They're Here

Each year when the tourists return to the shore area, the locals give one another a significant look and, through clenched teeth, utter the well-known quote from the movie Poltergeist:

They're Here.

Here we are again, we've tapped the keg on another Memorial Day Weekend. I'm not sure that anyone remembers the true reason for Memorial Day anymore. Isn't it simply a three day weekend to kick off the summer spending frenzy? Look at the newspaper inserts this weekend : pools, beach towels, garden supplies, hotdogs, hamburgers, ice chests and patio umbrellas. The message is clear: this is a time to celebrate - to start the tan, to show off the new swimsuit, to barbeque and drink beer. Did I hear someone say something about remembering those who have died in our nation's service? Surely not, that would be too grave, too somber a thought to interject into our national playtime!

Driving home from work yesterday, I found myself in a modern wagon train of SUV's, RV's and travel trailers, all headed for the shore resorts. High fuel prices have not slowed gasoline consumption one iota. That would be Un-American.

So from behind clenched teeth and a with an oh-so-fake smile, let me tell you that THEY'RE HERE. While we have plans for the weekend, they in no way involve beaches or restaurants or touristy things. Good Americans that we are, we have a party to go to tonight and a barbeque tomorrow. Monday will be a quiet, stay-at-home kind of a day. I promise to take some time out to say a prayer for those who have died to ensure our freedom.

Delinquent!

I received a Notice of Delinquency today from the Grand Pooh-Bah of the World Wide Web (subcategory: blogosphere). I risk revocation of my blogging license, and A Room Somewhere will be dismantled and the furnishings sold at auction to the highest bidder, if I do not produce a post forthwith, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. (I always hear Yul Brynner's voice, in character as King Mongkut in The King and I, when I encounter the word "etcetera," especially when it's presented in triplicate. But I digress.)

I wish I could claim that my life has been so eventful, romantic and intriguing that there has been no time of late for mere blog composition. Well, I suppose I could say it, but it would be a sorry lie. Make that the sorriest of lies. No, life has been so mundane and uneventful lately that I have not been able to come up with a single original idea to drive me to put figurative pen to virtual paper. Life is not bad right now, just ordinary and lacking in inspiration.

The highlights of the last week or so include:

Highlight One - Dinner out at the Tuscan Tavern (I think that's the name of the place) over the weekend with my husband and his sister in celebration of her birthday. OK, in all honesty, the stars of the meal were the 2 Tuscatinis I had with my dinner.

(Aside to Maidink: I highly recommend a potent variety of martini, or even just shot or two of vodka, in situations like your recent Mother's Day fiasco.)

With a nod to my at-risk blogging license (gotta toe the line for awhile), and in honor of the Truth-in-Fiction Act (10-46:167a), I should note that I am not a common tippler by any means. No, wait, that didn't come out quite as planned. I am not commonly caught tippling. No-no-no, that makes me sound like a closet drinker. OK,OK - I don't drink much and I don't drink often, how's that? But there's no denying that a well-timed glass of vino or a delightful little cosmo can take the edge off of a stressful outing.

Highlight Two - Watching the Stephen King TV movie last night. The company (my hubby) made all of the difference. It was like a date.

OK, so now that you've seen what really makes Jane a dull girl, I'll sign off and get some beauty sleep, in preparation for more creative blogging ahead!

On Spontaneity

On Thursday afternoon at about 3pm, I was sitting quietly at my desk at the office, diligently attacking a pile of paper to be processed. The phone rang. It was my husband. The conversation was pretty much one-sided:

Him: Hi, how are you? J-- has tickets for the Phillies tonight.
Me: OK, you're going with him? (Why else would he be calling me at work to tell me his friend has tickets?)
Him: No, his daughter has a game tonight, so he can't go. (That's why...uh-oh).
Me: (Hopefully) OK, so, you're gonna ask L--- or G---?
Him: It's too late to ask them. Can you get home a little early? If we could eat a fast sandwich and get out of the house by about 5:30, we could make it on time...
Me: But it's going to rain tonight. Heavy, flooding rains. (Again with the hopefulness) Won't they cancel the game?
Him: If we get there and it's cancelled, we can just go home. I'll do all of the driving. (Oh, yeah, that's comforting.)

