tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204485052012-02-11T06:30:00.378-05:00This is a blog about living on Cape Cod and running a Wellfleet bed & breakfast, open year long. I'm a Russian-American who spent 25 years in France. My husband Sven is from Sweden. Sweden’s colors are blue & yellow. Mix them, and you get green, a concept we embrace. No chemicals, please, and organic food whenever possible . . .Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.comBlogger16101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-7636551465429076422012-02-11T06:30:00.001-05:002012-02-11T06:30:00.493-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-62367376601821619322012-02-10T06:30:00.000-05:002012-02-10T06:30:00.561-05:00

That is the question. I have noticed that many guests bring laptops and prefer to watch films that way, rather than using our DVD player. Modern televisions are so complicated with numerous buttons to push, different zappers to use, and three remotes, COUNT them, what with the DVD player, to negotiate. I have told Sven I think we should simply remove the televisions from Liberty Coin Suite and

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-23535437445479012332012-02-09T06:30:00.000-05:002012-02-09T06:30:04.145-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-64657970958663824842012-02-08T15:05:00.006-05:002012-02-08T15:10:47.116-05:00

Here's an opportunity to watch IFAW volunteers as they rescue dolphins on Cape Cod. Incredible footage, filmed only last week! Take a peek and remember to contribute to IFAW.

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-15672628183591953642012-02-08T08:55:00.018-05:002012-02-08T09:30:52.930-05:00

When I gaze out over the ocean, I often think of what's on the other side. Portugal, and further north, France. The imagination of some people does not reach straight across. Instead, it goes deeper. Professional treasure hunters scan the horizon, dreaming of sunken treasure. Modern technology facilitates locating it. One such team had success off Wellfleet in 1984, with discovery of the

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-88828977951047957872012-02-07T06:30:00.000-05:002012-02-07T06:30:00.777-05:00

It's tax time. Part of the fun of running a B&B is that you can buy beautiful objects for the business and deduct them. Take this clock from the ICA, for instance. The old clock in Seagull Cottage featured birds. While we enjoyed hearing the birds, their "singing" on the hour proved upsetting to some of our younger guests. Toddlers want to see real birds. It's confusing to have birds at the

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-60397971023213255282012-02-06T06:30:00.004-05:002012-02-06T06:30:03.033-05:00

The 250th Anniversary Committee held an open meeting Saturday at the Council on Aging. Fifty Wellfleetians showed up and participated. The anniversary will take place August 4, 2013, but events will be scheduled throughout the year. Once committee members had been introduced, we started brainstorming. Here are some of the events already under consideration:1.) A Made-in-Wellfleet day.2.)

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-62627781933432988102012-02-05T06:30:00.005-05:002012-02-08T14:47:33.432-05:00

Lots of activity in Wellfleet of late ...1.) Mac's Seafood threw a fabulous Groundhog's Day party at Preservation Hall. The fortunate forty, at the tables, were treated to an eight-course dinner of local foods, difficult to find in winter. Several members of the Cape & Islands radio team, including Jay Allison, were present. Mac and Alex Hay took turns describing, in detail, the sources of all

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-13897878608258896482012-02-04T06:30:00.006-05:002012-02-04T09:47:25.252-05:00

Above, tick habitat. It’s interesting to read Internet searches that bring readers to this blog. In December, I noted the following search: “Visiting Cape Cod December. Deer ticks?” Should visitors to the Outer Cape worry about deer ticks? In one word, yes. This winter has been so mild that ticks will be a definite menace in 2012. Last summer I noted fewer ticks, perhaps due to the three

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-73440039135230190352012-02-03T06:30:00.004-05:002012-02-03T07:17:07.353-05:00

What do you think of having a photography contest be part of the 250th anniversary celebration in 2013? Come present your ideas on Saturday, tomorrow, from 10 to noon, at the Council on Aging. Help the 250th Anniversary Committee plan a spectacular year!

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-1836592716298392602012-02-02T06:30:00.000-05:002012-02-02T06:30:01.971-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-53803537486423794882012-02-01T06:30:00.005-05:002012-02-01T18:17:07.229-05:00

Have you heard of Frederic vom Saal? How about Theo Colborn? Neither lives in Wellfleet, but I need to introduce you to them anyway. (Theo Colborn, you may remember. She wrote Our Stolen Future, a book I give B&B guests who show more than a passing interest in the environment. Frederic vom Saal is a scientist I encountered for the first time in Stephan Jarl's film Submission, still not

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-70546374171565867592012-01-31T06:30:00.004-05:002012-02-01T11:36:05.974-05:00

