Softballs and Seals

Thursday night was remarkably awesome.

I had been invited to play softball with a big AmeriCorps crew by a girl named Kaelyn who works at the Seashore Headquarters on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I told her repeatedly that I hadn’t played softball in years was never any good, and she assured me that no one would mind because there were only a few skilled players anyway. Taking her word for it, I showed up at the overgrown field ready to play.

Just minutes after introductions, I was dubbed a team captain. They call it their initiation to their softball group. I picked Kaelyn first, and had to just wing it after that. Oddly enough, the guy with a Phillies shirt and the girl who was our team’s strongest hitter were picked last.

My team took outfield first (I played third base, and didn’t have to do much), and when it was our turn up to bat I was informed that as captain I had to go first. My first two swings were choppy and awkward, but on my third I smacked the ball far and low enough to make it to first base, which I overran significantly because it was only a small sliver of driftwood and I’m not entirely sure it was placed properly. I found second base okay (that piece of wood was a whole two inches wide and six inches long), and third as well. Before I knew it, I had scored our team’s first run! Later that same inning, I scored again before the “five runs per inning” rule was enacted and we went back to the outfield.

I was stranded at third during our next at-bat, and in the final one I was out a first. I didn’t get to make any spectacular plays from third base, but I caught a pass and almost tagged one of the best hitters out. Hey, I was just happy I caught the ball!

We only played for about an hour before one girl had to leave, and the game dissolved into friendly conversation. We disbanded not long after, and I left with a satisfied smile playing on my lips.

When I arrived home it was only about 7:30pm, and there was still enough daylight to hit the beach so I trapsed down there, swinging my keys. I love going down there late on cool evenings, because there are only a few other people meandering through the sand like me. I had originally intended to wander down to my established turnaround point, but there was a couple just ahead of me and I didn’t want to intrude on their romantic little stroll. Instead I settled into the cool, still-damp sand just a few feet out of reach of the crashing waves.

After a few minutes of staring aimlessly into the waves, something in the water caught my eye. Could it be? Yes it was – a seal! And a big one at that. I could tell as I watched the top of his back and then his tail flippers arch through the surface of the water before he was submerged again.

My eyes scanned rapidly in the direction he was headed, but I wasn’t sure how long he could stay under. A few minutes flashed by before I located him again, at which point I stood up and began walking in his direction, guestimating once again where he would pop up next. This time I drastically underestimated his lung capacity and speed, and had to run to have any hope of continuing to follow him. Truth be told, I was lucky I even saw him that third time!

By the sixth time I saw him surface our timing was perfectly in sync, and he surfaced directly out across the water from me. I was just about at my turnaround point by then, but I held on to our connection for one more round, lucky number seven. I blew him a kiss before he dove down once more, then I bid him adieu and headed back along the beach.

The little smile that I wore home from softball was now a big grin as I trudged merrily back through the sand. To think, if I had taken my normal walk my eyes would never have glimpsed that brown head poking up from the surf, and I would have missed out on that magical little encounter with my seal.

Happy Hippy

Driving home recently I passed a man riding a bike barefoot and helmetless. His stringy blond hair was long and unkempt, and he peddled slowly as one hand clutched a recent bakery purchase. He munched some sort of bread stick that he had positioned to stick out above the bag. He was headed in the general direction of the beach, and I could easily picture a surfboard tied haphazardly to his bike. His whole essence screamed aging hippy to me, and it made me smile. He seemed quite contented.

Turkey Love Drama

On my way to work the other day, I saw my turkey again! This time he was with his lover, which made me really happy. They ambled along the side of the road, pecking at the ground about ten feet from each other. I smiled to myself, thinking of them as having a solid enough relationship that they didn't need to be joined at the hip or chattering away constantly - they could just be happy eating quietly in each other's presence.

