Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Yesterday turned out to be a helping others day. Always a good thing. Late in the day, I heard some commotion outside. I got up to see what was happening and saw this car, which had apparently gone off the road and down into our culvert. I alerted Don.

This family was on their way to the campground nearby. The driver had missed the turn. Instead of turning in our driveway, he tried to execute a U-turn, thinking that the expanse of green near the road meant it was level ground. Uh oh. The car went down into the culvert and there was no way they could move it. I went out on the porch to find out more. Long story short, I called the campground to see if they could help – they couldn’t, didn’t have a truck to tow them out – and then I told the guy he should call his car insurer for a tow.

Some time passed. He couldn’t get a wifi signal which is not surprising since we’re out in the country. I eventually went out to the funky patio and gave him my phone. He called Geico, but – again, long story short – they couldn’t get the right kind of tow truck out here in a timely manner. I invited the family members to hang out on the funky patio. All of them were from Brooklyn and Queens and this was their weekend out of the city. Don came out to put out our orange cones, as the back of the car extended onto the road, and learned that Geico told the guy to call the local police who would get a tow truck out there. The State Police arrived and took over. I talked to the grandmother and one of the kids, who was nervous and needed to be reassured. I offered them water, but of course they didn’t need it as they had all sorts of supplies in their car. Finally, the truck got there and carefully towed the car out of the culvert. I think they were here at least a couple of hours, kids pacing on the lawn, grandmother trying to calm her granddaughter down (I think she might be on the spectrum).

Such a very nice family. The father kept thanking me and offering to ‘give me something’ but I told him no, we were happy to help and that we hoped someone would do the same for us if we ever needed help.

Earlier in the day, Don was driving near our local bridge and saw a young sky diver standing on the bridge with his parachute. There is a skydiving facility nearby and we often see people who have landed off-course waiting to be picked up. So Don loaded him into his car and drove him back to skydiving facility, where, much to his surprise, he saw a huge campground full of skydivers – an entire community hidden way back on the property. Fascinating!

I’m sickened by what happened to Salman Rushdie yesterday. It happened in Chautauqua. You might remember that I worked there for two summers and I know it well. It’s an incredibly peaceful and artistic place, with a summer full of concerts and book readings and theater and lectures. That it happened at all is shocking, but that it happened there  is beyond shocking. I’m very familiar with that outdoor amphitheater, I’ve been there several times. I heard Hugh Downs and Tom Brokaw give talks there. I still can’t get my head around it. Praying for Rushdie, who appears to have been terribly injured by this madman.

And then, the unfolding news about espionage and the conman.

What a day.

A recent picture of Maeve helping me figure out my deductions:

Today, a little more work on dialects. I officially start in on Monday.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.