Cape Cod is a pretty nice place for a honeymoon, according to US News & World report, which ranked it third, but Wellfleet is great for a wedding, too. Choose one of the many perfect venues, like Preservation Hall, the Chequessett Country Club or the Holden Inn. Be inspired by Cape Cod Bride magazine. The Cape Cod Chamber even hosts a wedding planner page. I found these photos of a

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-88011280189555539732012-01-29T16:13:00.003-05:002012-01-29T16:15:12.922-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-30191857037712158892012-01-28T06:30:00.002-05:002012-01-28T06:30:02.943-05:00

Only fifty more days until spring!Almost February already. At this time of the year, I start craving flowers ... Many of you responded with regret on hearing of the demise of WHAT at the harbor. Here's more information on its resurrection by a group of theater enthusiasts calling themselves the Harbor Stage Company. We can look forward to a peek during Wellfleet's first Blossoms weekend.

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-3581053036956882912012-01-27T06:30:00.011-05:002012-01-27T08:48:48.955-05:00

Yesterday we discussed good stuff you can find on a beach. What about the bad stuff? There's a new foundation that needs your support. Surfrider works to protect the oceans, and us. Check out the amazingly effective ad on its blog. And, while we are on the subject of toxins, here's some great news: Wellfleet Selectmen just signed an e-waste resolution, which "calls on its State Representative

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-81658689182762732132012-01-26T06:30:00.001-05:002012-01-26T06:30:01.859-05:00

People come to the beach in winter for different reasons. In the comments section on a past post on this subject, readers often mentioned peace and quiet. Beauty, of course, should be right up there at the top of the list. Today we are going to review physical reasons for coming to the beach in winter, ie. what people take away. Last week Sven and I spotted a couple picking something up on the

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-24147368811719306152012-01-25T06:30:00.007-05:002012-01-25T12:22:00.420-05:00

Apparently there were more than just seagulls holding conferences in Wellfleet this week. News broke last night that six actors are forming a new theater troop, which will be called the Harbor Stage Company. Read all about it in this theater blog. The Harbor Stage Company plans three shows a season. What do you folks think? Is there room in Wellfleet for two different theater options?

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-56956714954069122012012-01-24T06:30:00.008-05:002012-01-24T08:47:09.668-05:00

Those of you who live in the Boston area have probably heard about the numerous dolphin strandings on the Outer Cape over the past ten days. You may have even seen newscasts, showing Wellfleetians hard at work in an effort to save these marvelous sea creatures. My friend Tracy Plaut and her husband Swede volunteer for IFAW on a regular basis. The months of January and February bring the

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-81341577477480727972012-01-23T13:04:00.027-05:002012-01-25T17:14:23.557-05:00

Every so often I get really, really angry. If I stood in front of a mirror, steam would probably be coming out of my nostrils, and my face would have already turned purple. The signs above, at Ballston Beach in Truro, indicate danger. There are no signs to warn us of the toxic chemicals that have infiltrated our lives. We need to turn this situation around, but how?I get angry when I read the

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-63986864038577433132012-01-22T15:02:00.031-05:002012-01-25T08:19:51.629-05:00

Woo-hoo! 100 followers. Welcome, Julee Hastings. Since being number 100 is a milestone, you have just won a prize. Send me your address via the Web site contact email and I will shoot something off to you in sunny California. Not so much sun this weekend here in Wellfleet. In fact, the snow took the forecasters by surprise. We had 8 to 10 inches, when 2 to 4 were predicted. Everything

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-20375075086871863982012-01-21T06:30:00.002-05:002012-01-21T06:30:00.241-05:00

When summer guests arrive at Chez Sven, I always do orientation. One of the things I say is, “Wellfleet has great theater. You might want to look into seeing a show. Tickets cost around $25. WHAT prides itself on ‘edgy drama’ ...” This description never fails to pique the interest of guests from Britain, who smile politely, unwilling to believe a seaside resort could really have theater of

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-61430009384235535072012-01-20T06:30:00.000-05:002012-01-20T06:30:00.808-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-79673133531337004552012-01-19T06:30:00.005-05:002012-01-19T19:09:25.455-05:00

A main difference, of course, is the serenity and beauty on the Outer Cape, which remains the reason so many tourists choose Wellfleet for their vacation. Over the past few weeks, I have noticed other differences though, that I would like to share:1.) Pedestrians in Boston/Cambridge ride the subway and walk around with their eyes fixed on a smart phone or Kindle. Pedestrians in Wellfleet look

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-82863283824778352342012-01-18T16:46:00.006-05:002012-01-23T07:56:05.530-05:00

Now that's news! Doing a happy dance here. As you may remember, a Wellfleetian attended the protest in DC and, was arrested. Please stop over at NRDC and sign the letter to thank President Obama. This brave action on his part gives me hope that the Outer Cape will be able to stop the craziness of NStar's spraying chemicals over the aquifer. Read Brent Harold's column this week on the subject.