And so began an exercise in spontaneity. Can you hear me thinking, "Oh, joy - drive an hour home from work, then an hour and a half to Philly, so that we can turn around and come home when Accuweather gets it right?"

While I don't mind going to the ballpark once in awhile, I'm not exactly a fan. I took a magazine with me, to read in the rain. And it did rain. There was a light, misty rain off and on throughout the first four innings. The hardy folks in front of us kept their umbrellas up most of the time, which meant that I couldn't see the field at all. You pay for good seats, then you can't see the game because the folks in front of you will melt like the Wicked Witch of the West if the slightest bit of moisture touches them. The LLBean waterproof anoraks they wore weren't enough to protect them from the mist, oh no.

The most dramatic moment came early in the first inning, when Aaron Rowand took on a fence to make an amazing catch. It wasn't raining at that moment, but the folks in front of us stood up as soon as the ball was airborn, so I still couldn't see a thing. I saw the replay, and I watched him walk off of the field with a towel over his face.

In the 4th inning, my husband points out that the game can be called after the 5th and still count. If the Phillies are still leading after the opposing team bats in the top of the 5th, then the game can end at that point as a win for the Phils.

It so happened that the Mets were still behind after the top of the 5th. This conversation ensued:

Him: I want a hotdog. I'm gonna go get a hotdog. I have to have one.
Me: But what if they call the game? I won't be able to find you?
Him: I'll come right back here if they call it.
Me: But, but...
Him: It's only drizzling. They won't call it for drizzle. I'm gonna get a hotdog.

Translation: If I want a hotdog, I better get it now. They might call the game, then it'll be too late!

He walks away. The sky opens up and it pours. The field crew pulls out the tarp. Fortunately, I have the umbrella, as I stand there in the rain, watching the stands empty and waiting for my husband to return. And waiting and waiting and waiting. I give up and head for the concession area to look for him. When I finally find him:

Me (grabbing his sleeve): I'm soaked, we're going home.
Him: But I still haven't had a hotdog! And it might stop raining. This is just a delay. J-- was here last year when they had a 2 hour delay.

(2 hours???)
Me: Please! One of us has to work tomorrow, and it isn't you! And I'm soaked. Wawa sells hotdogs.
Him: It's not the same. I want a hotdog. C'mon, lets get one, then we can go...

In the end, I'm glad I went. It took an effort to be spontaneous, but, between the raindrops, we managed to have a good time. Personally, I prefer to visit the ballpark during a May rainshower to visiting during the dog days of August. There is no escaping the Philly heat and humidity at Citizen's Bank Park on a brutal August evening. Philly didn't install air conditioning in the concession area, as Baltimore so sensibly did at Camden Yards. So maybe I've paid the spontaneity toll for this year, and I won't have to go back when things heat up late in the summer.

Yeah, right.

Once Upon a Time...

The first popular song I remember from my childhood is, These Boots Were Made for Walkin', by Nancy Sinatra. Interesting song for a young 'un to listen to, wouldn't you say? I had a 45 rpm single play record of this song - the kind that needed the adapter pictured on the left in order to be played on the hi-fi.

I also had the single of, Those Were the Days, My Friend, by Mary Hopkins, on the Apple lable. You know the song (if you're old enough) - it started out, "Once upon a time, there was a tavern, Where we used to raise a glass or two." Again, odd musical choice for a toddler. That yellow adapter looked pretty funny right smack dab in the middle of that green granny smith apple!

Another song I remember from that era is, Little Becky's Christmas Wish. It was a tearjerker about a little girl who wanted her big brother to come home from Viet Nam for Christmas. I don't think he made it.

I took a musical trip down memory lane at You Tube last night and looked up the following songs:

Hooked on a Feeling - This one was originally by Blue Swede; the version at You Tube is by David Hasselhoff (what's up with that?), but it sounded pretty much the same, and the video had dachshunds in it!

Bohemian Rhapsody - by Queen. I still love the tight harmonies and the rock opera presentation.

I Started a Joke - by the Bee Gees. I still only partly get the joke.

Surrender and The Dream Police - by Cheap Trick

I even visited my least favorite song of all time. It gave me a frisson of nostalgic repulsion right from the very first strains: Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I used to cringe when they played it at a dance - it went on forever and ever, and it was virtually impossible for anyone to dance to it.They always requested it, though, with cries from the crowd of, "Play Freebird! Play Freebird!" Ugh. Sorry to all of the Skynyrd fans out there. Just hated this one. It grated on me from the very first time I heard it. Sweet Home Alabama was much easier to take.

