We're Back Home

Aboard SwissAir from Zurich-Boston

Traveling to places new is fun and very exciting for the most part, even with the unexpected at times. Our recent trip to Tuscany covered many of these points. 

Despite a damaged suitcase, rainy days, crowded sites and a cancelled flight, we enjoyed our belated anniversary trip and, as we all know, things happen. Thanks for your advance well wishes.

While traveling, we kept current on damages and deaths caused by dual hurricanes and tornadoes in the U.S. The devastation was staggering to see even from such a distance away. We hope that fellow bloggers, who were in harm's way, are now safe. 

Always pack for the weather

While there were no hurricanes, we had downpours on several days as the Tuscan region was having a very wet October. Rain gear and umbrellas came in handy very often on our day travels. The tour guide told us that September, had been very sunny and warm by comparison.

Unlike our UK tour last fall, we stayed in one hotel and traveled daily by tour bus to visit locales anywhere from an 60 to 90 minutes away. (Future posts will present more info on these locations.) 

There were a number of highlights, one of the most memorable was seeing Florence Cathedral. Formally the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower, it was started in 1296 in the Gothic style and was structurally completed by 1436.

Florence Cathedral and duomo

The Florence cathedral is the fourth largest in the world after Saint Peter's (Rome), Saint Paul's (London), and the Duomo in Milan (Italy). This structure was built to serve as a monument to the wealth and prestige of Florence. It was originally envisioned to be the largest cathedral in Italy and remains one of the largest in the world. Its creation came about from the need to compete with other Italian monuments, such as the Pisa Cathedral and its iconic tower.

Piazza dei Miracoli (formerly Piazza del Duomo) in Pisa dates back to 1064

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is still leaning, but did you know that the cathedral and Pisa Baptistry are too; however, the bell tower has the most dramatic lean. The Tower of Pisa is the freestanding bell tower (campanile) of Pisa Cathedral. All three are in the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), formally the Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square). The name change occurred in the early 20th century after Italian writer and poet Gabriele d'Annunzio described the space as a meadow of miracles (prato dei Miracoli) for the beauty of its architecture. In 1987, the square was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The top of the Leaning Tower is accessed by 294 steps

The Leaning Tower is the third oldest building on Piazza dei Miracoli after the Pisa Cathedral and Baptistery (the largest baptistery in Italy). There's an admission fee and 30-minute time limit to walk up and back down the 294 tower staircase and usually a waiting line as well. We opted out of this experience.

Terme Tettuccio spa in Montecatini  built from 1779-81 was restructured in 1928

Montecatini Terme is a spa town renowned for its healing natural waters since Roman times, and there are claims that the waters were used for their healing properties even earlier. The healing consists of drinking thermal waters for a variety of different ailments from stomach problems to diseases of the digestive system. The Italian composers Giacomo Puccini and Giuseppe Verdi were fans of the spa cure.

Cost of a round trip on the funicular was 7 euros (about $7.63 in U.S. dollars)

Since 1898, the Montecatini Terme Funicular has been transporting visitors on a less than 10 minute, 4.5 mile ride to the medieval village of Montecatini Alta. While the funicular has been modernized over the years, the two red carriages, called Gigio and Gigi have not been modified. Funicular derives from the Latin word funiculus, which translates to rope which is what the cables were made from years ago.

Waiting for a flight is tiresome and frustrating; safe travel is wonderful

Our arrival back in NH was delayed a full day because of a much-delayed then flight cancellation and a flight re-routing from the Florence to Bologna airport. On the plus side, SwissAir provided a meal voucher, overnight accommodations, transport to a hotel then to Bologna Airport. (A story for a future post.)

Last trip

This week will be a catch-up one for matters here at home, most importantly recovering from colds (that's all, we tested), filing an insurance claim for a damaged suitcase and other stuff. The photo at left was taken after our flight from Zurich landed in Florence. We bought duct tape in an Italian variety store, Lovely, directly across the street from a 1 Euro store (like a Dollar Store) in Montecatini. We taped all around the rip with black tape, no it wasn't pretty, but functional. Like ourselves, the luggage and its contents arrived back safely in the U.S.

My advance apologies for not having enough time to read and comment on your recent posts. I hope to catch up by next week.

Friday Funnies

Your guess is as good as mine as to why these garments were curbside on a Nashua, NH, street a couple of weeks ago. There was no one around when the photo was taken.