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-26929634125968551912012-01-18T06:30:00.001-05:002012-01-18T06:30:00.551-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-57915175723365186482012-01-17T06:30:00.002-05:002012-01-17T06:30:03.367-05:00

As you know, I'm taking courses at Grub this semester. One of these courses is called Fiction II. Christina, our teacher, is super knowledgeable and incredibly nice. The assignment this week offered the writing prompt "Familiarity and Estrangement." I thought you might enjoy reading the 600-word scene, entitled "Fishy Business," which I intend to submit tomorrow. Fiction is an entirely

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-79253608400805439192012-01-16T21:33:00.008-05:002012-01-16T22:24:28.731-05:00

"Wellfleet's 10th all-ages ArtPeace celebration of MLK Day was our biggest and one of our best ever. So grateful for Dr. King's life and work, for all the seeds his generation of Civil Rights activists planted, now bearing an historic nonviolent harvest. In our little off-season town, two hundred or so participants of all ages chalked, sang, stamped, clapped, walked, meditated, gazed, listened,

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-28959766321639089862012-01-16T06:30:00.016-05:002012-01-16T09:03:07.125-05:00

Need a quick and delicious lunch in winter, affordable, too? Try Box Lunch on Briar Lane, where the service is fast and friendly. Box Lunch has been in operation for a whopping 35 years. In high season, before the recession, this popular eatery would whip up "rollwiches" for 1000 customers a day. That number drops to 100 during the winter. In 2011, the MacNutts renovated a side room to create

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-2584834395155051552012-01-15T12:36:00.012-05:002012-01-15T13:59:53.836-05:00

Ocean effect snow covered the ground this morning. It's Martin Luther King Day weekend and we are ready for Monday's peace march. Check out the great badge Sven is wearing. You might expect to find lots of folks visiting Wellfleet for the three-day getaway. Not so much. The town was quite deserted and unusually quiet, when we drove down to the pier to watch the sunset yesterday afternoon.

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-34258331212016104102012-01-14T06:30:00.003-05:002012-01-14T06:30:03.368-05:00

This pond is beautiful, no doubt about that. It's Long Pond, in Wellfleet, eastern end. No trash in view, thank goodness. Our town is fortunate to have a very active Recycling Committee, chaired by Lydia Vivante. Lydia has asked me to ask you a few questions today. She is holding a meeting next week to encourage seasonal renters and other assorted folks visiting Cape Cod to use the Transfer

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-65093273521891775102012-01-13T06:30:00.006-05:002012-01-13T08:56:36.491-05:00

Greetings from Boston, where I’m attending courses at Grub Street. Sven is manning the fort, so to speak, back home. We are lucky, in Wellfleet, not to hear rumblings about a possible end to our post office. That's what happening in Cambridge. Under serious discussion, the closing of the post offices in both Inmann and Kendall Squares. Yikes! I have received a number of announcements to pass

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-39129754654866634782012-01-12T06:30:00.000-05:002012-01-12T06:30:03.015-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-65926316538986653882012-01-11T06:30:00.000-05:002012-01-11T06:30:04.210-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-20480703045737178222012-01-10T06:30:00.001-05:002012-01-10T06:30:00.546-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-87936956134003004792012-01-09T06:30:00.001-05:002012-01-09T06:30:01.399-05:00

It is possible to express oneself through one's choice of navigation. (It's also possible to post one's opinions through bumper stickers, as in the photo above.) Since I'm trying to spend all my time writing this week, I prepared, for you, a short series of images that illustrate different methods of navigation, used in Wellfleet. It is not always necessary to resort to riding in a car, is it?

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-57150226287019806192012-01-08T16:46:00.004-05:002012-01-08T16:51:00.752-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-23011142904894354192012-01-08T06:30:00.000-05:002012-01-08T06:30:02.206-05:00

With my courses about to start, I borrowed a new book from the library, Nina Sankovitch's Tolstoy and the Purple Chair. It's about reading as a means of overcoming grief. Nina reads a book a day in an effort to come to terms with the premature death of a beloved sister from cancer. She recorded these efforts on Read All Day Blog, which she turned into a book. What I liked about Tolstoy and the

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-9977288135843146672012-01-07T06:30:00.008-05:002012-01-07T11:27:20.491-05:00