I could never quite bring myself to like Stairway to Heaven, either. I know, I know, I'm a traitor to my generation. Another awful song: The Girl is Mine by Michael Jackson.

I couldn't find anything by The Cars at You Tube, but I went through a distinct Cars phase.

I was able to find the first music video I remember watching - Don't Stand So Close To Me by The Police. I checked out a little Blondie (Call Me!) and the Eurythmics (Annie Lennox singing Sweet Dreams). I even listened to a short version of Macarthur Park (hey, it beats Freebird any day in my book).

To give credit to the late 80's, I looked up Simply Red's, If You Don't Know Me By Now (it was big when I was dating my husband). I kept trying to remember Don Henley's, The End of the Innocence - it sat at the back of my mind like a shadow or a ghost that disappeared when I tried to look directly at it. If finally popped into my head tonight, when I least expected it.

There was a song by John Cougar Mellencamp that was big in the late 80's, too - I can see a bit of the video in my mind, but I can't quite remember it. Any thoughts from the peanut gallery?

When I speak of today's music, I have begun to echo the things my mother said to me a couple of decades (or so) ago:

1. They don't make music like the did in my day, and

2. It all sounds the same.

I could go on for hours, picking out tunes from the past and reliving moments of my life to them. What were your favorites, and which one gets your vote for worst song of all time?

Question of the Week

If you knew the world was going to end before the next billing cycle, how would you max out your credit cards?

A Room With a View, the novel

No, the title of this post does not imply that I intend to compose another long missive about the view of the natural world from the window of A Room Somewhere. What I plan to discuss, briefly, is the novel I finished reading this week, A Room With A View by EM Forster.

Forster uses the tale of Lucy Honeychurch, a British young woman on the brink of maturity, to explore issues of social class and propriety. There is a hint of an Austen-like tension between common sense and folly, though Forster does not quite have Austen's light touch or subtle wit. Still, his characters, who start out seeming like stylized caricatures, develop unexpected complexity and insight by the final pages of the book.

In Forster's writing, as in Austen's, people of good sense reign themselves in from mindless adherence to fashionable views and practices. Self-worth and lifelong happiness are valued over social climbing. The novel might seem senseless or odd to those unfamiliar with the mores of the period when it was written (1908). I found in it to be a surprisingly enlightened view of women and their capabilities, considering that it was penned by a male author in the Edwardian era. The story line takes a pleasantly unexpected turn or two, as well.

I saw the Merchant-Ivory movie version of this tale (starring Helena Bonham Carter, Julian Sands and Maggie Smith) when it was released on video several years ago. To the best of my recollection, the screenplay, was faithful to the novel, though some of the nuances of character might not have made it onto the big screen. I plan to rent the DVD sometime soon for a renewed comparison.

This, That, 'n' Other Things

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, so, of course, there will be yet another food fest at work. Ay Carumba!

Ever since the doctor told me a couple of months back that my sugar level is creeping up (yes, there is diabetes in my family, so I have to be careful), it seems like there has been nothing but one pig-out after another around the office. I'm going to contribute something to the fete, in the spirit of the day, but I might not stick around the office for lunch.

I had a bit of a Mexican gastronomic cheat tonight. We ate out, and I partook of the chips and salsa, so I really must behave myself tomorrow. At least salsa has some redeeming nutritional value.

Putting my plans to abstain into print helps, since some of the folks at work drop by my blog from time to time. In the spirit of love and generosity (haha) they'll be more than glad to remind me if I should be caught with a taco or a piece of cake.

Between the sugar thing and some other stuff (mostly the other stuff), I've been feeling pretty lousy lately. There has been improvement, though, and I don't have headaches every day anymore.

Still, I felt bad enough to stay home on Tuesday. Every morning this week has been a struggle, and I'll be glad when Saturday arrives. Guess this is why my posting has slowed down a bit lately. I've been pretty tired, and my memory isn't what it should be. I keep putting the wrong dates on stuff, and I just plain forget things.

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I posted about the wild dogwoods last Saturday. They grow in the woods around my home. They're still blooming, and they're still lovely. I know how pretty the Washington DC area can be in the spring, and I wonder if Random Kath and Virginia Gal are experiencing as much beauty right now.