I fear I may have misread the situation, however, because I saw just one turkey when I was leaving work on Friday. Perhaps they weren't as happily coupled as I had assumed, and they were actually giving each other the cold shoulder. It appears as though they may be having marital problems, and are temporarily separated. I'll have to continue to monitor the situation. I hope they work it out, because I still remember how sad he was calling for her that first day.

New Gym!

Thanks to Paige's keen eyes on our very first trip out here back in April, which spotted a sign advertising an indoor rock wall, I have found an awesome gym that is quickly becoming my second home - much like Blenz in Whistler.

The gym is called Willy's, and it has two locations, one in Eastham along the bike path between my house and my work, and the other in Orleans, where I'll be running all my errands. In addition to the indoor rock climbing, they have group exercise classes, a lap pool, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, and of course the standard exercise machines and weights and whatnot. It also has free WiFi, which has become a lifesaver since it turns out that the house was not in Comcast's service area.

Last Sunday I came just for the internet, but Monday I returned for a Pilates class in the morning. While I waited for the previous class to finish, I struck up friendly conversation with another woman taking the class.When we got into the room, she told me which kind of mat was the best, and showed me where to get a bosu (a weird training gadget that is like half a yoga ball domed over a flat surface) and small squishy ball. The class was great, and using the extra tools was awkward at first but fun nontheless.

The next day I was extremely sore (I hadn't done Pilates regularly since the winter), but I went back Tuesday night for an evening class. The same woman I spoke to on Monday was leaving the previous class, but she assured me that I'd love the teacher, who was a sub. This instructor introduced another new gadget, a ring with padding on two sides that we put our feet in or our arms around to do various exercises. Also in this class was a woman I work near at the Headquarters. Afterward she warned me that now that she knew I liked Pilates, I would be dragged weekly. I told her that was fine by me, because I really love Pilates!

Wednesday morning I went to the Orleans location to check out a class called Healthy U at 7am, which would leave me enough time to get ready for work at 9am. Little did I know that I'd be by far the youngest person in the class. The instructor at one point told us that he was 42, and I thought great, the next youngest person is twice my age. The old folks were fun, though, I have to admit. While we were still warming up, a woman chimed in loudly to the "Sha la la la" part of Brown Eyed Girl, to which the instructor responded "What, is it karaoke Wednesday or something?" Towards the end of the song, when that part came on again, a gangly, bouncy old man in the front turned to the group and waved his arms to encourage us to join him as he sand out loud and strong. As much as I enjoyed the class, I'll probably only go for a few weeks until I have a firm handle on each exercise move and can do them myself, outside the class.

I looked forward to Friday all week, and finally got to go rock climbing! I headed straight there from work, and when I arrived there was only one kid down there besides the belayer. The kid, Harry, was eleven years old and behaved as one would expect an eleven year old boy to behave. He kept it interesting though, teasing me and motivating me into climbing higher when he said I couldn't. The belayer was a high school senior named Evan, and he really knew his stuff. I only climbed four walls before calling it a day, and could really feel it my arms. I'm looking forward to coming regularly and improving. After all, I have to show up that eleven year old!

New Mode of Transportation!

Even before my car began quitting on me, I had been planning to bike to work whenever the weather permitted. I'll save money on gas, save myself the headache of the heavy traffic that I have been warned about, reduce my carbon footprint, and get in better shape - all by this one simple activity!

Before biking to work the first time, I took an afternoon ride to familiarize myself with the trail. When I reached the intersection at the HQ, I reached for my chapstick in my pocket. It was there, but my phone was not. I thought briefly about whether I would have been as upset if it was the other way around (if my phone was there, but my chapstick was not), and determined that I probably would be as I peddled furiously back, my eyes scanning the ground on the opposite side of the trail.

I was nearly back to my starting point when I saw a young couple on bikes stopped on the side of the trail. The man had a purple phone in his hands and wore a puzzled expression on his face.

"Is that---" I began, screeching to a halt.

"Is this yours?" he asked hopefully, handing the phone over to me. "I was going to try to call your mom or something."