Do I hear sighs all round? Ah, Wellfleet! Ah, summer! Only five months and thirteen days to go ...Today, an unusual request. It's the weekend and you have some leisure time, right? How about doing something for your favorite blogger? Nominate me for an award, specifically the Bloggie Lifetime Achievement award, since I've been blogging for over six years. You can nominate your other

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-60960727573865561782012-01-06T06:30:00.000-05:002012-01-06T06:30:02.309-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-65764459784166314482012-01-05T21:38:00.009-05:002012-01-05T22:01:39.303-05:00

The sun is setting on our window of opportunity to prevent the contamination of the Cape Cod sole source aquifer through the spraying of herbicides by the local utility company. If nothing is done, we will be at risk of losing potable water, as well as nuclear disaster. Not even spectacular beauty will bring tourists to our shores if radiation crosses the bay from Plymouth and toxic chemicals

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-19658561197972813532012-01-05T06:30:00.002-05:002012-01-05T07:07:19.519-05:00

The new year began with beautiful weather here in Wellfleet. Sven and I were fortunate enough to walk at LeCount Hollow Beach. We saw much evidence of erosion, the result of last year's winter storms, and I'll post those photos tomorrow. Sunday it was so warm that other beachcombers were walking barefoot, as the above photo demonstrates. Since 2012 lies before us, I want to share some

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-79861759589520779242012-01-04T14:04:00.004-05:002012-01-04T14:08:37.871-05:00

Read about how I reinvented myself, switched careers, and became an innkeeper. The post went live today on BlogHer.

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-47094607720826599852012-01-03T06:30:00.001-05:002012-01-03T08:06:15.807-05:00

As we begin this new year, let's focus on improving quality of life through the food we put into out bodies. Make it fresh, make it local. Simple Bites has some great suggestions ....

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-11747580078840802412012-01-02T06:30:00.059-05:002012-01-02T09:10:08.120-05:00

Got fireworks? How about some cake and champagne? I've been writing Chezsven Blog for six years now. My first post was January 2, 2006. It recounted a walk around Long Pond. Here we are some 1557 posts and 252,604 hits later ... Ticks are still a problem on Cape Cod, and the house perched above Long Pond is still for sale. What has changed? Three years ago the blog acquired a second name,

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-49979895692061387062012-01-01T06:30:00.001-05:002012-01-01T06:30:02.551-05:00

May 2012 be happy and prosperous for you and yours. Good health, calm seas. May the ocean of your life remain free of plastic and other environmental toxins.

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-42722457794291891162011-12-31T09:09:00.007-05:002011-12-31T17:19:22.977-05:00

Before the year closes, a big thank you to all our wonderful guests from 2011. Some came to escape the heat of the city, others to discover life "across the pond." We celebrated honeymoons and family reunions. We received recently engaged couples, young parents with babies, older parents with older children. They went windsurfing, whalewatching, swimming, beachcombing, hiking, exploring,

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-68365080714919160082011-12-30T14:45:00.018-05:002012-01-06T08:08:51.450-05:00

My mom’s friend Sally Branch died yesterday. She was a regular blog reader, the go-to bird person in Wellfleet, and the neighbor with whom my parents always shared Thanksgiving dinner. Sven tells me I took him to meet Sally on the way back from our first walk to Dyer Pond. Who could resist her total lack of pretentiousness and her gentle grace? Here was a lady who seemed to radiate goodness.

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-48697945863002249272011-12-29T06:30:00.001-05:002011-12-29T06:30:02.130-05:00

Wellfleet is fortunate to have Dan Wolf as its state senator. This Tuesday, Dan was interviewed by Mindy Todd of Cape & Islands Radio for her show On Point. Senator Wolf discussed his priorities. I was pleased to get an emailed question in on NStar, and to hear his response. The Senator also went into detail on why the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant should not have its license renewed. It is

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-8756690896762785282011-12-28T06:30:00.003-05:002011-12-28T13:22:48.233-05:00

I'll give you a clue. It's not the buoy, or the sardines. The magnificent mural on the Wellfleet Marketplace front window includes, choke-choke, plastic silverware. While I understand that eating utensils may be in demand in summer for picnics, I cringe at all the plastic forks and knives that end up in my recycling bin. We need to do a better job. We can do a better job. We must do a better

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-3528121171747657342011-12-26T06:30:00.000-05:002011-12-26T06:30:02.153-05:00

I have said it before, and I will say it again, Wellfleet sunsets, in winter, are fantabulous. As the sun sinks in the west, the sky fills with the most amazing colors, reflected off the water in the harbor or the flats at low tide. The pier makes a great observation post, but Mayo Beach is nice, too. I took these photos from Mayo Beach, less than a minute apart, because Sven was waiting for me