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I'm thinking of changing my blog template. I want to do more than mess with the color scheme and decor, I want to set up a different style. I would like to have only one sidebar, and I want it to be on the right side, so that my posts have a stronger presence on the page and are easier to read. If I do change templates, I guess I'll have to start all over again with the blogroll, etc, and I'll have to learn my way around the new template. Seems a bit daunting. Well, I guess it'll be OK if I save a copy of my current template so that I can go back if I make a muddle of things. Has anyone tried this? If so, how'd it go?

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How 'bout those gas prices? Yes, the length of my commute increased sixfold this year, and I continue to be punished for it. Not only do I get a lot less sleep (I also go in earlier now) and have a long drive every day, but life conspires to add out of control gas prices to my lot. I know, it's not personal, and it's affecting everyone right now. But it feels personal when I pull out of the gas station a couple of times a week...

Still, the environmentalist in me thinks that the gas prices could have a silver lining. We have to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and we have to stop sending CO2 and other toxins into the atmosphere. Maybe higher fuel prices will make us see the light.

The Search

We watched a movie on Turner Classic Movies last night called The Search. The movie starred Montgomery Clift as Steve, an American soldier post WWII. A little boy named Ivan Jandl played Karel Malik, a Czechoslovakian child separated from his family during the war and imprisoned at Auschwitz. Jandl is the true star of this film.

Karel is rounded up with other kids and taken to an orphanage or camp created by the Americans to help the children. He has amnesia and cannot remember his name or any information about his life or his family. When questioned, he will only answer, "I don't know," in the Czech tongue.

The depiction of the traumatic reactions of the children (most of whom do not speak English) to the no-nonsense military personnel and environment is moving. They find it difficult to trust the soldiers, who seem a lot like the German army to them. They are afraid of military transport and red cross ambulances because they were often used to take people away to concentration camps and gas chambers.

During one poignant scene, the children in an ambulance smell the exhaust from the vehicle and come to believe that they are being gassed. They break out of the ambulance and run away. Karel and another boy are not caught. The other boy drowns, and Karel is believed to have drowned as well. Only his knit hat is found.

Karel's mother has survived the war, though his father and sister have been killed. She begins a search for him on foot. Meanwhile, Karel is taken in by Steve (Clift), who dubs him,"Jim," because he cannot remember his name. Steve teaches Jim English and begins a search for his family. He is told that Karel's family must be dead, so he begins making arrangements to take him back to the US.

Jim gradually remembers some details about his mother and his traumatic separation from her. He runs away to search for her, but he is found by Steve and told that she is dead. Meanwhile, Karel's mother is told by the Americans that he is dead, and given the hat found in the river as proof. Both search for the strength to go on in the belief that they have lost everything, and they begin to heal.

The film's title becomes a recurring theme throughout this beautifully wrought movie, with searches both corporeal and spiritual depicted dramatically and effectively by all of the characters. Ivan Jandl's performance is especially remarkable. At only 11 years of age, he was already an accomplished actor. He won a junior Oscar for this performance in 1948.

This film was banned in Communist countries for 40 years. According to IMDB (as well as various other sites):

Ivan Jandl's performance in the movie The Search (1948) gave so much hope to the people of Czechoslovakia that the Russian Govt. took him out of school and put him to work in a rock quarry. He was forced to work there for a long time and never full recovered from the strains put on him at the time. He lived the rest of his life in a sickly state, and died relatively young.

Ivan Jandl died in 1987 at age 50. His life is a testament to the atrocities of repressive governments.

Dogwoods

Dogwoods grow wild in the woods around here. Their slender boughs spread delicately as if painted into a japanese watercolor rendered on fine silk, and their white blossoms form lacy clouds amongst the nascent greenery of the other woodland trees. They line the roadways like a bridal arch, celebrating the purity of early spring as it prepares to yield to the fertility of deep spring, and later the fecundity of summer.

Celestial Dining

I had a sumptuous lunch with a heavenly pair today. Lunch with Pax Romano and Princess Angel Child was a wonderful time. The fare was beyond compare, and the company was exceptional!

Princess Angel is a credit to Clan Romano. She is lovely and smart, and it seems likely that she will follow in Pax's footsteps as a maven of pop culture.

