Tag Archives: Mystic CT

Physically back, mentally still away

24 Monday Oct 2022

Posted by in Daily Life, Daily Message, Finding Me

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“There is a kind of magicness about going far away and then coming back all changed.” ― Kate Douglas Wiggin, New Chronicles of Rebecca

Hi friends,  I will be visiting everyone’s blogs in the next few days and will be catching up on your posts. I do miss you all when I am not around here.  Actually, you are the only routine I missed 🙂

I have been off of work for the past week.  This time I didn’t check in at work at all.  I totally disconnected, I didn’t even check email.  I really needed this break.  I don’t care about work as much anymore (there will be a future post about it).

My friend from Brazil is still here.  She will be here until next Sunday.  It has been fun playing tourist, but also so exhausting.

Among all we did, we spent a day in Mystic, CT, just enjoying the beautiful scenery and stores.  We had some delicious pastries at Sift Bake Shop. 

We spent a day in Westerly, RI. There we spent some time with my friend that lives there and is running for town council.  We attended one of her events, and drove around the beautiful beaches.  Eating at the Verandah at Ocean House in Watch Hill is always a favorite for the amazing water views.

We also spent a couple of days at Foxwoods Casino and Mohegan Sun Casino.  While we didn’t make money, we didn’t really lose much, and it was really fun playing the slots.  While there we shopped at Tanger Outlets. We also had great meals there, specially the one at Ballo Italian Restaurant in Mohegan Sun.

We were sightseeing in New York City for a couple of days. We did a lot walking, which was good since we have been doing a lot eating. The best meal in NY was at Rice and Beans, a Brazilian Restaurant.

Mr. Sweet joined us for that dinner and the night before he took us to an Argentinian restaurant that his friend owns.  He continues to be very sweet, being kind to my friend and bringing bagels for my sister every time we meet.  I will be writing a post about him next.

There has been a lot shopping.  Even though I dislike going shopping, if I am forced to go I end up being the one that buys the most.  Besides the outlets in Foxwoods we also shopped at the outlet stores at Clinton Outlet in Clinton, CT. And not to mention, all the other stores, such as TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Macys, etc.

There was a huge amount of walking, which is always welcomed by me.  My sister and my friend are not used to so much walking, so we got an Uber a couple of times in NY.

This week will be non-stop again, specially since I have to get back to work. During the day, my sister and I will take turns taking my friend to work with us.  Some evenings we will go shopping as she still has some items left on her list, and will also go out to eat as we still have a couple of restaurant to get to.

Stay tuned for the post about Mr. Sweet.  For now, I just wanted to say hello.  Wishing everyone a blessed week! 🙂

“Distance changes utterly when you take the world on foot. A mile becomes a long way, two miles literally considerable, ten miles whopping, fifty miles at the very limits of conception. The world, you realize, is enormous in a way that only you and a small community of fellow hikers know. Planetary scale is your little secret.

Life takes on a neat simplicity, too. Time ceases to have any meaning. When it is dark, you go to bed, and when it is light again you get up, and everything in between is just in between. It’s quite wonderful, really.

You have no engagements, commitments, obligations, or duties; no special ambitions and only the smallest, least complicated of wants; you exist in a tranquil tedium, serenely beyond the reach of exasperation, “far removed from the seats of strife,” as the early explorer and botanist William Bartram put it. All that is required of you is a willingness to trudge.

There is no point in hurrying because you are not actually going anywhere. However far or long you plod, you are always in the same place: in the woods. It’s where you were yesterday, where you will be tomorrow. The woods is one boundless singularity. Every bend in the path presents a prospect indistinguishable from every other, every glimpse into the trees the same tangled mass. For all you know, your route could describe a very large, pointless circle. In a way, it would hardly matter.

At times, you become almost certain that you slabbed this hillside three days ago, crossed this stream yesterday, clambered over this fallen tree at least twice today already. But most of the time you don’t think. No point. Instead, you exist in a kind of mobile Zen mode, your brain like a balloon tethered with string, accompanying but not actually part of the body below. Walking for hours and miles becomes as automatic, as unremarkable, as breathing. At the end of the day you don’t think, “Hey, I did sixteen miles today,” any more than you think, “Hey, I took eight-thousand breaths today.” It’s just what you do.”
― Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

Masked or not, life is beautiful and full of wonder

15 Wednesday Jul 2020

Posted by in Daily Life

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I am reading some of Carlos Castaneda’s writing and loving it.  I hope you enjoy all his quotes.

“The aim is to balance the terror of being alive with the wonder of being alive.” -― Carlos Castaneda  

This past weekend a young friend, 23 year old, was again visiting my sister and I for the weekend.  I think I mentioned her here before.  She is from Brazil and she came to the US right at the beginning of the quarantine.  She is leaving at the end of July so she hasn’t really seen much of New York.

