A Walk Across the Bay (Bridge)

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For awhile now I’ve wanted to see the Chesapeake Bay from the middle of the bridge that spans it. (#92 on my 101 in 1001)

A view of the bridge from the Eastern Shore.  We’ll be traversing the southern 2-lane span which usually handles eastbound traffic.

Last year I was signed up and sufficiently trained to walk the 10K race with approximately 18,000 other people when it was canceled at the last minute due to weather.

We traveled from west (Anne Arundel) to east (Queen Anne’s).

I signed up again this year to give it one more try. Sunday, November 8th was a beautiful day.

The tricky part of what to wear was keeping warm before dawn then not being overdressed as the day progressed.

I rose at 3:50 a.m. and dressed in the clothing I had laid out, the same things that I had trained in (almost) every morning for the past 2 months — jeans, 2 t-shirts, zip-up sweatshirt hoodie, and running shoes.  I had a little breakfast to give me energy and a lot of water so I wouldn’t have to carry any.  I was accustomed to a 2-hour walk without additional water.

I arrived at about 5:50 a.m.; sunrise was at 6:40 a.m.

Then I drove to the Gold parking lot (about an hour and a half away), parked my car, and boarded the shuttle which took me to the other side of the Chesapeake Bay to start the race.

The first 2 waves of entrants was reserved for runners who were vying for a prize.

My main objective was to get to the middle of the bridge and contemplate our beautiful bay.  I have seen in many times: driving across the bridge, from small boats, from cruise ships, and from our own backyard.

I was in Wave C which was slated to begin at 7:30 a.m.

The race was well-organized with each wave grouping together at their appropriate time.

We were held at the start line until our official start time of 7:30 a.m.

The race bib each participant was given gave us access to the shuttle bus and was chipped to start counting our time at the start line and to stop at the finish arch.

The first leg of the race had an uphill incline.

With hoards of other thus inclined people I walked as quickly as possible while still appreciating where I was.  I was trained for the 10K but had a lot of walking, standing, waiting on both ends of the actual race.

By Mile 3 (approximately the middle of the bridge) I had sufficiently warmed up enough to remove my hat and gloves.

People of all ages, races, sizes, took part in the crossing.  Some were running and racing, others strolling and chatting.

In just over 2 hours I came to the finish line.

I had been looking forward to walking across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and I was not disappointed.  No ruckus, no fuss — folks getting along and enjoying a beautiful day.

The darling Chesapeake Bay retriever is crafted in 3-D metal — formidable.

My official time was clocked at 2 hours 6 minutes and 24 seconds.  I received my medal, a banana, a bottle of water (which a young man at the Gatorade station kindly opened for me), and 2 bags of chips.

The traffic near the bridge was horrible westbound. Thankfully I was headed east.

It was still morning but I was ready to go home.

Jo

Quick Yet Effective

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After we changed the threshold on our front door a quarter-inch gap remained under the door.

Cold air was flowing from the front door into the hall then to the living room.

I could feel cold air rushing into the house.

Under $20 and easy to install.

I checked online for different kinds of “gap” fillers.  The one I chose was M-D 3-ft x 2-in x 1-3/4-in Brown Cinch Slide-on Vinyl Door Weatherstrip at Lowes.  No screws, nails, glue necessary; it just slid on.

I chose brown.

The strip comes in black, brown, or white.  The inside of my door is brown so I chose brown.

The weatherstripping slid on and blocked the airflow.

Even though my door is 3-feet wide I had to cut off about half an inch to make it fit inside the vertical weatherstripping that was already there.  I used a hacksaw and it took about 2 minutes.  Easy.

Not really noticeable even on the blue side of the door.

Really the most difficult part was sliding the entire strip onto the door.  I encouraged it with a block of wood and a hammer.

No more leaks.

I’m happy to have finished this small but necessary project now that the autumn winds have begun to blow.

Jo

Hanging a TV

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The downstairs bedroom had a TV but it sat on the dresser and took up most of the space.

The television was not in a good spot and took up precious horizontal space.

In addition if watching during the day the viewer was looking straight into the blinding sky.

The wall across from the bed.

I thought hanging a TV in place of the mirror on the wall (which I moved last month) at the foot of the bed would alleviate both issues.

I hoped this was not too complicated to hang when I ordered it.

For less than $20 I purchased from WalMart a USX MOUNT TV Mount Fixed for 26-65 Inch TVs which was delivered with the new television.

3″ long magnetic stud finder from Home Depot.

After purchasing a TV and mounting bracket I also needed a stud finder since I didn’t want to poke more holes in the wallpaper than necessary.

The bracket must be secured to studs.

I chose low profile model mounting bracket since it was directly across from the bed in a small room.

The bracket must be level.  A tiny level came with the kit but I used a larger one that I had for “good measure”.

