Good Morning Gloucester

Join us Thursday evening at 6:30 for the premier of a new video about Gloucester’s flagship and National Historic Landmark during our online fundraiser Community Through Adventure. Just follow this link to the Schooner Adventure website: http://schooner-adventure.org/support/community-video/

The 24 minute video is free and open to anyone to watch and will be available for a week following the event. Any donations made during this fundraiser will go twice as far to support the educational mission of Adventure thanks to a generous pledge from the members of the board of directors to match your contribution up to $30,000.

We can’t sail this season because of the pandemic, but the maintenance of the vessel must go on. We think this video will explain why Adventure’s volunteers and staff continue to work hard behind the scenes to keep one of the last Gloucester fishing schooners going strong.

Follow him here- https://www.instagram.com/mainstreetartandantiques/

I received a very nice surprise recently in the form of a gift from my brother and his wife following their visit here during which I was heard to rant about how hard it can be each day for the lefties of the world. Every single design is engineered for right handed use, not surprisingly as this is the majority of the population.  Only an estimated 10% of us are lucky enough to be left handed.

And it’s OK.  I am left handed but learned to do many everyday tasks with my right hand with tools made for right handed people: scissors, measuring cups, can openers, even brooms to some extent. Even those “statement ” coffee mugs are backwards for lefties…wise words of wisdom facing the wrong way in a left hander’s grasp. Mostly it’s OK but some thing still trip me up after all these years. Measuring cups are high on that list. I know some of you are wondering “How can you do measuring cup wrong??” Try it. Put that cup in your left and and take a look at the measures. Thank you.

Anyhow, my angst was acknowledged in their gifting of a number of items from The Left Hand Store. What a treat the oven mitt, the kitchen tools and the measuring cup especially are!!! Mostly, thank you for acknowledging the issues…….. so here’s a shout out to Lori and Chris and left handers out there (FOB Paula Ryan O’Brien and neighbor Rick)! Can I get an “Amen”?

I also took Joey up on his invitation today to meet the Calico Lobster at Capt Joe & Sons. Joey personally introduced me to a very active and handsome crustacean. He/she may look already steamed, but definitely wasn’t.

Today I met Richie Cassola, still lobstering at 70+ years of age. Thanks for letting me take your picture! I love his hat.

We also met the rare calico lobster recently brought in by Mark Davis and he had some quality time with CB (crystal ball). It’s how lobsters do playdates! Thanks to Capt Joe and Sons!

Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken is urging residents to take care to complete the 2020 U.S. Census Survey.”I cannot stress enough– it is so important that everyone in our city is counted in the census,” Mayor Romeo Theken said. “It’s the only way to ensure our city receives all of the funding we’re eligible for, which means if everyone doesn’t take part, we’ll lose money that could have gone to critical resources, including schools and infrastructure. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey.”The City has crafted informational videos in English, Sicilian, Spanish and Portuguese for residents to view regarding the survey. To view the videos, click here.Every 10 years the census is taken nationwide, and directly affects funding municipalities are awarded from the federal and state governments for schools, roads, public health initiatives and other critical infrastructure needs and services. The census also informs local decisions about transportation needs and emergency readiness.The census also helps determine the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives and how congressional and state legislative districts are drawn.Everyone who lives in a household needs to be counted, including grandparents, children, members of the extended family and anyone else living under the same roof.People can take the census online here, by phone by calling 844-330-2020, or by completing and mailing the paper form that was mailed to each household. Everyone’s information shared through the census is protected and used only for the purpose of getting an accurate population count.Everyone is also required by law to complete the census.

This guy is guilty of nectar thieving in the first degree! He even looks guilty. We have been bothered by this raccoon stealing hummingbird nectar on a regular basis. Our neighbor Jim caught him and I’m told he’s been transferred to a new home. No, not in Joey’s neighborhood. Joey needs no further excuses for his hummingbird failures.

Here’s the thief and his victims. Thank you neighbor Jim!