Thanks, Pax and Princess, for a lovely dejeuner.

A Fox in His Pocket

And I'm not talking about the George Clooney kind of fox.

CNN is reporting that President Bush has offered the post of White House press secretary to Tony Snow, a Fox Network anchor. Mr. Snow is expected to accept.

I know there was never any doubt that Fox is in bed with the White House gang (and vice versa), but this puts the final evidentiary nail in the coffin. It also shows us that Mr. Bush does not have any plans to change direction, despite the fact that US Americans are clamoring for an alteration in course.

Mr. Snow may be well qualified for the job, but the message sent by selecting a Fox anchor is equivalent to the thumbing of a nose at the president's critics. Mr. Bush, your critics are not just your political nemeses anymore, they are the majority of the American public. A little respect for us would be appreciated.

Earth Day

I didn't realize that today is Earth Day until I opened the Google search page and saw the graphic:

I recently posted about the expected effects of climate change here in the Northeastern US. I watched a Nova segment this week called Dimming the Sun. You can read a synopsis of this program here. Essentially, global dimming is a backhanded effect of pollution. Smog (including vapor trails from air traffic) creates a mirror effect, causing the earth to reflect sunlight back into space. This has actually slowed the impact of global warming.

Because smog contributes greatly to diseases of the lungs, governments worldwide have been taking steps to reduce it, and they are having a good deal of success. Smog reduction could lead to the acceleration of global warming. Some scientists say that we are close to a point of no return. We could reach that point within 5 - 10 years, with significant changes to coastlines, living conditions, and food supplies by mid-century. This theory is relatively new and, of course, controversial. The Nova program about how scientists developed the theory is compelling, however, and the information in it should be given consideration.

The US government has been denying the significance of climate change since the advent of the Bush Administration, beginning with the failure to participate in the Kyoto Protocol. The government's Earth Day website celebrates our purported successes and tries to paint the administration in a positive light. This is laughable, and it is an embarrassment to our nation.

The earthday.net website I linked to at the beginning of this post provides information about things we can do right now to make a difference, without waiting for the government to act. It is clear that US citizens will have to take steps to stabilize the environment without the government's assistance or leadership. We can't afford to wait until Bush leaves office to act. It might be too late.

Morning

Good Morning, all.

Took one of the hounds out about half an hour ago. It was just barely daylight, still half dark out there. A robin flew over to the the dry birdbath and sat there pointedly, as if reminding me that I was failing in my duty. I obliged him, and the birds have water for this morning.

There'll be no need to fill the birdbath this weekend, by all accounts. Heavy rains are expected in these parts, starting later this afternoon.

And me, I feel kind of lousy, and not so wide awake. I'm headed back to bed. Ahhh, the luxury of vacation.

Hope everyone has a happy Friday, and a wonderful weekend!

Looking for a Room

I'm looking for an image of a room to use in my blog header. Any suggestions from the peanut gallery? Links appreciated. Maybe I should turn this into a contest. Hmmm...

Happy Easter

Happy Easter, everyone! I only had a few minutes to throw this color scheme together, since blogger kept giving me a hard time about uploading images, but you get the idea.

Enjoy this beautiful day, and don't eat too much chocolate or too many hard boiled eggs.

A Trip to India

I thought about Virginia Gal as I made a quick trip to India today. Virginia Gal would be the most qualified person I know to tell you that a quick trip to India from the US could only be possible in the sense of virtual travel, or as a flight of fancy. I took the latter, inspired by, what else, FOOD! At the grocery store late last night, I picked up a couple of Tasty Bite dishes. I couldn't wait to try them, so I tucked into the Jaipur Vegetables for lunch today.

Mr. Merci joined me in the taste test. This dish gets 2 thumbs up in the Beaucoup household. Jaipur Vegetables is a wonderful vegetarian concoction with the consistency of a stew. It's just spicy enough to tingle your tongue without the need call the firehall. It would be great over rice, which I must avoid, so it was consumed a la carte. As with all spicy dishes, a bit of vanilla ice cream as an afterthought would have been quite nice. Sadly, ice cream is on my forbidden list, as well. No matter, Jaipur vegetables is truly delicious.