While securing the bracket to studs is necessary, the spacing of the TV is moderately adjustable.

Could have been bigger.

I’m accustomed to a 34″ television so I thought the next size up, 43 inches, would be more than large enough.  Sometimes I just think too small.

Last detail is to hide the wires but I am enjoying the TV not taking up countertop space.

The main reason I didn’t put the television on this wall in the first place is because the outlets and hookups are across the room.  So next on the agenda is to neaten up the wires — I’m not sure of the easiest or best way since it’s never been an issue before.

Jo

November, 2026 — Gonna

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This November I will be very busy.  Some of the things we have on the calendar have been planned for months if not years.

I hope to finish up reading The Path Between the Seas in preparation for our Panama Canal trip.

In November I plan to:

  1. Walk across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. (#92 on my 101 in 1001 days) I was signed up last year but the event was canceled at the last minute due to weather.

    I plan to walk not RUN!

  2.  Bring out Christmas decorations and choose a theme from  Norway, London,  or Panama Canal.
  3.  Clear out one drawer in my bedroom bureau.

    The drawers are stuffed — over stuffed.

  4.  Get a Smart TV and wall mount for downstairs bedroom.

    I plan to replace this mirror with a large smart TV.

  5.   Do one organizational task in the garage.
  6. Cruise to the Panama Canal.

    Looking for good weather, good fun, and unique situations.

  7.  Celebrate Thanksgiving.  Last year Charlie and I ate Thanksgiving dinner at an Eastern shore restaurant; this year we’ll be cruising the Caribbean and again someone else will be cooking.

    We haven’t had a traditional Thanksgiving turkey for many years; I’ll bet this year it’s on the menu.

  8.  Plan something fun.
  9.   Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: EXPLORE.
  10.   Write a goal list for December, 2026.

Jo

October, 2026 — Wrapped

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I have been busy, busy, busy.

Red sunrise foretold 24 hours of rain.

There’s always the to-do list in addition to maintaining health issues.  Here’s what happened in October:

  • I worked on possible trips for 2028 — thinking about a transAtlantic cruise or a visit to Naples, Italy and western US tour including Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone.

    Seems like we will be able to connect Mount Rushmore with some National Parks.

  • Toured the beautiful Pride of Baltimore II.

    The Pride of Baltimore II

  • I attended a multiple meeting prayer seminar then watched other attendees get commissioned as intercessors.
  • We attended a gala for a local mission that provides food, counseling, and resources in its community programs.

    Fresh oysters are a part of most celebrations on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

  • I read Mexican Gothic for the Halloween edition of my book club.  Weird, eerie, and difficult to follow at times, however the characters were interesting and easy to find one with whom to identify.

    Mexican Gothic

I worked on the following tasks and was successful in preparing for big projects in the near future:

  1. Set up the downstairs bedroom.

    We had been hosting a special guest who needed a hospital bed .Back to normal.

  2.   Walk all month in anticipation of 10K in early November.  I walked and walked and walked some more most mornings just after I awoke.

    My goal is to get to the high point of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

    Hoping I’m ready for the 10K which has an incline at the beginning of the race.

  3.  Clean up the marsh. (#46 of 101 in 1001 days)

    The marsh between the lawn and the bay collects all sorts of things that float in.

    In about half an hour at low tide I collected 2 bags of plastic trash from our small (quarter acre?) marsh — shotgun shells, water and soda bottles, 7-11 drink cups, snack wrappers, etc.  C’mon people, it’s your earth.

  4.  Autumnize the mantel.

    Warm colors and land animals inhabit the mantel this fall.

    On the first day of the month I removed the dolphins, fishing boats, and other sea related items from the mantel.  I replaced them with warmer colored candles, animals (deer and owl), and a pretty Asian vase featuring a peacock.

  5.  Hang some art. This was difficult because I didn’t want to hang art on walls that still need painting.

    The oval mirror may soon share a space with a vintage console.

    However I found a few spots to embellish.  I moved the mirror from the downstairs bedroom into the front hall.

    “We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams.” Ode by Arthur O’Shaughnessy

    Then the chalkboard moved to the freshly painted laundry hall so I’ll see it everytime I enter the house from the garage.

  6.  Continue to dismantle the primary bathroom.  I have taken out everything that I am able to remove.

    There’s always more stuff in the bathroom (any room for that matter) than I expect.

  7.  Paint primary bathroom. Fully painted the room Alabaster by Sherwin Williams except for the walls I anticipate will be removed or fully tiled.

    A clean slate for the renovation.

  8.  Have my eyes checked.  I was prescribed a pair of glasses for driving which are meant to diminish the light flair in the dark.  They do help.

    Ray-Ban Elliott in yellow and blue Havana — they make me look smart.

