THE PRICE OF DIRT, THE COST OF LIVING

I am perhaps out of touch with current US pricing, but this seems ridiculous, if that’s a strong enough word.

Janice Anne Wheeler Nov 1

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Seriously?!

The price of dirt, the cost of living. Eye-brow raising, breath-taking, laughable in a near-hysterical sort of way, like when something is so preposterous that you can’t believe you’re even seeing what you’re seeing, something ordinary that couldn’t, in your wildest imagination, be worth what the big yellow price tag says they are asking. I mean. It’s DIRT. In a bag. OK, it may be special dirt, if you believe all the claims. Still DIRT. In the 70’s I would have glanced around to see if there was a Candid Camera hidden somewhere. Remember that show? Creative stuff. Good clean fun, pardon the pun.

THE NEW(EST) BLACK GOLD… originally Black Gold was crude oil—there’s another flashback, remember the show Beverly Hillbillies? Oil is still black gold, IMHO, but this newly expensive commodity took me by surprise in a time when it takes more and more to amaze. Remember when gas was 50 cents a gallon/15 cents a liter? Potting soil was a couple bucks? Yeesh. I want to swing back by that store and see if anyone actually bought one, then if so, hunt them down and shake some sense into that individual.

I know. I’ve got too much time on my hands some days, I’m nearly recovered from the double c knockout (thanks for the kind words, so appreciated) and it feels like I’m waiting for (more) bad weather but really there are life-type issues keeping us here; no point complaining. Still tied to a dock, we have a final commitment on November 7th, (not going anywhere with the current ten-day anyway), still antsy, ended up grabbing something at a national hardware chain store only to be gobsmacked by the price of dirt, which, as it turns out, I had to share.

Good news is that after our two-year rebuild this old wooden girl is seriously ready for some sailing. At ninety-two, we don’t take her out in the worst of conditions; you don’t take your great-grandmother rock climbing, but she’s ready for some SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE that does not involve sandpaper or birds perching on the rig doing what they do. And so am I! Bad news is that it will cost just a tad under $4,000USD to fill the diesel tanks on this ol’ girl, so we’re hoping for wind, but not too much wind, not NO wind…I know. I know.

There was another Nor’Easter blowing just northeast of us and one forming in the long-term forecast southeast of us(!!)…(or a Subtropical Low, or Tropical Storm, can it be all three, one becoming another?? Can it be?).

Importantly, no one REALLY noticed (or at least no one notified about) the first big blow until STEADFAST’s lines were creaking hard. Then one morning a little triangle with ! showed up again on the Weather Channel, my pre-coffee morning go-to. Generally it’s just a temperature check, since my thin-blooded self has to walk outside to get to the coffee pot. It felt like they might be saying, “Oh, yeah, BTW. Big storm. We didn’t really forecast this one either, uhmm, sorry. Oh, and it starts, well, now, really…. watch out for that….”

Importantly, no one REALLY knows what Mother Nature is going to toss our way. Even our fancy maritime forecast system Predictwind Pro, which costs a considerable amount, didn’t tell me anything was coming my way, especially something forming such perfect spirals and eyes and eyewalls. It’s pretty darn early for two Nor’Easters in the already-cold-and-cranky Northwest Atlantic.

Here’s the plan: we’ll sail south with a gorgeous native American summer mid-November and be happy happy happy. Put all your higher power good juju behind that thought, wouldya? Thanks.

Until next week, I hope you don’t need dirt or diesel and may the weather settle a bit, whatever hemisphere you occupy. ~J

Is the topic of dirt worthy of this publication? Of course it is, or should I say, I think so… What we talk about here is ultimately principles, isn’t it? Right and wrong, should and shouldn’t, to be or not to be, preparation and consequences, going forward or backward. If some topics don’t stop you in your tracks, don’t ditch me, please don’t unsubscribe, just smile and wander on. And also please, if you are happy with the subtle wit and sarcasm of this current events topic, please, real quick, click the little heart and the little circle of arrows. It unfortunately really does matter in a world of AI and algorithms; only WE know that you enjoy my work…so please share your opinion with Substack and then they’ll spread me around so more folks can join us. Don’t make me beg. I’m not above it but it’s not my favorite thing. Thank you! ~J

Here’s October 30 sunrise. Yes, I’ve taken too many photos of that particular bridge, but they are pretty spectacular and this might just be the last one….!! (until next year, so not, like, the last last…) 😉