TheCapeBlog

Cooler today. Guess there was a frost in some areas last night.

Peter fixed two more delinquent electrical wirings: the 3-way second floor hall light and the floor-level pantry outlet which also controls the electricity in the sunroom.

Ryan checked in for his downpayment.

Ron and I trimmed a little off the forsythia. Awkward place to work. I did some weeding.

Yesterday I tried cleaning the siding with the bleach-based solution from Home Depot. It didn’t seem to work but I did get rid of dirt and insect webs. That chore did provide an excuse to hook up hoses to both outdoor outlets, so I guess it was a good use of time.

This morning Ron and I pruned the very top of the climbing rose from the second story window. Much easier than a ladder!

I brought home pizza from Cumby for lunch: two slices for $3. Can’t beat it.

Did an enjoyable medicinal/edible plant walk at River’s Edge with Wild Soul River and HooRWA.

Norman finished up the bathroom piping project.

In the meantime, we went to Beltone in Albany for a hearing test and fitting of new top of the line hearing aids for Ron.

We enjoyed the ride, took a different route home than planned and it brought us past a couple of landmarks, including a restaurant we’d been told is outstanding, Giovanni’s.

Unfortunately, we can’t eat most of what’s on their menu and anyway there was a 45 minute wait, so we didn’t stay.

We skipped attending Town Meeting in person and opted to watch at least part of it on WilliNet. I’m disappointed in the low quality of the discussion and glad we didn’t go.

I’m feeling a little more optimistic about the progress everyone but us is making on the house. I’ve got the yard pretty well under control except for deciding whether to get rid of the pile of clippings in the corner or use it for compost.

Pruned the poor hydrangea, which was mostly dead wood, leaving about a dozen canes that look like they might have blooms. The small-headed pruners bought last year worked beautifully.

Spread the eighteenth bag of mulch, thus finishing the back garden. Saved two bags for later fill-ins.

Roses look promising. Hollies have tiny flowers.

Treated us to lunch from Water St. Grill: big salad, fried green beans, ciabatta rolls.

Norman started work on the plumbing and drained several cups of horrible-smelling, noxious fluid.

Met with James and talked with Ryan about plans for the second floor bedrooms.

Cindy is a new grandmother! Baby girl arrived today.

Peter messaged that everyone is doing well, including him.

I haven’t been outside at all today, have been working on the ZAI trust application. Sent it off end of day. Almost as bad as a tax return.

Also ran 3 hot water washes – bleach, vinegar, plain water – to deodorize the washing machine.

Beech in the neighbor’s yard has leafed out.

Made three trips to the transfer station and one to compost collection.

Brought the remaining bags of leaves from late winter cleanup, a pallet and garden stakes from the trash corner and branches.

Picked up cookies at the Spring Street “farmers market”.

We drove to Stewart’s for 91 octane gas for the lawn mower. Ron did the back and front yards but mowed over the forget me nots.

I had a yen for prosecco and picked up a couple of splits from Spirits. Ron went a little off the deep end with two beers, Ouzo and Metaxa 7.

Oh, yeah, changed the sheets.

Picked it up today and on the way back stopped at Pedrin’s for ice cream and Uniq Vape for things that made Ron happy.

Visit from Jim P the oil man and his son Chase to gather info for an estimate on the oil tank replacement.

Did more cleanup in the back and two trips to the transfer station. Most of the big vines and branches are gone.

Crafts session at the senior center; made a wind chime out of a tiny flower pot.

Closing tomorrow on HEAT loans. Lined up tentative appointments with plumber and contractor for next week.

The old rocker put on his dancing shoes for Misty Blues at MOCA! I did, too.

The doc gave me a full skin look, froze a spot on my nose and removed a cyst I’ve had for decades from my forehead.

We visited Windsor Lake in North Adams on the way to pick up my meds at Walmart.

I did some hacking of vines and branches and got bitten repeatedly, probably by black flies.

Dropped off rose prunings at the transfer station, did more.

Returned a book so depressing that I couldn’t read it to the library.

Met with our loan officer at the credit union. Applied for the no-interest HEAT loans. He started the application for a HELOC in addition to the Green loan. This would fund the second floor bedroom floor project.

Unfortunately, our contractor seems to have made other arrangements, at least for now, although he is willing to do the cellar stairs and get the heat duct out of the way of the door.

Meanwhile the town Building Department is on my rear about the big project, which they want done before the ceiling.

They are lucky I’m not the Town Manager.

It seems that everyone whose hackles I raise is from South Williamstown and they run everything here; noblesse oblige is alive and well.

Ron noticed that the slats on the bed had come disconnected. It was because the frame wasn’t completely squared off. After flipping the mattress on end, he tightened the corners and that seemed to solve the problem. It also no longer squeaks when we sit on it.

I was running out of space so spent a couple of hours deleting messages and attachments from my Outlook account.

Norman came by for a check to buy supplies for the sewer venting project. He has some ideas for the room with the missing floor.

We visited Clarksburg State Park. It was a lovely day and Mauserts Pond reminded me a bit of Mashpee/Wakeby.

Having recently moved to Williamstown and having a lifelong interest in government and politics, I’ve tried to engage in discussions around local issues.

There was a fine meeting last month with several elected officials that was hosted by Wild Soul River, whose owners deserve credit for the time and talent they dedicate to the greater good.

I was disappointed, though, by a meeting this past weekend with the comprehensive plan committee.

The meeting was advertised as an opportunity for feedback, but it seemed from my perspective at least that it was anything but that.

It may be a matter of definition. Perhaps my understanding of the difference between a forum and a debate, a discussion and an argument, is flawed.

For example, I asked what people mean by the “town center”. Seems to me there are two town centers possibly located in the vicinity of Field* and Bloedel Parks. That led to a response that Spring Street is the town center. Period. End of discussion.

A historic town identifies a commercial area as its center? That may be appropriate for a city, but as a symbol or representation or public image for a rural community? Seems to me this is worthy of consideration.

The meeting drifted into areas that weren’t on the agenda, which is fine, but again there seemed to be little interest in hearing new points of view.

As a way to lessen the property tax burden, I suggested giving residents a chance to volunteer in exchange for an abatement on their taxes. A member of the committee nixed that thought, claiming volunteerism undermines the “dignity of work” for pay.

I wonder what volunteers, considered by some the “backbone” of nonprofit organizations, would think about that.

In my last town, comprehensive plan meetings were information gathering sessions conducted by trained moderators, both paid and (heavens) unpaid. Members of the Planning Board were cautioned to allow open discussion, leaving their comments to the end.

In contrast, this weekend’s session in Williamstown turned into a Q and A or perhaps more accurately a defense of the status quo.

I hope the comprehensive plan meetings that led up to this one allowed more actual feedback and that the final result will reflect a consensus of the citizenry and not just the opinions of a very few.

*”The center of the town was the intersection of South Street and North Street at the east end of what is now called Field Park. Though not the geographic center, it was the center of the original lots and the location of the original meetinghouse/town hall.”