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-72878045174720632202011-12-24T08:34:00.000-05:002011-12-24T08:35:54.993-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-61733291047897023492011-12-23T06:30:00.004-05:002011-12-23T07:49:07.133-05:00

Last night Sven and I ate at PB Boulangerie Bistro. We had the "prix fixe menu," ie. a green salad, swordfish with risotto, and a dessert, all for $30. The food was, of course, delicious. PB is planning some incredible holiday meals, so do check them out if you happen to be on Cape. (Seven Fishes on December 24th, and a very special multiple-course New Year's Eve dinner the following week for

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-35014042073096626222011-12-22T06:30:00.041-05:002011-12-22T10:28:47.606-05:00

Here on Cape Cod, we do not need four herbicides sprayed under our power lines. (Tell the EPA to ban glyphosate by signing this petition.) Toxic chemicals will get into our sole-source aquifer. Traces will end up in drinking water. Years from now, our children will look back and say, why did you not stop this?Did you know that a study, relating to Cape Cod, was published by Boston University

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-14202610894775719272011-12-21T06:30:00.005-05:002012-01-02T19:18:44.105-05:00

Eva and Henry, A Cape Cod Marriage makes the perfect gift for all your friends who love Wellfleet. The novel, written by Irene Paine, describes life in South Wellfleet in the 1880s and won the Independent Publishers 2011 Silver Award for Best Regional Fiction for the North-East. The heroine is the author’s great grandaunt, an actual person who lived and died in the place she loved the best,

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-44035230658925479182011-12-20T06:30:00.002-05:002011-12-20T09:20:40.407-05:00

Provincetown was surprisingly empty of all signs of life last weekend when Sven and I journeyed down the highway to take in the sights. Few of the stores were open. There were a few bicyclists, but not many pedestrians. We saw a houseboat out on the bay, but no right whales, spotted last week by Stormy Mayo at Coastal Studies. There was a cool lobster trap tree near the town pier. Apparently,

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-82206939405125221452011-12-19T08:24:00.001-05:002011-12-19T08:28:00.725-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-15310961975738135892011-12-18T06:30:00.017-05:002011-12-18T08:41:10.169-05:00

Two dozen Wellfleetians gathered yesterday evening at Prez. Hall for Wellfleet’s first foray into caroling in quite a while, organized by Tracy and Swede Plaut. Everyone was dressed warmly although the temperature had not yet dropped. Jingle bells were tested, songbooks handed out, lanterns lit. All that was missing were the snowflakes to make the holiday picture complete. The mood was joyous

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-14969629549587179812011-12-17T06:30:00.014-05:002011-12-17T08:50:56.500-05:00

A blog reader alerted me to the ZBA hearing on the Cumberland Farms special permit request, which took place yesterday and was continued to February 2. I did not intend to sit through another three-hour meeting but ended up doing just that in order to share my impressions here. “Cumby’s” plans to raze the existing building on Route 6, as well as the abandoned house behind the convenience/

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-10699916170163810922011-12-16T09:02:00.004-05:002011-12-17T08:50:38.156-05:00

Above, a shellfisherman collects shellfish for dinner. Not everyone in Wellfleet can put food on the table. Help those in need by contributing to the Food Pantry. There are donation boxes at several locations in town including the library, COA, Wellfleet Marketplace and Grace Chapel Assembly of God. Please make a contribution of any food or non-food item to these collection boxes. If you live

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-25924035515441451722011-12-15T06:30:00.001-05:002011-12-16T08:44:02.237-05:00

I had not turned up the heat and was feeling cold. Where was my fleece vest, so easy to throw over a wool sweater? I located it in a pile of laundry. There’s nothing like being encased in plastic, is there? Still, fleece should not be on your holiday gift list. Make imminent disengagement one of your new year’s resolutions for 2012. Oh, I know. Polar fleece is so soft and appealing. Sven

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-79795468033588564732011-12-14T06:30:00.004-05:002011-12-17T17:18:17.584-05:00

I know what you are thinking. Another cookbook? How many cookbooks does one need? This one is different, promise. In fact, the Earthbound Cookbook is unique because green tips are scattered throughout as sidebars. The author is Myra Goodman, co-founder of Earthbound Farm, the source of organic vegetables for many a household across the USA for 25 years. Myra has written a cookbook with a

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-39592729942844807582011-12-13T08:49:00.011-05:002011-12-13T13:49:09.735-05:00