I thanked them profusely, so grateful that they had not decided to simply pocket the phone and continue on their way. They wished me luck, and with a sigh of relief I stowed my phone away in my bag, and patted for my chapstick. It was still with me!

New Opportunity!

By now, I have completed my two weeks of volunteering the Superintendent's office at the Headquarters of the Seashore. My three main assignments are all on-going, however, so I will still be in on Fridays and will put in some time outside of the office as well.

The main project they requested my help on is the planning of an event to be held at the Cape Cod Mall in Hyannis in mid-July. The goal is to promote the Seashore to the people of the Upper Cape, who rarely make it out as far as the beaches of the Outer/Lower Cape. George Price, the park's Superintendent, and Glenn Ritt, a member of the Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore (hereafter, "The Friends"), both used their contacts to recruit various organizations to join us in presenting the Seashore so as to encourage visitation by Upper Cape residents.

Next Friday I have a tentative meeting set up with Glenn and the marketing representative from the Cape Cod Mall (CCM) to look at the space and begin working out the logistical details of the event. Then I get to take over the management of the organizations, working with them to develop presentations and ensuring that their needs will be met on the day of the event. Those of us involved recognize the challenge of enticing mall shoppers to check out the exhibits we;ll have on display, but I'm looking forward to putting my planning skills to the test.

Shifting Sources

The kitchen light just went out. Or, more accurately, it didn't go on. Being that it was pitch black outside, I had to open the microwave to shed some light into the dark room while I relocated the large white lamp from the dining room into the random gap next to the refridgerator.

I'm proud of myself for not panicking. The bugs outside twacking into my living room window might change that however. They must have been sent by the creepy forest...

New Neighbor!

On Wednesday morning I was lounging lazily in my living room, when I heard an interesting bird calling out loudly from the back yard. At first I was content to ignore it, but before long my curiosity got the better of me and compelled me to peak outside the window. I told myself that the creepy forest would most likely conceal this noisy neighbor, but I looked nonetheless.

To my surprise, there was a turkey in the yard.

I watched as he strutted through the patches of tall grasses that were interspersed throughout the pine needle carpet. He continued to holler for his friend or lover, while casually pecking at the ground here and there. He seemed too lonely to concern himself with food much, however, and didn't stall long in his quest for company. He made his way around the house and toward the road, but then thought better of it and remained safe in the shrubbery between my house and the neighbors'.

Not wanting to startle this strange bird, I stayed in the house and didn't venture into the screen room. I was still able to snap this picture of him from the window, though, and it appears that he may have noticed my presence after all...

New House!

I have a house!

Yes, an actual house, not a shipping container propped up on wooden blocks in an RV lot. Life is good already!

The little cottage is owned by the Cape Cod National Seashore (from hereafter to be called The Seashore, as the locals do) and once I start my paid position rent will be regularly deducted from my checks. It has two bedrooms but Paige won't arrive to occupy the second until mid-June so for now I live alone, which is not as scary and intimidating as one might assume.

The house is near the Cape Cod Rail Trail, which runs behind The Seashore's headquarters, where I'm currently volunteering, and the Salt Pond Visitor Center, where I'll be for the majority of the summer. It'll be a lifesaver once the real heavy traffic hits - avoiding that by staying on the bike path whenever possible will be a blessing for sure!

Please allow me to give you a tour.

My street. There is a patch of bumpy pavement right when it turns off the main street.

Okay, just because it's not a trailer in a lot in the middle of nowhere doesn't mean it's in polished suburbia.

The exterior, from the front.

Think what you will, but I love the weathered gray siding. It suits a beach house perfectly, if you ask me!

My screen room - it's very large!

The screen room is the entrance to the house. It is also where I will be spending a considerable amount of my summer evenings.

The entrance to the house.

I have a quite a large entrance room. It's an odd open space that I'm a bit unsure what to do with. Then again, at home my friends and I sit on the kitchen floor when we hang out so I can image that is the purpose this area will serve.

My bathroom.