Your caption welcome

My first thoughts for a caption were — street clothes or curbside garb, nothing else came to mind. Perhaps, some else has a more creative take. as always, feel free to post a comment.

By the time this FF is posted, we'll be somewhere in the Tuscan region of Italy. Our thanks for your safe travel wishes earlier. Although, we will be far from home, our thoughts remain with many in the U.S. including fellow bloggers.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

Irregular blog posts will resume when we return

The Month Just Ended

September has gone and October arrived with the realization of the widespread devastation and loss of life across the Southeast from Hurricane Helene, which is still ongoing.

Perhaps, like ourselves, some of you, have family members in the affected states. Ours in FL and GA. Thankfully, aside from some downed trees and a lot of water, they escaped without physical injury or property damage. 

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for so many others, which includes fellow bloggers, who if having escaped damage or injury, can be dealing with various after-effects.

We've watched videos of the destruction, especially in hard hit NC; it's been mind numbing.

Our excitement about traveling abroad has been curtailed by this event. While we can't help physically, financial support is doable — many agencies need money to help those who have lost so much, including their homes and belongings.

As a rule, I refrain from posting on current issues that can be hot buttons for many. However, this is not one of those and it was difficult to ignore these past few days. Any financial donation is a personal matter for anyone to decide what's best. Here's a few support organizations: Red Cross, All Hands and hearts, Americares, Direct relief, World Central Kitchen, Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, there are many others as well.

To any fellow bloggers living in the hardest hit states of FL, GA, SC, NC, TN and VA or if you have family members there, we hope that you  will receive the support needed from many others who care.

This new month marks a US presidential milestone as former President Jimmy Carter celebrates his 100th birthday and is now the longest living president in history. Other long-life presidents and the year and age they died: George Bush in 2028 at 94, Gerald Ford in 2006 at 93 and Ronald Reagan in 2004 at 93.

(Comments are on, but no need to leave one.)

Friday Funnies

Thanks to those who commented on my previous post about candy and other items being secured with locks in the CVS store in Nashua, NH. This is the only store I have seen them, most likely there are others. Like many others who commented we don't shop much n person aside from the CVS, grocery store, L.L. Bean outlet or wine store. Like so many, we started shopping online more often, during and continuing after the pandemic.

Now, for this week's Friday Funnies, which are all auto-related.

I've heard about a top dog, but how about this very top car.

The top ramp car must tilt down to load and unload this vehicle. 

No guessing about the owner's choice of license plate for this car. Although, most avocados I've seen have been a darker shade of green vs. yellow.

This car owner had all his/her ducks and other animals lined in a dashboard row. It looked like the space was well-filled up.

Next week starts a new month. We're leaving on a long-distance adventure that starts mid-week for a destination of Tuscany, Italy, a belated 25th anniversary gift from us to us. We'll be traveling abroad for 9 days. I've scheduled a couple of posts for that timeframe.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

Some of our weekend will be spent packing

Locked-Up Candy

Halloween and candy treats have partnered for years and it's here in just over 6 weeks.

Buying sweets quickly has become more challenging in some places.

Why?

Because candy displays were the most recent lock-ups seen at the CVS retail pharmacy in Nashua, NH, last week. This was something very new in this store and to me  (who would have thought candy would need a lock-up?) . 

The black clips in the photo above are security tags. This anti-theft device was on every bag. Since this was an end display, I thought that perhaps it was only done there.

And, when I checked the candy aisle, every bag displayed a security clip which could only be removed at checkout. The cashier told me locking and unlocking the bags took time, adding that candy theft was an ongoing issue.

Curious as to whether this was an isolated issue, I would online videos from other CVS stores that showd everything from shampoo and conditioner to soda bottles being kept behind locked cases. 

In the CVS on Main Street, ice cream and frozen food products were also in locked cases, so there's no picking your favorite flavor and going to the checkout.

The beer case did not have a lock, but there was a call button to request assistance from a store employee so it's really like being locked up.

Surprisingly, there were no visible locks on this large cosmetic display. 

Retail theft has cost businesses across the country hundreds of billions of dollars on an annual basis, forcing companies to adopt a variety of measures to deter shoplifters.  Major retailers like CVS have been implementing anti-theft measures. The most significant are to lock up certain products so that shoppers are required to ask an employee for help.

Since the pandemic, more household products have been locked up to deter thefts. In some areas, organized robbery sprees have cleared entire shelves of products. There was a similar occurrence in this Nashua CVS sometime last year according to the cashier.