I can't vouch for it's authenticity, and I certainly cannot compare it to other Indian dishes, since my experience of the cuisine is limited (something I plan to rectify soon), but it stood on its own as quite a Tasty Bite.

Favorite New Show

I'm really getting hooked on Big Love, the new show about polygamy. It's set, where else? in Utah. I've watched it since the first episode. It's kind of tough to shift gears for another HBO drama right after The Sopranos on Sunday night, but I'm managing. Finally found a couple of folks at work who are watching it, too, so now I can chat about it and mull it over with friends (hi, Joey B.).

Looking forward to work today. I have a lot to accomplish, and when it's over: VACATION! 10 beautiful days off in a row. Not going anywhere special, and that's just fine with me! I need the R&R.

Hope those of you who celebrate Easter have a lovely one. Those of you who do not, hope you enjoy the extra day off (if you've got one). If not, then hope you get something special out of the weekend - good weather, a nice dinner out or a new pair of shoes. Nothing like new shoes to make you feel great.

OK, I'm getting punchy. Gotta go to bed. I stayed up late waiting for some clothes to finish in the dryer. Forgot to put them in right after the wash cycle was done. I'm such a nimwit sometimes. I'll be very tired all day tomorrow. But that's OK, 'cuz when tomorrow's over, I'm on vacation!!!!

We Need a Little Christmas (shopping)...Already???

I'm watching CNN this morning, and I just saw the first Christmas ad of 2006. Apparently, QVC felt that it was necessary to remind us of the benefits of shopping early for Christmas gifts, and they want us to mark our calendars so that we won't miss their big Christmas shopping bonanza in November.

I hope it was just an error, but I'm skeptical. Bad enough that we have Christmas ads before Halloween, but before EASTER??? What's a Bunny gotta do to stay employed under all of this holiday pressure?

To Miss Magnolia

In a comment on my post below, Miss Magnolia Thunderpussy offered the following:

"I've always wanted to take dear Pax for an outing at the bitch but we've abandoned the idea, I can't walk in the sand, in heels and the wheels of Pax's chair would get tangled in all the seaweed."

Here is my reply:

Miss Magnolia-

It's hard enough to walk in the sand, let alone to push one of those rolling chairs through it. Perhaps a trip to the Wildwood Boardwalk would be a better alternative. You could ride up and down the boards in the luxury of the tram. No need to fear for the safety of the pedestrians, since they play the recorded message, "Watch the tram car please, watch the tram car please." In fact, they play it over and over and over, ad infinitum.

http://www.limericky.com/funtram.html

The Atlantic City boardwalk offers rolling chairs pushed (for a fee) by entrepreneurial types. The rolling chairs give you more freedom to choose your destination, and they offer a bit more privacy.

Failing both of the above, Mr. M and I could power a surrey on the Ocean City Boardwalk that would enable the two of you to tour in style. The model at the top of the page has enough room for crinolines and oxygen tanks, but the model pictured here is available if you desire the romance of the pretty little surrey with the fringe on top.

So you see, the Jersey Shore can accomodate ladies and gentleman of leisure. There is no need ever to dip so much as a little toe into the sand or the ocean.

Sea Isle Sunday

Our plans to stay home and relax yesterday were thwarted by the gorgeous weather. We just had to get out and enjoy the day. There are only so many spectacular days in any given year, and we couldn't let the perfect weather go to waste. We decided to take a spin into Sea Isle City for a walk on the boards. Great choice! And it came on the heels of a trip to the boards in Ocean City on Saturday.

We love this time of year because the height of the tourism season hasn't struck. We can find parking spots on the barrier islands, and we can actually walk down the boardwalk (as opposed to being jostled down the boards by the crowds).

It's always a bit cooler on the islands, of course, which is the reason they became such popular tourist spots in the days before air conditioning. The air seemed chilly when we first got out of the car, but we warmed up quickly as we began to walk in the sun. We didn't think it was warm enough for shorts and tees and bare feet, but there were a few people who disagreed with us. I found my warm up suit to be just about the right thing to wear.

Here are some pics of SIC:

Last Fall I wrote a post called, "Sidewinders and Tombstones." In the post I described the benches that line the Sea Isle City boardwalk as tombstones, their epitaphs serving as eerie captions to a dark, deserted, Autumn night. I didn't have any photos to post at the time, so here are a few:

Here's one last scenic pic as a closing thought: