The Salty Blog

I’m a Verizon Wireless evangelist, as many of my friends and family have seen/heard over the years.

This video left me with tears streaming down my cheeks… kudos to Verizon for picking up on the greatest trend in marketing!

Verizon Wireless Surprises Customer - Watch more free videos

Let me introduce you to my new office.

I’m the last one at the end of the hallway, and I’m lucky enough to have one wall of exposed brick from when this was an old rubber mill back in the 1800s. One wall is an awesome bright turquoise color.

I also have wood beams for a ceiling - very cool. I don’t know what exactly is on top of that for roofing, but…

HOLY LOUD THUNDER AND RAIN!!!!!!

This has been a very noisy week #2, but I’m loving it!

And the verdict is in! Brewer is most definitely half lab and half plott hound!

Its reputation for courage and stamina, however, is anything but regional. Outdoorsmen from as far away as Africa and Japan hold the Plott in near-mystical esteem as perhaps the world’s toughest dog. Bred to track, run down, tree, and, if necessary, grapple with a baying 500-pound bear eight times its size, it is often overmatched but rarely chastened by that fact. Inspect the coat of one that has worked in the woods for a year or more, and you will likely find slash marks from a bear’s claws or a hog’s tusks. Plotts routinely will stay on game, alone or in packs, for days at a time. Willing to sacrifice themselves before they’ll run from a showdown, they are the ninja warriors of dogdom. By comparison, the beagle is a layabout, and the pit bull a pansy.

 Check out just a minute of this video if you’re interested: Westminster Kennel Club

It’s been a week since I was last at a computer - I mean really at a computer. And I’ve been without a BlackBerry. What an AWESOME thing that is (ok, was). Over the last three years, any “vacation” has typically included a good amount of e-mail and work. The last week - busy with guests and activities - I’m happy to say I haven’t even been able to remember my cell phone.

Guests arrived from Chicago, Vermont and Boston, starting on Thursday afternoon. We had an awesome time - day-tripping to Nantucket (photo from Leslie), to Wellfleet, going for a long run around Osterville, biking the canal, hiking the dogs, playing tennis, sipping wine on the beach, and cruising/fishing on the boat off both the north and south sides of the Cape. The last of our guests pulled out on Wednesday morning, and I went immediately to a yoga class. My goal for the remaining days is to really rejuvenate and prep myself as a person and as a professional for the new job.

Today started with an 18-mile bike ride back from dropping my car at the garage. I’m going to be driving an hour each way for the commute now, and a few things needed tending to. And now my dad’s almost here to pick me up for 18 holes of golf! A very active week off and I love it. If I get the kayak out tomorrow, I might officially have used all our summer sporting equipment.

Gary’s busy at work this week. He deserves some R&R himself after all the incredible work he did on the outdoor shower, the gorgeous new driveway, and so much tending to the yard. The upstairs toilet and sink were even installed before guests arrived! All without compromise to his sunglass tan lines.

Another weekend is ahead, and the new job starts Monday! I’ve of course reinstated the ole’ BlackBerry, am blogging, and will gradually be getting re-connected.

Here it is, July 1st! The cicadas are dying, the tourists are coming and the thunder has certainly been booming.

We spent last weekend in Maine celebrating the wedding of [my college roommate] BG and Sam Bigelow. A gorgeous and memorable wedding indeed, on the remote island of Islesboro. This photo shows how one might kick off a marriage in cozy little corners of Maine - CONGRATS to the happy couple!

It was nice to get up to Portland early on Friday to catch up with our close pals Emily and Anthony. We squeezed in some play time in Freeport as well.

And NOW…. the FOURTH OF JULY ON CAPE COD is upon us!! Oh wait, before that happens, my LAST DAY OF WORK in Boston is this Thursday. What fun timing! I’ll drive up, pack up the office, and swing through Logan to pick up the first of our seven house guests (6 human, 1 canine). Yup, bus-y weekend at Hacienda Hedman! We’re looking forward to a lot of beaching, boating and celebrating the holiday with even more friends too. Happy 4th!