Friday morning I depart for my annual antique show. Thus, the rest of the afternoon today is going to be spent packing up the sale items and loading the car, so I can leave first thing in the morning.
This morning I visited my mother at the nursing home. I had actually forgotten that it was Halloween, since we don't get trick-or-treaters at our place and thus don't need to stock up on candy. There were tons of people around, many in costume. Including a couple of staff girls dressed as men. I was invited to come back for the Halloween party at 2. My first comment was that I don't have a costume. One of the girls said "we have two girls dressed as guys, why don't you dress as a girl?" "That sounds great, but due to my schedule - darn it anyway - my afternoon is already spoken for. Can I take a raincheck for next year?" "Sure, honey...and if you need to, we have a place where you can change." My response was..."that's a deal!"
When I got home and discussed it with the better half, it met with a completely negative response...as I figured it might. (I could go into details, but I won't bore you - you've heard it all before, from others.) So, next year I might actually have to be a "bag lady" for the day, take my things in a plastic bag, and change there. It's entirely do-able.
But, I looked at a 2014 calendar. The problem will be that I have to give up a Friday of sales to make it happen. Fortunately, Friday typically has been my weakest of the three sale days. So next year, I may just load the car Friday morning, do the party Friday afternoon, and get up at zero dark 30 Saturday (for me about 4:30 AM) to drive to the sale. Not incurring one night's motel expenses could help offset some of the lost sales. I'll know more about business conditions after this show.
But the better half's major resistance indicates for now, "Mandy in a dress" will have to appear only when away from home... Even though it's a disappointing situation, it's not unexpected. Major resistance has waxed and waned many times over the past couple of decades, and probably will again in the future. Our recent vacation has taught me that with proper makeup (and my clothes, hair, nails and purse) I can often be accepted as a girl, even in my androgynous form. (More vacation posts coming soon.)
So, Mandy really is perpetually present.,..and skirts or dresses can be added whenever the time is right. Press on, MacDuff...or is it "Ms. MacDuff?"
Cheers,
Mandy
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Vacation #2: Ships and Cottages
You may recall that ever since a car show last spring, my antique car had carburetor issues. Getting them repaired was a major task, since most of today’s mechanics are trained on fuel injection systems and computer controls. Being a 1967, mine has neither, and to complicate matters, it also has an intact prehistoric California smog control system . Fuel-injection and computer emission training is useless on old-fashioned antiques.
And trying to make a 1,200-mile trip in a freshly-repaired car, without some significant shakedown runs, would be a "real fool's errand." Thus I decided to take the daily driver on this trip, and extend our agenda exponentially. What started out to be a simple antique car tour for my better half and myself, with a bunch of friends, ended up being an epic vacation. We were gone for so long (two full weeks) that it was easy to lose track of time!
Today found us
looking at preserved American naval ships at Battleship Cove, Fall River, MA, a
maritime museum and war memorial that traces its origins to the wartime
crew of the World War II battleship USS Massachusetts. This dedicated
veterans group was responsible for the donation of the decommissioned vessel
from the Navy and its subsequent public display in Fall River.
Battleship Cove harbors the largest collection of preserved US
Navy ships in the world. The fleet includes five National Historic Landmarks:
Battleship USS Massachusetts, Destroyer USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.,
Submarine USS Lionfish, and PT Boats 617 and 796. Individually, each
ship represents different moments in history and technical achievements;
collectively, these vessels symbolize American sacrifices made in defense of
our freedom.
Mandy on the deck of the USS Massachusetts
Big 16 inch guns on the Massachusetts. Can't you just imagine the noise they made!
Remember, these opulent little "cottages" were not full-time residences!
In the afternoon, the bunch of us were off to see some of
Newport, Rhode Island’s greatest examples of conspicuous consumption from the Gilded
Age of the “robber barons”: the Breakers (a 70 room “cottage", built by
Cornelius Vanderbilt II in 1895), and the Marble House (a 50 room “cottage,”
built by William K Vanderbilt in 1892.)
