

What is the second letter of the name of your street?: A.

Is there someone in your town that looks a lot like you? Not that I have seen, but people used to tell me that I had a doppleganger when I was in college.

What does your umbrella look like? It's blue, green and yellow.

Does your cell phone die frequently? I don't let it.

What’s the most important thing you’ve ever broken? I'm not sure.

What is your favorite keychain? My bow made out of old bunker gear.

Have you ever seen a snake in the road? Most likely.

Is there a china cabinet in your house? No.

If you don’t meet your soulmate while on earth, will you meet them in heaven? I don't even want to talk about it.

What state has the most interesting shape? New Hamshire and Vermont becuase they're like twins but flipped.

Have you ever heard a wolf howl? Yes.

Do you get sleepy when you ride in the car? It depends if I'm tired or not.

Is your ring size little or big? 7.

Where do you go fishing at? Ponds, rivers, lakes around here..

Have you ever wanted to tap dance? No, but I've always though the shoes sound cool

Do you curse when you run a light? I'm always careful not to.

What does your best friend want to do when they grow up? She used to want to train gorillas, but now she works with dogs and she's amazing at it.

Are you currently wearing a charm bracelet? No.

Do you have any embarrassing usernames? Nah.

Do you have a backpack in a shape of an animal? No.

What’s your least favorite day of the week? Mondays.

Have you ever wore pajamas a whole straight week? No.

Do you still enjoy blowing bubbles? With my gum, yeah.

Have you ever took a picture of your shadow? Yes.

Do you believe in your horoscopes? I don't really believe them, but I do enjoy reading them sometimes.

Have you ever waxed your legs? No, just my eyebrows.

Would you ever paint your bedroom walls lime green? No.

Do you watch Jersey Shore? Yes.

Do you ever get called the quiet girl? I have been.

Have you ever itched yourself until your skin was raw? Probably.

Do you always clear your history after using the computer? No.

Do you hate hot coffee, but love iced coffee? I like them both depending.

Do you ever wear red lipstick? I generally don't wear lipstick at all.

Have you ever did well on a test when you didn’t study? Mmm maybe?

Do you take really good care of your feet? I mean, I dry but they get really dry in the winter.

Does age really matter to you? To an extent.

Do you ever blast your music and dance when you’re home alone? Sometimes.

Have you ever seen yellow snow? Yeah.

Is the snow where you live the icy kind or powdery kind? It can be both.

Do you still take hot showers when it’s hot out? Not hot, but warm.

Are you embarrassed/uncomfortable dancing in front of other people? 100 percent.

Would you ever consider styling your hair as a mohawk? Fuck no.

Have you ever curled up in front of a fireplace, whether alone or with someone? I would if I had one.

Do you ever drink directly from beverage containers because you don’t want to dirty a cup? I have.

Do you know any men that wear slippers? Yes.

Have you ever sneezed on your computer screen? I'm sure I have at some point.

Would you rather live in a cabin up in the snowy mountains, a busy city, or a house by the beach? A cabin in the mountains...miuns the snow.

What is the last body part you injured? How was it done? I sprained my ankle Climbing Mt. Monadnock.

Do you try to avoid burping in public, or are you open about it? It depends who I'm around.

Have you ever been kissed while sitting atop the hood of a car? Maybe?

Do you find facial hair attractive or unattractive? It all depends on the person.

Is there someone/something preventing you from doing what you want? In a way, yeah.

Think of the last time you were REALLY angry. WHY were you angry? Do you still feel the same way? Because somebody completely deleted me out of their life like I never existed without a real explanation...Yes I do because it was just recently.

You can have one of the following two things. Love and Trust. Which do you choose? Why? You can't really have love without trust...

Would you rather be hurt by the one you trust the most or the one you love the most? I don't know.

Are you the kind of friend that you would want to have as a friend? I think so.

Does love = sex? Not always.

What would be (or what was) harder for you to tell a member of the opposite/same sex, you love them or that you do not love them back? Fuck you.

If there was one moment and one time in the last month what would you change and why? Walking out without getting the answers that I needed.