Who can forget when during the pandemic toilet paper was a hot item? Yet, surprisingly, the above displays were not under enclosures or behind lock and key and no purchase limits like just a few years ago during the pandemic. (who can forget?)

All the wine bottles were tagged with individual security devices, each would need to taken off at the checkout counter. In NH, wine is sold at supermarkets as well, but no locks like these.

Locked items are an inconvenience that customers are not happy about according to the cashier I spoke with who said that shoppers repeatedly express frustration that CVS anti-theft measures (like locking up candy) are pushing them to avoid shopping there.

That backlash is widespread. Customers find it makes shopping more difficult. Many have said they'll shop elsewhere with a not uncommon response: If something is locked, I just go home and buy it on Amazon. Another common response, I don't have time to call someone over every time I want an item and just stopped shopping there.

After shopping for candy, I understand and agree with this frustration. Thankfully, we buy wine and ice cream elsewhere and that may soon extend to sweet treats.

On the topic of candy, fellow blogger, Jon, has a nostalgic Sweet Memories post in which he reminisces about vintage Halloween candy and other sweet treats.

Your turn — Are there lock-ups at stores in your area and, if so, what are they?

Friday Funnies

This post was not meant to be humorous, but it is ironical in so many ways.

This downtown Nashua, NH, diner was never a drive-in during the 50 years it was open for business at the corner of Main and Lake Streets.

Poor Pierre's Restaurant, Nashua NH

But, it instantly became one last month after a large SUV crashed into the building.

Photo credit: Nashua, NH, police department

That's because the former restaurant, which closed several years ago, was for sale. Signage on the window (below arrow) showed it was Approved for Drive-Thru.

Poor Pierre's was a short-lived Mr Hot Dog

Just not in the sense of actually driving into the building. The crash caused damage to the front and side of the eatery, which was subsequently boarded up and remains as such.

Here's another irony, neither the original owner and later his son were named Pierre. An online search did not provide any information on how it got this name.

Poor Pierre's had been a Main Street fixture since 1968 when it was opened by the late Peter Scumniotales in what was formerly a “Mr. Hot Dog” franchise that had lasted less than three years. Scumniotales operated it until his 1964 retirement when it was sold to his son, Chris, before it closed permanently in 2020. 

The property has changed little since then and prospective buyers have come and gone. One proposal was to operate it as a smoke shop. There were rumors that a major pizza company was interested in converting it to a drive-through pizza shop.

While the crash caused damage to the building, there were no reported injuries. The  driver, a Nashua resident was later charged with reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief. In this case, the weapon was the SUV. According to a news story, other charges were possible.

Fall foliage is not yet peak in Nashua, NH, and our river walk this week shows it's not far off. New England leaf peeking season will reportedly be very colorful this year.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

Weather here continues to be warm

Nashua Goings On

There's been a lot of renovations projects going on in Nashua, NH, this summer. A previous post in May highlighted one next to Cotton Mill, a neighboring mill apartment building across the Nashua River from our residence at Clocktower mill apartments.

As seen in the above view from across the river, this looked like a ski ramp. Of course, it was a ramp being built, but for an entirely different use. This was construction for an ADA-accessible ramp (Americans with Disabilities Act) to bring the bridge it adjoins into compliance with current standards. The new ramp replaced a set of metal steps.

Construction was completed last month. The ramp has been in use for the past few weeks and the official ribbon cutting took place last week. We've enjoyed returning to river walks and have also noticed that the ramp has become popular with cyclists and skateboarders too.

Since early spring, construction has been ongoing in the Renaissance Park adjacent to Clocktower Apartments and the Bicentennial Park which is downtown off Main Street. These renovations are part of the Imagine Nashua Master Plan. When completed, the parks will feature green space, seating areas and a stage area for outdoor concerts.

The above photos show how Renaissance Park looked last year and how it looked this past week. The sculpture is boxed in the iddle of the second photo

The above photo show how the much smaller Bicentennial Park (arrow) looked this past week. A walkway will be added to connect the two park areas. Other improvements will include  a dock area for small watercraft like canoes and kayaks.

Has anyone ever heard of a Library of Things?

This was a new one for me too and as of a month ago the Nashua Public Library (NPL) has a Library of Things that library users can check out and use for up to 2 weeks at a time with their library card. The library's current collection includes at least one of these: telescope, ukulele, paper shredder, speaker, microphone, metal detector, binoculars, ring light, label maker, metal detector, DVD player, Blu-ray speaker, white noise machine, puppets and puppet theater, floor air pump, bocce game, energy detector, Allen wrench set, green screen backdrop.