This weekend, at the Preservation Hall crafts fair, quite a few people asked me for an update on the situation regarding herbicidal spraying. As far as I know, NStar plans to begin spraying four herbicides under the power lines in the spring. The moratorium will be up at the end of the month. The latest news is that the merger with Northeast Utilities has stalled. It is not clear to me

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-16298347921237113512011-12-12T22:22:00.002-05:002011-12-13T08:28:30.426-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-39867775985858844662011-12-11T06:30:00.057-05:002011-12-12T07:23:44.644-05:00

Sparkle was in hearts and minds at Wellfleet's annual crafts fair. Preservation Hall was again the place to be yesterday for the annual Deck-This-Hall event. I went downtown early, as soon as our guests had finished breakfast, in order to get first choice on one-of-a-kind items, perfect holiday gifts. To my delight, I discovered a number of the artisans had worked with recycled materials. Also,

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-46950411123839327452011-12-10T00:45:00.032-05:002011-12-15T10:06:06.096-05:00

A talented group of Wellfleetians performed last night at Preservation Hall, during an evening of protest and satire, imagined by Kevin Rice and entitled Occupy Prez. Hall or “Tales of Woe from the Wealthy.” The room was packed, which is not surprising because word of this type of event spreads fast. The premise? Seven individuals, representing the 1%, were to compete for two tents set up

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-67533862231765279352011-12-09T06:30:00.008-05:002011-12-09T12:35:00.554-05:00

Sven and I went down to the marina yesterday afternoon. It is fast becoming our favorite walk. There’s no dune to negotiate, no cold wind off the ocean to require scarf and long underwear. Something is always happening, be it shellfishermen out on the flats, collecting oysters, or a new configuration of boats, both in the water and out, or birdwatchers at low tide, binoculars in hand. (In this

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-61957424956594290252011-12-08T13:44:00.009-05:002011-12-08T19:38:48.590-05:00

Walking down Main Street today, I noticed that the fellow outside the liquor store has again changed clothes to fit the holiday season. I did not prepare a post for today but wanted to send a reminder instead. This weekend Preservation Hall is holding its annual Deck-This-Hall Crafts Fair. Last year, the event was held in the basement. This year, the community center is finished and already

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-81132056345335943142011-12-07T06:30:00.004-05:002011-12-08T13:29:02.213-05:00

Today we are continuing a series of posts on holiday gifts. Last Wednesday I covered the local scene. Today, I have a cookbook to propose. What I hate most is cleaning up in the kitchen, which is why Sven usually assumes this task for the bed-and-breakfast. A friend told me about Brette Sember's blog, how it described a new way of cooking that involved no pots, no mess. I promptly bought

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-81455046272009967142011-12-06T06:30:00.011-05:002011-12-06T07:51:15.636-05:00

Polly Schlaff’s November 18th post at Reclaiming Our Families, republished yesterday by Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, was so moving that I decided to share it with you. Since you read Chezsven Blog, you are already aware that the environment today is jam-packed with toxins, a very different situation from the pre-war society my parents and Sven’s parents inhabited. All four passed away in

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-60319849939783716632011-12-05T15:08:00.008-05:002011-12-05T15:24:31.606-05:00

Remember before we had a dream for our future community center and imagined all kinds of events would take place there? Now they are. It's no longer just a dream. I have learned that The Cypress String Quartet will perform there this Wednesday. Don't miss Elena Ruehr’s “Bel Canto” String Quartet, inspired by Ann Patchett’s best-selling novel with narrated selections read by Larry Marsland,

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-23224525665490484142011-12-05T06:30:00.001-05:002011-12-05T06:30:00.384-05:00

Above, Sven welcomes guests to Chez Sven. Yesterday I reported on the Preservation Hall Wreath Pageant. Did you go? It was great fun. The day before, I shared impressions of the three-hour ZBA meeting at the Council on Aging. To answer an emailed question from a reader, writing posts like these does take several hours. It makes me really happy when readers take a few minutes to comment on

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-3356196208066394412011-12-04T06:30:00.067-05:002011-12-05T08:10:40.045-05:00

Mark Gabrielle did not organize the Wreath Pageant this year, but he could not help himself yesterday morning, joining in with final touches around Preservation Hall. Above, he clips a name tag off “Wrack Line Occupied,” by Melody Thibideau, my personal favorite. The wreath featured sea glass, lures and seaweed from a Wellfleet beach. I was able to admire “Never Bagless” on the opposite wall.

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-39705230086307482102011-12-03T06:30:00.013-05:002011-12-03T08:17:56.444-05:00

Summarizing a three-hour meeting of the Wellfleet Zoning Board of Appeals is not an easy task but let’s try. I know many of you are interested in the preservation of Wellfleet’s unique character, as am I, and believe a drive-thru window is not something our town needs. Can you imagine a drive-thru at this site? Me neither! Straight off, know that I have taken a position on this issue and

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-51046261390241017112011-12-02T06:30:00.028-05:002011-12-02T09:24:16.029-05:00

December is upon us and December, in Wellfleet, means head to Preservation Hall with greenery and community spirit. Events will be taking place all month. Yes, not one weekend of Christmas cheer but three! The fun starts with wreath making. The second wreath-making session took place yesterday afternoon and evening. Along with crafters, bakers were also welcome to join the crew in the kitchen

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-86073400512490600742011-12-01T22:35:00.008-05:002011-12-01T23:12:51.301-05:00

The ZBA meeting on the Dunkin' Donuts proposal to create a drive-thru at the existing Route 6 fast food restaurant was continued until January 5. Four dozen Wellfleetians, against the proposal, showed up and made sure their voices were heard. Most of us sat through the full three-hour meeting. A dozen letters against the proposal were read. The only letter-writer to offer support was the

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-78305164018465210962011-12-01T06:30:00.014-05:002011-12-01T09:02:10.762-05:00

The Plymouth & Brockton bus company now operates two daily trips to the Outer Cape. One leaves South Station at 10:15. The other departs four hours later. Both are fifteen minutes shorter than the previous runs. On the bus from Hyannis yesterday, I found myself sitting behind two old friends who had not seen each other in a while and simply happened to ride the bus together. First a

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-22502746801283989742011-11-30T06:30:00.016-05:002011-12-01T07:59:53.327-05:00

After Thanksgiving, we turn our attention to holiday gifts. Many people come to Wellfleet during Oysterfest to go Christmas-shopping in mid-October. In December 2010, I suggested local businesses that are fairly well known. This year I decided to mention small businesses here on Cape Cod, perhaps a bit more obscure but all deserving our support. I discovered most of them at Oysterfest.First

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-77871059169906817952011-11-28T12:06:00.005-05:002011-11-30T17:55:43.849-05:00

Several weeks ago a Chezsven blog reader suggested a vacation. I have been in Los Angeles with my son's family for nine days now. Today, I read news from the Wellfleet Chamber of Commerce that will interest you all. Since I feel very strongly that we need to preserve the unique quality of our town, ie. that it is different from Everywhere, USA, I am against the installation of drive-through

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-10856840560962361212011-11-28T06:30:00.000-05:002011-11-28T06:30:01.972-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-33611210544044642922011-11-27T06:30:00.000-05:002011-11-27T06:30:02.417-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-61111331492261873052011-11-26T06:30:00.003-05:002011-11-30T15:51:59.419-05:00

This summer and early fall we got to know a marvelous stray cat named Serena. She was a true survivor, catching mice for dinner until we gave in and provided food. I was finally able to give her back to her owner, Rolf, who teaches yoga at GLOW. We were sorry to have her leave. He was glad to get her back. Our cat episode reminded me of my daughter's cat, also a stray in the woods of

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-38412167069357840712011-11-25T06:30:00.000-05:002011-11-25T06:30:02.214-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-18986943809098654892011-11-24T06:30:00.004-05:002011-12-01T08:02:05.792-05:00

Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for what we have. Here, on Cape Cod, that would be the beauty of nature, on all sides. Friends and family. Good health. Wellfleetians can thank President Kennedy for having created the Cape Cod National Seashore, which means less development, cleaner air and water. It's quite incredible that 60% of our town is basically wilderness. I'm also grateful for

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-40123756433437879652011-11-23T06:30:00.004-05:002011-11-26T10:50:04.802-05:00

As turkey day approaches, I decided to look back over five years of blog posts and serve them up to you again. 2008 and 2009 are particularly interesting. It's pretty amazing to realize I've written Chezsven Blog: Wellfleet Today for almost six years now. Whew! My mother passed away November 29, 2006, so I did not write a specific post about Thanksgiving that year. Here are the other four

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-90287390412832206642011-11-22T06:30:00.001-05:002011-11-22T06:30:01.682-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-67040465956359308362011-11-21T06:30:00.000-05:002011-11-21T06:30:01.016-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-72030975734273317022011-11-20T06:30:00.000-05:002011-11-20T06:30:00.690-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-41702091083413977612011-11-19T06:30:00.001-05:002011-11-19T06:30:02.565-05:00

If you answered that an empty bleach container had washed up on a Wellfleet beach, you would have been right. Apparently boat owners use bleach to clean the deck. Sometimes the containers get washed overboard, or dropped. They do not belong in the ocean. We all need to rethink some of our old habits. If I had the time, I would try to talk to local seamen and see if someone could come up with