It may be tiny, but it: 1.) is indoors; 2.) has a tub; 3.) is MINE! Whistler was my first communal bathroom experience (Johnson & Wales spoiled me with in-room bathrooms), and I intend to make it my last.

My tiny little kitchen.

Okay, so I admit that I didn't know that they even made ovens that small, and that it's completely bizarre that there are no drawers (can you believe it?), but overall I'm very satisfied with my little kitchen!

The dining room. (Please note the lamp).

Yes, there are only two chairs pictured here. There is a third chair, but I'm using it at my desk. The majority of the summer only Paige and I will be here anyway, so I'm not overly concerned with the lack of seating just yet.

My bedroom. (Does the lamp look familiar?)

It's a decent sized room, and there's even enough space next to the bed for a twin air mattress. My dresser is in the left corner of the photo, and I have a large closet with a few shelves to the left of the door as well.

The living room takes up the entire back half of the house.

There are quite a few chairs, but the space is still too big to be filled properly. (See the lamp?)

Comfy couch

I tried to make my couch area as homey as possible. It's delightfully comfortable, but I need to remove the back pillows if I want to lay down without falling off - they're quite large.

Do you see the lamp in the corner? If you've been counting, you know that's the fourth identical lamp in the house. I saw the inside of another NPS house a street away - more big white lamps. They must have bought them in bulk before they were discontinued. They are too freakishly large to be so omnipresent, and the radius of their light is disappointingly small. What gives?

My desk.

I need to be working on my Honors research thesis this summer, so it was important for me to create a workspace in the house. Fortunately, this large table was sitting awkwardly towards the side of my obnoxiously large living room, and the chair from the dining room suits the height ideally.

The living room ceiling.

The exposed wooden beams, and that tantalizing mystery cabinet, are two of my favorite features of the house. By the end of the summer, I WILL climb up and peak behind those ceiling doors. I'll just have to be weary of spiders when I reach the top of the closets...

 I have a fire pit!

I have to actually look through the housing manual to double check that I'm allowed to have a fire, but I'm assuming the fact that the previous tenants indulged in this glorious summertime activity is a good sign. There's also a wood pile at the end of my driveway...Okay so it's across the street at the end of my driveway, but that house is an NPS house too, so I'm thinking that the wood might be fair game.

Welcome to the Creepy Forest.

Pictures nor words can do justice to the creeptastic trees that occupy my backyard. They are twisted and scraggly and half dead, as if someone tortured them for some unspeakable evil deed they committed. They shed pollen EVERYWHERE (my screen room floor was completely coated with a blanket of yellow treedust), and litter the ground with pine cones. Trust me, they are creepy. Fortunately none are close enough to the house (although there are recent stumps inches away from the screen room) to rub against the house on stormy nights like in horror movies. My friends assure me that by the end of the summer I will love and embrace the creepy forest, but I'm skeptical of this notion.

So there you have it, that's where I live! I'm excited to experience the quirks of this old house, and enjoy living on my own. Nevertheless, I'm still anxious for Paige to join me in this grand adventure.

New Blog!

Hello readers!

I enjoyed my Whistler Wonderland blog so much, I'm creating another one to report on my summertime adventures living and working on Cape Cod. My professor/mentor, Kathy Drohan, encouraged me to apply to work with the National Park Service on the Cape Cod National Seashore, and I am so glad I was open to the idea and took her up on it!

I've learned that in order for me to continue to grow and foster happiness in my life, I need change. I hunger for it, I seek it, I crave it. And now, I have it. I have sincerely enjoyed my summers at the restaurant, and will honestly miss the craziness of that kitchen, but I couldn't be more excited to begin this new chapter in my life. I have big plans for this summer, and I'm determined to put them into action.

The thing I love about moving somewhere new is that all elements have of life have been removed, so I get to put back in only the parts that I want and I have full prerogative to assign priority as I see fit. This summer is about my life, and how I want to live it.

I can't wait.