Do you love Christmas?

Do you love, love, love it? Want to celebrate it year-round? Find yourself stringing more and more lights every year? Have you watched every single movie version of "A Christmas Carol", and wish they'd show them all the time? Do you know the dialogue to "It's A Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Story" by heart? Are you thinking about moving even further North, so you'll have a plausible excuse for wearing those Holiday Sweaters?

Do you love Christmas, and yet, oddly enough, find yourself celebrating the Holidays alone? Now there's Kringle Mingle™, the online Dating Service just for you. And, if you're actually good-looking, and/or have an unusually large head, we may even use you in one of our Commercials! Don't delay, join today--and get a free Santa Hat just for applying!

Exercise #3:

Use the words "Freaking Cat-Squirrel" in a sentence.

Tax Exemption

It's Election Day, just came back from voting. And I said "Yes" to Question 12, which demands that, "Even if all other tax loopholes are closed, so as to balance the budget, there remain an exemption for Flying Cars, Jetpacks, and any other kind of personal Airship".

Beyond Butt Dialing

First bike ride of the Post-Superstorm Sandy, no-more-Indian-Summer Season. Temp in the upper 40's, but very windy. Did 52 miles, Beverly-Ipswich-Newburyport, Rowley-Byfield-Georgetown-Boxford, etc. Then was trying to make a cellphone call, only to discover that I had done something an order of magnitude beyond Butt Dialing--I had somehow "Butt-Added a Speed Dial Number". Back home, I was going through the Phone Manual when I ran across this helpful piece of advice: "Don't try to dry your phone in a Microwave Oven".

Indian Summer

Since it is such a rainy day today, with the weather only expected to get worse, I thought I'd post some true Indian Summer pics from a recent jaunt up to York and York Beach, ME. (Click on any photo to see larger versions.)

Causeway to the Steadman Island Preserve.

The famous "Wiggily Bridge" at the end of the Causeway, close up (not my photo). It's a mini-suspension bridge that is not anchored at the ends.

Looking past tidal flats up the York River.

Barrel Mill Pond (Tidal).

The Cliff Walk along the shore (Photo by hiddeninthecity.)

Indian Summer, cont.

After the Cliff Walk, I drove up through York Beach to Cape Neddick to see the historic Lighthouse. (Click on any photo to see larger versions.)

Cape Neddick Lighthouse, AKA the "Nubble Light".

The boxy white thing on the left is a tiny electric cablecar used to go back and forth to the Island.

More Cape Neddick.

The people sitting in this car were wondering why I wanted to take their picture. Notice the immature Seagull standing on the exact center of their roof rack.

Heading home on Rte. 1A. Somebody takes Halloween very seriously....

Talking Whale

Beluga Whale named Noc mimics human speech:

When the New England Aquarium in Boston had an open seal tank in front, there was a harbor seal named Hoover that could talk. He sounded just like an old homeless guy--guess that's who had the patience to sit and talk to a seal. Heard him talk a number of times, it was pretty amazing.

Foliage!

For people who are busy inside, or are in another part of the Country:

Last Outdoor Swim of 2012

Probably the last outdoor swim for the year. Biked out through Lexington and Concord to Walden Pond, and went for a half mile swim. Woo-hoo, it was cold! It's nice, though, that they bring busloads of Tourists out to peep at the leaves, not to mention gawking at us crazy New Englanders who are still swimming outside in late October.