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-19336015769116710282011-11-18T06:30:00.005-05:002011-11-18T06:30:01.489-05:00

“Chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm may be present in food sold here.” So begins the disclaimer on boxes of Happy Meals sold in California. McDonalds is hedging its bets lest someone decide to sue. “This puts a whole new spin on junk food,” commented a Facebook friend. Eating has become dangerous. These thoughts were on my mind as I watched a sunset

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-70352880735166361442011-11-17T12:21:00.003-05:002011-11-17T12:27:53.126-05:00

The Provincetown Banner published my latest letter to the editor, a follow-up to an article on Silent Spring Institute's recent testing of Cape Cod well water, including wells in Wellfleet. In case you do not have access to the newspaper, I'm reprinting it below:Thanks for the update on Silent Spring Institute’s latest tests on well water. So, on the Outer Cape, we are drinking acesulfame, a

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-2079897996091575572011-11-17T08:15:00.005-05:002011-11-17T09:14:08.261-05:00

Today, a simple request. Please read an excellent post at Lentil Breakdown and think about how it applies to Wellfleetians. Adair Seldon explains How to Be a Bad-Ass Anti-GMO Activist. More, tomorrow ...

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-30003497974910522642011-11-16T07:10:00.013-05:002011-11-16T11:07:24.198-05:00

Sven and I traveled to Spain, while my younger daughter was spending a semester in Salamanca. We picked her up and drove to Portugal. While in Spain, we noticed Spaniards ate dinner even later than the French, ordered "tapas" at the beginning of the meal, and seemed boisterous while eating. Lots of spirited conversations were going on in the restaurants we visited. I remember the incredible

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-33901290022774827202011-11-15T06:30:00.034-05:002011-11-15T11:36:52.395-05:00

Above, a shot of the garden in June for Alice, a blog reader who stopped by to say hello Sunday afternoon. I wonder if she has had the occasion, over the past 20 summers, to avail herself of the services of Outer Cape Health, as a non-resident? Last week I went in for a flu shot and was again amazed by how the local health center has evolved since our arrival on Cape Cod in 1997. While in the

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-83417721504039071342011-11-14T06:30:00.010-05:002011-11-14T18:57:19.561-05:00

This weekend Sven and I took a walk to Dyer Pond. It was the first weekend in months without guests, a pleasant experience if I do say so myself. Months and months of welcoming strangers into your house makes you appreciate solitude all the more when it happens to come. The wind whipped through the denuded trees above our heads. Underfoot, pine needles crunched as we marched along. The

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-54112993794769083162011-11-13T06:30:00.010-05:002011-11-13T09:48:14.627-05:00

Last month Oysterfest goers may have passed this Occupy Wellfleet banner on their way to the festival, but it was the original Occupy Wall Street movement that preoccupied the minds of a number of our nation’s great thinkers, who met near Cahoon Hollow Beach last month. Sven and I were invited to the final evening of the seminar several years ago, when my friend BJ Lifton was alive. Her husband

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-48584941074327138742011-11-12T06:30:00.000-05:002011-11-12T06:30:02.306-05:00

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-15447938431708025122011-11-11T06:30:00.002-05:002011-11-11T07:45:44.022-05:00

I got Dangerous Instincts, How Gut Feelings Betray Us by Mary Ellen O’Toole, thinking the book might provide insight on ways to scope out strangers, in this case, our guests. They knock at an unlocked door. I expect them, open the door, welcome the couple inside. What we have in common is a prior engagement. But I have already decided from earlier contact, often an exchange of several emails

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-26986123227122500972011-11-10T06:30:00.005-05:002011-11-10T08:03:44.486-05:00

Anyone who has walked Main Street over the past few years has been able to admire the skeleton sitting outside the liquor store, rain or shine, as if the owner had winked a warning about what might happen to anyone who imbibes too much alcohol. Here she is in summer attire. Yesterday I could not resist taking a photo of the young man who had chosen to sit in one of the other chairs. Two people

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20448505.post-87786848546234719542011-11-09T06:30:00.001-05:002011-11-10T07:36:26.784-05:00

Quiet season is settling in, and it feels good. The phone no longer rings with requests from travelers. Hits to the StatCounter have decreased dramatically, despite my having posted a Thanksgiving Special for Seagull Cottage at Bedandbreakfast.com, a stark reminder that the recession is not over. Sven and I have the house to ourselves again. There are fewer cars along Main Street in downtown

Alexandra Grabbehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16290396567494638238noreply@blogger.com0