  9. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: PREPARE.
  10.  Write a goal list for November, 2026.

Jo

Pride II

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The clipper ship Pride of Baltimore II visited Cambridge Harbor.

The Pride of Baltimore II sailing down the Chesapeake Bay.

She sailed from Baltimore down the Chesapeake Bay then up the Choptank River to Cambridge in 2 days — about 16 hours total sailing time.

A motorized crabbing boat rushes past the Pride.

I was available for a free deck tour on a bright and sunny afternoon.  A crew member welcomed me aboard.

The Pride is beautifully accented with brass details which need regular upkeep.

As I boarded modern sailors dressed in polo shirts and khaki shorts were polishing brass the old fashioned way — lots of hand action.

Loads of stays and shrouds, halyards and sheets on this multiple sail ship.

The rigging is a square-topsail schooner.

Looking forward from the helm.

The Pride is fashioned after privateers (a privately owned ship or sailor given official government permission to attack and capture enemy ships during wartime) in the War of 1812. During the War of 1812, Baltimore Clippers and privateers defended independence, safeguarded sailors’ rights, and helped secure our country’s place among the nations of the world.

While there are larger, more traditional cannons onboard, I loved this little swivel gun mounted on the gunwale.

Currently there is a crew of 12 — in 1812 as many as 100 sailors might be on a ship like this. I found that curious and almost unbelievable since the ship is not really very large.  The explanation is that when a privateer would overtake an enemy ship they would inevitably leave a crew on board the captured ship which would diminish their number.

The lifeboat on board, Chasseur,  named after the inspiration boat for the Pride of Baltimore, is also a sailboat.

I was assured by multiple crew members that below deck is comfortable with  beds, modern galley, GPS, and other up-to-date navigational equipment.

She sails under the flags of the United States of America, the State of Maryland, and the City of Baltimore .  The national ensign is flown at the stern staff or the peak of the aftermost gaff thus not always the highest flag on a ship.

The Pride of Baltimore II regularly displays the following flags or pennants:

  • Star-Inspired U.S. Flag: A replica of the 15-star, 15-stripe War of 1812 U.S. flag (the same design that flew over Fort McHenry) — the “Star Spangled Banner”.
  • Baltimore City Flag: Features the historic Battle Monument against alternating black and yellow vertical stripes.
  • Maryland State Flag: Combines the black-and-gold Calvert family crest with the red-and-white Crossland banner.
  • Ship’s Pennant: A distinct yellow triangular pennant featuring the name “Pride of Baltimore II”.

A true American beauty.

Jo

October, 2026 — Gonna

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This October I look forward to moderate weather and fewer bugs so I can work outside.

The dock from the house to the water needs some repair.

In addition to finishing some outdoor projects I would like to:

  1. Set up the downstairs bedroom.

    We had been hosting a special guest who needed a hospital bed — now we’ll get back to the original set up.

  2.   Walk all month in anticipation of 10K in early November.
  3.  Clean up the marsh. (#46 of 101 in 1001 days)

    Our marsh between the lawn and the bay gets full of plastic debris and trash from passing boats.

  4.  Autumnize the mantel.

    The mantel wants some warmth to carry us into fall.

  5.  Hang some art.

    I have some art from our travels for which I should find a place.

  6.  Continue to dismantle the primary bathroom.

    The shoe molding has been removed, the mirror is down, and the towel bars are gone — next remove and paint the open shelves.

  7.  Paint primary bathroom.

    Because the ceiling is high there’s more to paint than it seems.

  8.  Have my eyes checked.
  9. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: PREPARE.
  10.  Write a goal list for November, 2026.

September, 2026 — Wrapped

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Thirty days hath September and I tried to be fruitful each and every day.

Looking north over the marsh just after dawn.

Here are some of the things I worked on:

  • Hung the new shade (ordered last month) in the kitchen.

    The window treatment when we moved in was an orangish Venetian blinds.

    I abandoned this window valance because it looked odd from outside the house and gave no privacy.

    This shade looks nice from both inside and outside the house.

  • Saw a new dentist a little closer to home.
  • Started a new Bible study  —  Walking with God.
  • Survived the biting black flies. Barely.
  • Changed the filter in my Blueair room air cleaner.

    Definitely time to change the filter — old on left and new on right.

  • Even though I didn’t want to poke a hole in the kitchen panel that faces the living room, I decided to hang a hook for a heavy antique mirror to reflect the bay water outside.

    Before

    After

  • Watched The Devil Wears Prada 2. Fabulous costumes.
  • Went to Touch-a-Truck Community event.  Every kind of first response vehicle was there. My 2 favorites are pictured below.

    A bomb disposal robot is a remotely controlled vehicle used by police and military bomb squads to inspect, handle, and neutralize dangerous explosives from a safe distance. Here pictured with its handler, a bomb squad technician, who can do everything the robot can.

    The Blackwater Fire Management team uses these heavy, tank-like buggies because they  travel easily across deep muck, soft mud, and open water where standard brush trucks or bulldozers would sink.

  • With Charlie’s help, hung the large mirror (formerly in the primary bathroom) on the side of the shed.

    Mirror added.

Now to the numbered list that I planned to complete before the end of the month.

  1.  Celebrate our wedding anniversary. I bought Bluetooth headsets for both of us and a fancy little cake to share.

    A black set for Charlie and a blue set for me.

  2.  Transplant columbine and lavender.

    We planted new parsley and columbine among the other plants since the basil will die off in the winter.  Lavender is in pots.

    I also planted some creeping thyme and replanted parsley which had been decimated by Black Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars.

    These caterpillars are 3-4 inches long and really very beautiful but highly destructive.

  3.  Work on 2027 travel plans.  I planned our trip to Seattle next spring — airline tickets, hotels, rental car.

    Planning to see the Skagit Tulip fields.

    I also reviewed the already-scheduled cruise from Helsinki to Copenhagen which is about a year from now.

  4.  Hire a contractor for bathroom renovation.  Rehired the crew that installed our kitchen with which we are very satisfied.  Work slated to start at the beginning of 2027.

    The renovated kitchen is working well.

  5.  Arrange annual trip insurance.   I bought Allianz annual insurance (All Trips Premier) to cover the maximum number of planned trips. An annual coverage policy can be purchased no more than 90 days in advance.
  6.   Read a book.  I read The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides that we discussed in our book club.  It was a psychological thriller which I didn’t care for — too dark.  As I was reading I was hoping for a happy ending — No.

    The Silent Patient

  7.  Remove large mirror from primary bathroom.  Charlie and I removed this 3′ by 4′ monster with great care.  I have plans to mount it on the side of the shed.

    Before

    Very strange with no mirror but much easier to fill holes and paint.

  8.  Redesign primary bathroom. (#32 101 in 1001).  I have redesigned the bathroom and added some new details.  Our contractor might also have some input.  Everything has been ordered and is being stashed in the primary bedroom which is a tight fit for now.

    The direction I’m going for the primary ensuite bathroom.

  9. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word  : CREATIVITY.
  10.  Write a goal list for October, 2026.

Jo

Primary Bath: Getting Ready to Renovate

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Two years ago we moved into our home on the Chesapeake Bay.  Since then we have replaced the floor on the ground level, renovated 2 downstairs bathrooms to become one better-functioning one, and redesigned and replaced the kitchen.

This is how the bathroom looked when we moved in.

The next room on my redo list is the primary ensuite bathroom which is upstairs (#32 on my 101 in 1001 days).

I have already changed the vanity light and the one over the toilet.

So far I have added a battery operated light over the shower and changed the vanity light fixture.

The finishes I’ve decided on so far.

While I am deciding on finishes and layouts and fixtures I want to get started removing baseboards, filling holes, and painting walls that will remain.

The new shower configuration might be something like this without the step up.

The plan is to remove the wall at the end of the vanity which is the shower water wall and replace it with a glass enclosure.

The floor should look something like this.

I would love to have a zero-threshold shower and have purchased mosaic tile to go throughout the room.

I’d like to retain the towel storage with a slight upgrade.

The dark corner at the back of the room is shelving for towels which must be preserved because it opens to the furnace vent underneath.

A configuration something like this may be possible for the towel storage area.

Although I have purchased most of the fixtures, tile, and supplies to renovate the primary bathroom I’m still working on the feasibility of details like the above closet.

The new vanity is blue.

I’ll keep working on it.

Jo

September, 2026 — Gonna

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September has crept up very quickly this year.  The weather will stay warm but I’ll try to get some outdoor tasks completed.

I was all set to walk across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge last year but the bridge was closed due to high winds.

I also plan to start walking to get ready for a 10K in November.

Now to the numbered list that I hope to complete before the end of the month.

  1.  Celebrate our wedding anniversary. Furniture anniversary?? Hmm.

    I’m working on this project.

  2.  Transplant columbine and lavender.
  3.  Work on 2027 travel plans.

    Seattle, Washington.

  4.  Hire a contractor for bathroom renovation.
  5.  Arrange annual trip insurance.

    We usually buy annual trip insurance.

  6.   Read a book.
  7.  Remove large mirror from primary bathroom.

    This is a huge mirror — I’ll need help.

  8.  Redesign primary bathroom. (#32 101 in 1001)

    The primary bathroom needs a total makeover.

  9. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word:  CREATIVITY.
  10.  Write a goal list for October, 2026.

Jo