pay your money, they set everything up etc. This was down in Mallows Bay State Park, MD, so get to paddle around where a group of wooden WWI ships were left to rot, something to do on a Sunday afternoon. About an 1 1/2 hour drive, got there, told us it was cancelled. Windy, the water was pretty choppy and a few of the other participants were even older than me, so I get it and was even wondering earlier when the front came through with heavy rain if it would be cancelled but no call.... Welp, they did call us, but I did not recognize the Washington State area code, blew it off as yet another scam call but realized afterwards REI HQ is in ... the state of Washington. Problem is also that's my system, not answering unidentified calls until I can put a name with the number in my directory. Not going to change that but stuff like this will happen then. Made lemonade from lemons, it was a nice day, just not for kayaking, walked around the park, one of those areas of MD I haven't explored much, saw a couple goldfinches, maybe a couple indigo buntings (or bluebirds?) probably a young bald eagle. Made a note of it, I'll be back. *** Pretty busy weekend, got a lot done including the continuation of the garbage disposal saga. Getting the old one unstuck was not the end of the problem, turned it on again, moved a little bit, and got stuck again. So, pulled it out again and started pulling it apart... and realized I was at "that" decision point: F' around with it for hours and hours (with no guarantee I could fix it) or ... life is short, buy a new one. Slept on it, woke up knowing what to do, (some people wonder if I'm as smart as other people in the lounge so there you go, I am, darn it.) Friday around noon ordered a new unit. Can be here by Thursday free shipping or Tuesday for $6.99 or ~ $10 shipping tonight from 5 - 10pm tonight or 4 - 8am tomorrow that is, within 24 hours. What!? how is that possible? Overriding my stupid reflex to save money (whew!) I opted for the morning, what could be easier than waking up and here it is! (It had been delivered arund 5:30 am) Never had delivery options like that before. Sorta makes sense, someone can deliver quickly when all the roads are empty? Some secret contractor delivery system to get stuff to worksites in the AM? Oh yeah, installing it was still a ***** b/c everything's an awkward position under the cabinet, eg, head on top of the counter while feeling for and trying to turn screws with your hands. One big help was my 2 1/2 ton carjack that acted as a third hand and could deftly be maneuvered to line things up. Pictures: 1) So back around twelve years ago the guvnah of MD declared the Piscataway Indians an official tribe in Maryland and things got named like the Piscataway parkway and a lot of the signage told us what the Piscataway names were for things. They don't have any game and fishing rights and most importantly of all they can't open casinos, though. I don't think they even have reservations but I haven't checked too hard. So I'm kind amused by a sign that says "deer crossing" in Piscatawaian, like I doubt an y Piscatawaians can read this, let alone the rest of us. There's a lake near where I live called lake Kittamakundi and I learned it was named after some Piscataway chick. Been here 30 years and di'nah know that, every day and in every way I'm getting smarter and smarter. 2) Looks like Mountain Laurel to me which I thought...grew in the mountains in pretty dry soil not in wet areas like this. What do I know? (PS learning that there are ten varieties of Kalmia in the US, thinking this may be something different, slightly pinkish? Stuff along the AT is surely Mountain Laurel though) 3) View from Mallows Bay, the ship in the distance is NOT one of the WWI wood boats which are always under water. It is an abandoned ferry from the '30s that was left there maybe following the idea from Alice's Restaurant that one big pile is better than two little piles. That little clump of vegetation in the middle is one of the wooden ships. ** Edited by `lag at 5/13/2024, 5:34:29 PM