On Friday night I was contemplating where to take her on Saturday and Sunday.  

I called Foxwoods casino and asked if they would give me a free room for Saturday night.  They said yes.  At one point I was going to the casino many times a year.  At that time the slots were very kind to me and I to them.  They gave me a lot and I made sure to leave it all behind 🙂   I had rooms, concerts, massages, etc, everything comped.  Even though I now go only once a year, if that, Foxwoods still gives me free rooms.

“To seek freedom is the only driving force I know. Freedom to fly off into that infinity out there. Freedom to dissolve; to lift off; to be like the flame of a candle, which, in spite of being up against the light of a billion stars, remains intact, because it never pretended to be more than what it is: a mere candle.” ― Carlos Castaneda

We left at 1pm on Saturday and drove 2 hours to Foxwoods in Connecticut.  Before getting to our final destination we stopped by another casino, Mohegan Sun, which is located 15 minutes before the Foxwoods.

I wanted my friend to see how different the 2 casinos are, but I also wanted her to see Krispy Kreme donuts being made.  I haven’t had donuts in years.  I don’t like the donuts at Dunkin Donuts, so I only have it when I go to Krispy Kreme, and they are hard to find around here. I had a hot one right off of the fryer and it was divine!  After the donuts we had burgers from Bobby Flay’s burger place.  My friend is vegetarian so she had a grilled cheese.

“You have little time left, and none of it for crap. A fine state. I would say that the best of us always comes out when we are against the wall, when we feel the sword dangling overhead. Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”― Carlos Castaneda

After that we went to Foxwoods to check in.  The room was okay, nothing special.  After checking the room out we went to the casino floor and played the slots a little.  Later we had some flat breads at Stone Creek Brewery.  Also good.

The next morning we got up early and had Starbucks for breakfast.  We wanted either Einstein Bagels or Panera Bread but they were both still closed.  There weren’t very many restaurants open.

Because we wanted my friend to try Dippin’ Dots ice cream we had to wait until the ice cream store opened at 11.  We passed the time by playing some slot machines. 🙂 no money was made but it was so much fun trying.

“Think about it: what weakens us is feeling offended by the deeds and misdeeds of our fellow men. Our self-importance requires that we spend most of our lives offended by someone.” ― Carlos Castaneda

After the ice cream we went to Mystic, CT.  It is such an awesome little town on the water.  I wanted to meet a friend that lives near by for lunch at some outdoor spot with water views.  The wait time for those tables were too long at all the restaurants so we settled for just sitting outside with no view.  We had lunch at an Italian Restaurant called Anthony J’s.  We had prosecco and all was delicious.  

After that my friend Mary graciously took us around our city of Westerly, Rhode Island.  She knows all the secret spots and hidden ways that lead to the ocean.  oh, the ocean… the ocean was so amazing!  The sound, the smell, the energy, it is so re-energizing and reinvigorating. We just wanted to stay there watching.

“In a world where death is the hunter, my friend, there is no time for regrets or doubts. There is only time for decisions.” -― Carlos Castaneda

In my town we also have water, but it is the sound, calm water with no waves.  It doesn’t compare to the beauty and might of the ocean.  

We stopped by the Watch Hill neighborhood, where Taylor Swift has her summer home. Of course, taking a picture with the house on the background was a hit with my young friend.  Her house is on the picture below.

“The hardest thing in the world is for a warrior to let others be.” ― Carlos Castaneda

On the way back we stopped by Dalton’s house. He lives in Black Rock in CT.  I wrote about him here.    https://atomic-temporary-33385295.wpcomstaging.com/2013/07/22/my-crazy-friend-dalton/ He graciously made us barbecued sirloin steak and this huge salad with all kinds of stuff in it.

We got home at 10 pm exhausted but so happy for this great weekend of different views, tastes and company.

Before you scold me, I promise you that we were as safe as possible.  Masks while indoors and often outdoors.  At the slot machines we also had gloves on, and we used hand sanitizing every 5 minutes.  Still I realize that we are putting ourselves at risk every time we leave our apartment, but at this point I honestly just want to get out.  

“We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same.” ― Carlos Castaneda

On another news, tonight I am taking my sister out to dinner and I invited G., who quickly jumped at the chance of meeting her.  He also made me agree to meet him for dinner again tomorrow just the 2 of us.

If he had his way we would go dinner every night.  I want slow and steady instead of crash and burn.

“Nobody knows who I am or what I do. Not even I.”― Carlos Castaneda

I am still on a wait and see mode.  I am giving him a chance but also proceeding cautiously. I am in no hurry.

“Anything is one of a million paths. Therefore you must always keep in mind that a path is only a path; if you feel you should not follow, you must not stay with it under any circumstances.”― Carlos Castaneda

ps.  I will make more of an effort of taking more pictures.  Writing this post made me realize I should have more pictures and less words.  As they say, a picture is worth a 1000 words.