Merrily We Roll Along

"You spend too much time on Facebook," Mr. Ginley observed the other day.

Park-ing with Mr. Ginley

I vehemently denied it. And yet...

I have begun to get"Similar to Posts You've Interacted With" from my friends at FB that include things like videos of puffins, how the Finnish town of Ii is fighting climate change and a dog who frolics on its owner's back while his master does push-ups.

So, okay, maybe I am on social media more than I should be, even taking into account I'm currently between jobs.

In my defense, I've done other stuff, too. I attended two library lectures this past week, visited with Marie from my old neighborhood and took walks with Mr. Ginley, mostly in the MetroParks. And, of course, I set aside time each day for my job search.

This temporary new world of mine is both a respite and a challenge.

Yes, I miss seeing my coworkers, having a place to go and a feeling of purpose as well as the challenges of my former job.

But I'm enjoying the easy structure of my days, which blend together from one to the next effortlessly. Somehow, the time passes so quickly, I hardly notice.

So, that's where I am.

My next plan of action is to see about taking a course or two at the library to add new technical skills to my repertoire. Keeping my brain active and moving forward, not letting it languish, is a big priority at this point.

So, yes, putting the phone down and stepping away from FB is a good idea.

And I'll do that.

After I post this my FB page...

It All Started...

The Big Bang Theory broadcast its final episode Thursday night. While we weren't sure for awhile there, Mr. Ginley and I both teared up at the end of the show.

As relative latecomers to Big Bang fandom, we'd been binge watching previous episodes. We're still working our way through Season 11 and hope to catch the re-runs of Season 12.

It's been great escapism for us, but it's also sparked a conversation about the characters in the show.

Mr. Ginley pointed out that all of them are flawed. And yet, when they come together, their obvious affection for one another binds them. So even as Howard is ragging Raj or Penny is needling Leonard, you know it's not out of malice but comes from a caring place.

And the fact that none of them strangled Sheldon, not even once, is a testament to the power of understanding and forgiveness.

Okay, yes, I know these aren't real people. But it's a tribute to the writers and the actors that we've come to care about this quirky group of friends.

There's something especially poignant for me personally, because it seems to be a year of goodbyes. This is just one more.

I wish I could bring all my friends together and sit around eating take-out Chinese food, while kibitzing about nothing and everything.

Maybe Sheldon could tell me where he got the cool t-shirt folding device. Or Howard would let me play with his Steven Hawking-mobile. Or I could join a book club with Amy.

After all, that's the magic of TV. Imagining other lives, other places, other friendships.

The best part is, we can go back to Season 1 anytime we want and start unraveling the mystery all over again.

(And pause after the credits to read all the cool Chuck Lorre vanity cards.)

I Shore Love Birds

I awoke at five a.m. Friday to the sound of my sister's phone alarm.

No, I didn't move to C-Bus.

Disoriented, I opened one eye and remembered where I was...in the midst of The Biggest Week in American Birding, an event hosted by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.

The day before we'd gone to the Ottawa Refuge for a talk on birdsong. It had been a rainy but warm day, and we wound up driving around the park and peering at any birds who didn't mind getting their feathers wet. Admittedly, the view wasn't optimal, but we did manage to see a few winged warriors between the raindrops. The weather cleared a bit, so we stopped at Howard Marsh, where we got our first look at some long-legged shore birds.

Overnight, we settled in at the Maumee Bay Lodge. Friday morning, the bus was set to depart at six a.m.

I followed Diane to the lobby, where I picked up the box lunch I'd ordered the night before and climbed into the bus. We headed to the "Wilds of Erie County" to see what we could see. First up was the Pipe Creek Wildlife Area, followed by the Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve.

Pipe Creek is just across the way from Cedar Point, but it couldn't be more distant in terms of human civilization. It was wild and amazing, with lots of shore birds, from great egrets, blue herons and cormorants to terns, gulls, sandpipers, killdeer and dunlins. On the shores were the remains of fishes that were dinner for some large birds.

Sheldon Marsh was more of a woodland adventure, hosting warblers, chickadees, swallows, sparrows and nuthatches. Plus, as a special bonus, a bittner, which is not rare but is tough to spot. (And yours truly spotted him, hah!)

Lunch was delicious!

Saturday took us in the opposite direction, to Michigan, where we explored Pt. Mouillee State Game Area. It was cold and windy, and most of the time we viewed the birds from the van. Because the water levels were so high, the birds were clustered on small patches of mud. On one finger of terra firma, there were a couple hundred dunlins. To see them sweep up together and fly in unison, dipping and soaring this way and that, is really something. Nature does some amazing choreography. (The June Taylor dancers ain't got nothin' on these guys!) Pt. Mouilee is also home to pelicans, so I got to check them off my list. Other cool birds we saw today: a horned grebe, green heron and bobolinks.

An advantage to going with a tour, aside from the fact the leaders know their birds both by sight and sound, is they bring along scopes. So if you can't see a particular species with your binoculars, you can view them through the scope. (Which they offer for sale, by the way, although I didn't even ask the cost, I knew better.) Sometimes I wish I could photograph what I see, but I figure I'll just leave that to the experts. I remain an observer, with access to eBird, so I can go back and re-see what I saw.

This Dunlin is Rockin'

Slogging around in all kinds of weather looking at birds may not be everyone's cup of tea. But I find it relaxing and exhilarating. There's nothing like watching a bald eagle in flight. Or a baby killdeer trotting along in the sand after its mom. Or hearing the cacophony of birdsong in a remote area in the early morning. I still get a kick when I can actually spot the buggers in my binoculars. Just watching them preen or hop from reed to reed or ward off competitors -- it's all good to me.

On the way home, I was tired and my knees were aching.

But I felt a deep peace and satisfaction that went all the way to my core.

And that's what it's all about.

Embracing the Clutter

In light of our recent change in circumstances, one of the discussions we've had is whether it makes any sense to pick up stakes and move to a smaller place locally.

I still recall when we moved my mother-in-law in with us and all of the detritus my husband's folks had accumulated over the course of 40 years.

We've lived here 26 years, but we've collected enough stuff to make the prospect of moving daunting, indeed.

Props to Ryan and his wife, who sold their house and most of their belongings, bought a truck and RV, and hit the open road. Alas, Mr. Ginley and I are beyond the age of adventure, at least to that extent.

"Would you ever consider living in a tiny house?" my beloved asked me the other day. "I couldn't stand living in a space that small."

"I could for a night or two. Or if I was living alone," I mused. "But with another person? No way. I'd end up smothering them in their sleep."

What about an apartment or condo? It would depend on the rent, but in all likelihood, it would cost us more than what we are paying to live where we are now. And condos always have those nasty monthly upkeep fees, which can go up and up.

Also, we'd have to do some work on the house before we could put it on the market. And get rid of many of our prized possessions (i.e. books).

Although...

In today's newspaper there is a story about a new library they're building with several floors of apartments above. Mr. Ginley has often said he dreams of living in a library. This might be the next best thing.

I suspect, however, the curators would get tired of having to throw him out every night.

So, here we will stay, comfortably surrounded by the things we know and love.