Cornelius II was the grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt of New York
Central Railroad fame, and William K was his younger brother.
By the way, did anyone realize that Rhode Island is the smallest
state, with the longest name? Hint;
before counting the letters in states like Mississippi, North Carolina and
Massachusetts, look up the official state name for Rhode island: it’s “Rhode Island and Providence
Plantations” – this evolved years ago, from the merger of two local settlements. It's the way the state is listed on official documents like the Elevator licenses, too. Just be glad you don’t need to write that out
with each letter you post to Rhode Island!
More sections (and
more pictures) will follow in the days to come.
Vacation #3 - Seaports and Submarines
And trying to make a 1,200-mile trip in a freshly-repaired car, without some significant shakedown runs, would be a "real fool's errand." Thus I decided to take the daily driver on this trip, and extend our agenda exponentially. What started out to be a simple antique car tour for my better half and myself, with a bunch of friends, ended up being an epic vacation. We were gone for so long (two full weeks) that it was easy to lose track of time!
The above will introduce each following section, as a prelude, for those who may not have read prior vacation entries.
Today the group started
by visiting Mystic Seaport, in Mystic, Connecticut – a living history museum established in 1929 as
the "Marine Historical Association". Its first fame came with the
acquisition in 1941 of the Charles W. Morgan, the only surviving wooden sailing
whaler. The seaport was one of the first living history museums in the United
States, with a collection of buildings and craftsmen to show how work was done.
No
“sir” comments, as the only pants
remaining in my suitcase were my feminine stirrup leggings, and I added my womens' Keds to help keep my ballerinas from getting damaged by the gravel. What I was wearing caused no
issues for anyone. Folks in our group
addressed me by first name and, as happened at last year’s tour, took my
appearance in stride. No comments were
made, it was just business as usual.
Mystic Seaport, preparing for Halloween
Mandy at Mystic Seaport
Water certainly was calm, and the sky was rich blue!
Water certainly was calm, and the sky was rich blue!
After a lunch break,
we drove to Groton, Connecticut to tour the Submarne Force Museum, and among
the displays is the actual submarine Nautilus, America’s first nuclear powered
submrine. It’s a great place to visit p
simply fascinating....
Seeing the interior evoked
reaction from just about everyone that “I’m sure glad the USA built it, but I’m happy that I didn’t have to live in such cramped quarters..”
Submarine Force Library and Museum, Groton, CT.
Submarine Force Library and Museum, Groton, CT.
More sections (and
more pictures) will follow in the days to come.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Vacation Quickie, "The Beginning"
You may recall that ever since a cas show last spring, my antique car
had carburetor issues. Getting them
repaired was a major task, since most of today’s mechanics are trained on fuel
injection systems and computer controls.
Being a 1967, mine has neither, and to complicate matters, it also has an intact prehistoric California smog control system . Fuel-injection and computer emission training is useless on old-fashioned
antiques.
And trying to make a 1,200-mile trip in
a freshly-repaired car, without some significant shakedown runs, would be a "real fool's errand." Thus I decided to take the
daily driver on this trip, and extend our agenda exponentially. What started out to be a simple antique car
tour for my better half and myself, with a bunch of friends, ended up being an
epic vacation. We were gone for so long
(two full weeks) that it was easy to lose track of time!
The above will introduce each
following section, as a prelude.
A nice first day’s
stop on our vacation was Slater’s Mill in Pawtucket, RI.
Built in 1793 on the Blackstone River, the old Slater Mill was
the first successful factory in the US. It was dedicated exclusively to the
production of cotton thread until 1829, and then continuously occupied until
1921 with various owners and renters who altered its physical structure to suit
whatever enterprise they pursued.
Today, Slater Mill is a museum complex that includes the Old
Slater Mill, built in 1793 and restored to its c. 1835 appearance; the
Wilkinson Mill, built in 1810; the Sylvanus Brown House, built in 1758;
archival materials, collections of hand-operated and powered machinery, a
gallery and a recreational park. Highlights of the site include demonstrations
of flax processing, cotton spinning, and weaving in an 18th century artisan's
home, exhibitions of 19th and 20th century machinery, and an operating 16,000
pound water wheel. It was a fascinating trip back in time, to the
early days of the Industrial Revolution here in the US.