Imagine it is a dark night, you are alone, it is raining outside, you hear someone walking around outside your window. WHO do you wish was there with you? My dad or Matt.

Would you give a homeless person CPR if they were dying? Why or why not? Uhm yes. Becuase I am a first responder and CPR certified...I wouldn't let someone die if I have the means to help them.

Are you old fashioned? Sometimes.

When was the last time you were nice to someone and did NOT expect anything in return for it? I'm usually like that.

[hhmoto]

7/22/15

Tunkhannock to Brattleboro Vermont

We slept in late! Jesse woke me up at 8 and we went downstairs for continental breakfast and waffles. We packed up fast but we weren't on the road until after 9:30, our latest start! 

The day was beautiful compared to yesterday. Clear, but cool. We got on the road heading northeast, stopped for gas, and I put on Jesse's Rayban aviators under my helmet for extra sun protection. The country was hillier and we made so many turns onto small country highways. 

We meandered our way through the Catskill Mountains, passing ski hills and lodges, racks of canoes by lake shores, quaint towns that have been well kept for when people want to escape to the country, and some that have fallen into disrepair. We stopped for lunch in Margaretville at a bar that was empty but looks like a haven for college kids and partying vacationers. It had a tiki bar. And next door the Main Street buildings had wood siding and carved wooden features, American flags and metal stars hung up. 

We passed from New York into the corner of Massachusetts, which I'm still not convinced Jesse knows how to pronounce. We came through college towns with beautiful stone buildings, so many day lilies, country homes with huge gardens. And then we got to Vermont and drove through Stamford and Green Mountain national forest. Inside we saw some dilapidated mobile homes, depressing heaps of sheds and old machinery, trucks parked crooked on steep hills, and fleeing some angry clouds and spits of rain, we rolled into b&b country. 

Wilmington was cute, but kitschy, expensive, touristy. We were feeling good so we didn't stay. But we did talk to some people on the sidewalk. A man from Ohio asked to take a picture of Jesse, and asked about the bike's power and our journey. His wife wandered off. Then two old men, from somewhere around here, stopped and gaped at our license plates. They said they're too old for this, but good for us. They couldn't believe how far we'd come. The one man's face, his sparkling eyes, his mouth open in awe. Jesse started talking to the Ohio man again and they both wished me safe travels, waved, and walked into the hotel we were parked in front of. 

Then we hopped back on and drove across the hills past Marlboro and some abandoned motels to Brattleboro and the river that divides Vermont and New Hamshire. These states are so small! We came through so many so quickly. 

The city is narrow and tall and sturdy. We found the Latchis hotel downtown. It's also a theater. We got the cheapest room ($99) and brought our things upstairs. It was painted real with Egyptian art on the walls, and I immediately walked to the far wall where an old doorway was haphazardly covered, and knocked down the panel over the old door. Whoops. I left it propped up, and Jesse went to move the bike. It fell and scared me, creeped already from the badly closed passageway between rooms. Jesse came back and I suggested we tell the hotel clerk so she could open the adjoining room and help put it back into place. She came in with some man, and they apologized profusely. The neighbors weren't answering and their do not disturb sign was up, so we were stuck. We told them it was fine, we'd leave the chair propped up, but they insisted we be moved into a different room, and apologized for the inconvenience. HA! Inconvenience. My curiosity broke a door and we got an upgrade. 

We're now on the third floor in a king suite, the silver screen room. It's purple with two huge windows looking over downtown and we can see the river and a green bridge, and green mountains of New Hamshire on the other side. There's a film reel on the wall, with pictures of Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Lucille Ball... Grand Budapest Hotel poster. And a soft king bed, and no creepy doors for me to touch. 

We unloaded here, and at almost 8 we walked across the street and train tracks to the Whetstone Brewery for the best dinner of our trip so far. Cool building on the river at sunset, we couldn't sit on the patio but got a window table. I had a radler, Jesse got a taster flight we had the best pierogies ever with bacon chive sour cream, then a BLT and meatloaf with bacon onion jam. Heaven! Jesse got a t shirt. And we walked back to room 307 and fell asleep in our nice bed.