I wrote a roundup of June-July 2022 posts because my life has been busy lately. I haven’t had as much time to spend writing blog posts as I usually do. Sometimes that’s been for the better, but other times the demands on my time have thrown a monkey wrench into my schedule.
Independence Day Tours
The time around Independence Day gave me a lot of things to do. The town of Sudbury, MA, celebrated its tricentennial this year. At the same time, the First Parish of Sudbury commemorated 300 years in its location, albeit in two different buildings. We opened the doors of our 1797 meetinghouse to visitors and I led three tours through the building and memorial garden. I even donned authentic colonial costume to do it.
I learned two things: (1) those antique clothes were heavy and, of course, difficult to move around in, and (2) I am never doing that again. The tours went well and I raised some money for ongoing maintenance of the building. Any structure that old requires both money and time for upkeep.
The Tour Season Underway
And speaking of tours, the season is well underway. I have led fewer tours than usual, though, because the price of gas has eaten into my profits. Now that the cruise ships are returning to Boston, though, that is changing. The pay and tips make it well worth my while to go to the city.
Cruise ship docked at Boston’s cruiseport
I love swinging up onto a bus and talking for two hours while the driver navigates Boston traffic. When tourists take my bus, they learn about Boston from the ground up—literally. I give them information on geology, land-making, history, art, architecture, construction, and funny stories. They get their money’s worth.
But, man, those cruise ships are big. Every time I walk up to the Black Falcon Terminal/Flynn Cruiseport, I just stare at these enormous vessels. They seem to get bigger every year. I like people but not that many crowded in one place. Me, I’ll stick to Viking River Cruises—smaller boats and fewer passengers.
Roundup of June-July 2022 Posts
Now we’re into the last month of the summer. It’s been hot, although New England has escaped the worst of this summer’s weather-driven events. People joke about the weather in New England. So far, however, New England has had no wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes or floods. It’s been hot, but seasonally so. And dry, but with occasional showers.
I’m not ready for fall yet, though. In the meantime, here’s the summary of July-July 2022 posts on The Next Phase Blog.
As usual they are grouped by category and in chronological order.
Boston and History
- How the Black Falcon Terminal Got Its Name — Aline
- Touring Sudbury’s Historic Meetinghouse – Aline
- Boston’s Architectural Decorations – Aline
- Gilchrist’s Department Store — Aline
Entertainment
- A Memorable Vacation Read — Aline
Environment
Health and Safety
- Women’s Rights and Minority Rule – Aline
- Advice for Looking After Your Mental and Physical Wellbeing – Guest Author
- The Rush to Control Women – Aline
- Abortion and a Woman’s Life — Aline
Language and Writing
Lifestyle and Culture
- America’s Four Different Elites — Aline
- The Coarsening of America – Aline
- American Needs a Hero to Save Democracy – Aline
- How to Approach Lifelong Learning in the 21st Century – Guest Author
- Living with Less — Susanne
Travel
- The World’s Airline Travel Mess – Aline
Looking Ahead
Behind us lie Memorial Day, Independence Day, and the All-Star Break. Ahead we look forward Labor Day and the opening of school, in whatever order they fall. We can look forward to an autumn that will be eventful—for better or worse.
Buckle up.