Sylvanus Brown House, Slater's Mill
Slater's Mill
Not much happened
that day, gender-wise or otherwise, but I was wearing my one and only pair of
jean leggings, which I brought for the first day of sightseeing. Since I didn’t spill anything on them, they
actually were worn again a couple of times!
And with two pairs of daily-wear leather ballerina flats, with one pair in patent leather, and my white Keds, I had shoes
for all occasions.
They're now my everyday shoes - I really love wearing my ballerina flats!
More sections (and
more pictures) will follow in the days to come.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Girl Time again...and a bit more ferroequinology
I recently enjoyed one of those weekends away, where I could find at least "some" girl time. It's been quite a while since my last excursion!
On the way northbound, I came across a dairy store with a very unusual and memorable name. Unfortunately, it was early morning and the joint wasn't open yet. (Not that I was really all that hungry for ice cream at 8AM...) But I'll remember it the next time I pass that way during business hours. Bet the ice cream is delicious!
I wonder if they have good ice cream? And also about those "udder things"...
Once inland, beyond the temperate coastal areas still under the effects of relatively warm Atlantic waters, it was easy to tell what the season was. Orange pumpkins were in the fields and at the produce stands, and farmers were busily harvesting their brown corn stalks. Though the weather was relatively hot and humid (mid 80's Fahrenheit), leaves on the trees were preparing to burst into full autumn finery, as if to predict another winter. There was still a week (or two) till peak color, with a lot of green still showing. But summer's green leaves are definitely not long for this world!
October in rural Pennsylvania
I spent some time visiting relatives in Pennsylvania (in androgynous mode), and exploring a couple of railroad sites there. Most notable was the new "Steam into History" train ride on the Northern Central Railroad, an old Pennsy line from Baltimore through York, to Harrisburg, over which Abraham Lincoln rode enroute to Gettysburg, where he gave his storied "Gettysburg Address." These same tracks carried Lincoln's funeral train two years later. I can remember seeing passenger trains of one diesel engine and one or two coaches on this line during 1970 and 1971, as the line passed by my place of work at the time. The line was damaged by Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and was closed to freight traffic (by then Penn Central) shortly after that.
The steam engine looks like a historic artifact. However, it isn't. In reality, the William H. Simpson #17 is a faithful replica of the Civil War steam engine (completed in July of 2013) that carried Abraham Lincoln to deliver his now famous Gettysburg Address. It was based upon the locomotive and tender previously constructed and provided at the Golden Spike Historical Site in Utah and arrived in New Freedom on July 25, 2013, along with newly-built "hstorical-style" coaches.
Looks old, but it isn't...
My weekend definitely provided this girl a rare chance to spend some time out and about. Though still not ready or willing to fully dress in the presence of relatives, sightseeing provides many wonderful opportunities! Nobody really cared how I was dressed - to them, I was just another girl on the street, albeit one toting two cameras and a big (translation: old and heavy) tripod.
Locals addressed me as "Ma'am" during the inevitable interactions. My favorite one was the 50something gentleman who said "Good morning, young lady, how are you?" Oops, not going to get away with a one-or-two word reply here! So, I summoned the best feminine voice I could (which is far from perfect.) "Just fine, sir, thanks for asking, and how are you?" "Just fine, thanks. Enjoy this lovely weather!" "I certainly will, you too!" And we both walked on.
While waiting for the train to depart, so I could get some pictures, I stood around under a shade tree, with several local ladies who were noisily chatting about their own personal issues. They didn't change their discussions when I arrived, and through my Foster Grants, I couldn't see anything to indicate they took me for other than what I appeared to be. Since there is a bike trail alongside the tracks, hikers and bikers passed on by without issues, glances or giggles (and some of them WERE teen girls.)
Yours truly at the restored (in 2003) Pennsylvania RR station at New Freedom, PA
Hmmm...the town's name was New Freedom....and I really did feel free there! Let's hope those pleasant vibes stick around!