Library of Things at Nashua Public Library

Such loanable household and non-traditional items might be useful in everyday life, but only needed for a short time — to borrow rather than purchase. Library users are encouraged to submit suggestions for items to add to the Library of Things.

A Library of Things is any collection of objects loaned and any organization that practices this loaning. Items can include appliances, tools, gardening equipment, electronics, toys and games, art, science kits, craft supplies, musical instruments, recreational equipment and outdoor gear. Especially appropriate are objects that are useful occasionally but cumbersome to store. Collections vary widely and go far beyond the books, journals and media that have been the primary focus of traditional libraries. 

This movement is a growing trend in public, academic and special libraries in many countries. The term Library of Things was popularized by a grassroots experiment started in London in 2014 inspired by the Toronto Tool Library.

Does your library have one as well?

Friday Funnies

This week has been all about birds viewed from our apartment window overlooking the Nashua River in Nashua, NH.

Aside from Mourning Doves flocking to a dead tree along the river bank, there's been a group of Mallard ducks on the dock. It isn't really a dock, just a grate on the river, but lately it's been a popular early morning gathering spot for them, but without coffee cups.

After sitting a while, several of this group left for a river swim, females outnumbered the males by a 2:1 ratio.

(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay was co-written by singer Otis Redding and guitarist Steve Cropper. Redding recorded it twice in 1967, three days before his death in a Dec plane crash. Released in 1968, the song became the first posthumous No. 1 U.S. single and reached No. 3 on the UK singles chart. Redding is regarded as one of the greatest singer-songwriters in the history of American popular music and an influencing artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. Redding was 26 when he died, eight years after another plane crash killed three rock 'n roll legends at young ages: Buddy Holly (22), Ritchie Valens (17), The Big Bopper (22). 

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

Be careful out there, because . . .

Today, is the first Friday the 13th in 2024. The second and final one is Friday, Dec 13.

When Doves Gather

Every night for the past couple of weeks, this tree that borders the Nashua River and is visible from our mill apartment window has hosted a large gathering of Mourning Doves.

This isn't a nightly gathering of just a few doves. Several evenings, we have counted upwards of 30 doves, while other evenings there have been less than half that number.

We have a front-row seat nightly as the doves usually arrive by our dinner time and our table is by the window. They start arriving one-by-one anywhere between 6 and 6:30 pm and remain anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. All take flight by sunset.

Apparently, this behavior is not unusual and according to online information, Mourning Doves, when not breeding or nesting, will often form large flocks and can be seen perching on tree branches, telephone wires and lamp posts in groups of 12 or more. 

We've noticed that this current nightly sit-in is very peaceful with as many as four or five doves sharing the same tree branch. The most activity is that the doves preen their feathers.

An online check of the term for a collection of Mourning Doves produced several terms for a group of doves, including: cote, dole, bevy, flight and dule (French word for mourning). Their name derives from their soft distinct and sorrowful coo-ing calls which is usually coming from a male seeking a mate. Doves have been known to watch over a deceased mate, try to care for them and return to the place where the bird died. They will eventually seek a new mate.

The Mourning Dove is a small-headed dove with a graceful, slender-tail, light gray and brown and generally muted in color with well-defined black spots on their wings. Their pointed tails are longer than those of other doves enabling the birds to fly fast; they have been clocked at 55 mph. Males and females are similar in appearance, the species is generally monogamous.

The Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is a member of the dove family, Columbidae. Also known as the American mourning dove, the rain dove and colloquially as the turtle dove. It was once known as the Carolina pigeon and Carolina turtledove. 

Unfortunately, as the most widespread and abundant game bird in North America, these birds have a high mortality rate. Hunters harvest more than 20 million annually, yet the Mourning Dove remains one of the most abundant birds with a U.S. population estimated at 350 million. Predators include raccoons, hawks, owls, squirrels, snakes, cats and dogs. Disease and weather extremes also take a toll on young and adult doves.

How long we'll continue to witness this nightly gathering is uncertain. But, as long as the doves gather on this tree near our window, we'll be watching these peaceful birds.

Hopefully, they will remain in this area through the winter; however many move south in late fall. If fellow blogger David G. can provide additional information, it would be appreciated.

Has anyone else seen a similar gathering where you live?