Prolog
This was supposed to be a perfect getaway two weeks. However, I have had
misgivings about it since I agreed to take them when Karen (the actual
holder of the space) called several weeks ago with the news that she couldn't
take them because of a surgery and she did not know if she would be well
enough to travel all the way to the East Coast from the Midwest.
The problem is money! I don't have any to spare and this two weeks rent plus a car rental is really going to be hard. But I kept putting off renigging and eventually was trapped into the event. So here goes...
The approach to
the cottages
My
house and car
Was supposed to be the first day of my vacation but decided to stay in NYC since there was a number of things that needed to be done at the gallery before leaving. Did them—proofed the Von Gloeden commentary on the wall and downloaded an ASCII text file (names and addresses) from the database for the mailing house to print on the next announcement card plus finished updating the membership files and mailed out all new memberships (82 of them). And there were even a few other things I can't remember now.
But when I got home I just couldn’t seem to get everything together to leave first thing in the morning. But one thing I did do, and I had decided to do this some time ago, I completely shaved my head and beard and timed my chest hair and pubic hair. I considered shaving everything but since I could not do my back I thought that would look rather odd even though no one would see, most likely, I would know. Anyway, I felt better after that. Although, I must say I do not like my upper lip naked. It is too large and I have a very thin upper lip. So I will let it grow in again.
It was an
absolutely beautiful day.
View
toward the stair landing from my cottage.
Picked up the car at 9 am. Drove to the gallery to pick up the digital camera. (Had already retrieved the laptop and radio earlier in the week.) Drove to my studio on John Street. Hadn't really packed so I started gathering up clothes and various items for the trip. Watered the plants and left notes for Tom who is to water them once during the two weeks I will be gone.
Left NYC at 12 noon. Later than I had intended. Originally I thought I'd have everything packed and all I would have to do is load up the car and leave by 10 am. But it didn't happen. When finally I did leave things were going fine until I realized that I took a wrong turn and was heading to Montauk. I had to backtrack to the right turnoff (about 45 minutes wasted). After that things went fine. Although I had to stop several times due to my getting sleepy. Once I stopped for food and a gas fillup. I noticed that the left front tire seemed low on air so I put some air in it. I think it has a slow leak.
Anyway, things went fine until I got to Providence where I again took a wrong turn and it took me about 45 minutes to figure out how to get back to the right highway (I actually stopped and asked someone). I was so pissed at myself but was elated when I finally arrived at the sign that said I was on the Cape. Of course, it was dark. But there was no stopping me now. It did seem like forever—it seemed much further than I remembered. But I arrived at the cottage around 11 pm whereupon I unloaded the car and went to bed.
That is why
I hate driving to the Cape. It was another absolutely beautiful day.