But, for now, "That's all, folks!"
Cheers,
Mandy
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Still Around & Kicking!
September was extremely busy
for me...which you can indirectly tell from my lack of posts. Issues with my
mother in the nursing home, repair adventures with my antique car, and family
medical problems, in addition to traveling, all complicated the process of
posting. And the month of October is
scheduled to be particularly busy. But
androgyny continues in everyday life...with my long hair, feminine acrylic
nails, capri pants, ballerina flats and purse,
My nails today...
They’re all about 3/8’ beyond
the ends of my fingers, and about 1” long overall. When I go in for my pink and
white fills, the tech no longer shortens them. She simply fills what's there,
and makes sure the white acrylic at the ends is big enough to be plainly
visible. She's told me that my hands have become very pretty. I can't argue
that...and, as I often "talk with my hands," my nails click as they
bump each other, which draws attention to them. Because of
my nails, I'm re-learning to type, but now like a girl with long nails. And I love it...
The only downside to long nails is that they restrict my using a credit card in a gas pump - at least,
not without assistance. I found myself
blushing a lot the other day.
It had been a couple weeks since I put gas in the car, and I needed
gas. My credit card was in the pump, and my nails had finally grown enough that they prevented my fingers from providing enough grip to remove it. Embarrassing! I finally had to ask the girl on the other
side of the pump (who incidentally had short, unpolished nails) if she'd help me operate the pump, because of my nails.
She reached down, picked up
both my hands, and closely examined my fingers. "They''re beautiful!"
Then she smiled knowingly and said, "I’ll be glad to help you,
sweetie.” She pulled my card out of the
reader, then reinserted it and removed it again. She asked me if I was from town, the answer to which gave her my zip code to use in the machine. She set up the charge for me, punching the keys with her fingertips (I have to use my knuckles because of my nails.) Then she
handed my card back to me, inserted the nozzle in the filler cap, and offered
to finish the fill for me, which I graciously declined. I thanked her profusely for her assistance.
While I filled the car, she chatted with me for a few minutes and told me that I’m one very
lucky girl to be able to enjoy such long, feminine nails. I replied that I’ll just have to get
used to their limitations (and she reminded me that ATM's will have this same problem...I hadn't tried one of those yet!) Then she
suggested that I put on a thin vinyl exam glove to let me be able to retrieve
my own credit card, as well as keep any gasoline smell off my hand. I subsequently tried it, and it works…now
there’s one in each car! It should
work till my nails grow another 3/8”or so. Hopefully Judy will decide to trim them before then, though I think she wants to keep growing them for a while!
Spent part of that afternoon
messing with my antique...and got lots of dirt under those long fingernails...fortunately didn't break any! It
was tough getting them clean... I took
the car to one nearby local show, even in its poorly-running condition. Bright side was it made the trip safely...but
no trophy. Guess that’s the result of
its inactive summer and getting dirty from sitting around at the shop.
At the car show...
Staffers at the show always
used gender-appropriate pronouns for me. “Miss”
even was used twice! A comment made by
an elderly gentleman tottering around with what may have been his daughter as I
was looking over the cars, completely made my day. “You’re a pretty little cutie, honey.” He was smiling, and I thanked him. It really sounded
sincere, but I’m not sure I’d go along with that assessment. It may be his opinion, but I think he just needs a pair of
glasses. Nonetheless, it was surely a treat to
hear!
There was a meet-up planned with
one of the local bloggers back in late September, to be held at a car show near
her home. But it was too far away to
attempt driving the car with the myriad of problems, and I wasn’t willing to gamble
on getting home safely from a run that long. Good news was…she subsequently mentioned it
rained that day, so everything really worked out for the best!
The antique goes back to the
shop soon (a different shop this time), to have them review what's been
done so far, and try to straighten things out. Maybe we can get to the bottom of this
problem...once and for all!
I’m out of town alone as I’m
putting this blog together. That eventually will be a topic for a post…but till
then,
Cheers,
Mandy
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