A stroll around the village.

 Yesterday started out as an overcast chilly day, but as the hours progressed it, the day, turned into a pleasant, cool, sunny day conducive to accomplishing a few tasks.  "There's no time like the present to turn over a new leaf."  I've been procrastinating starting up my walking routine to get ready for our return to Florida; today seemed like a good day to start.

But to be truthful, that's not why I started out.  I had the germ of an idea for a blog/Facebook post that started  niggling at my mind ever since, a few days ago,  I posted about a neighbor's house renovation.  The germination of an idea to provide  info to my fellow villagers that has been lost with the demise of the local newspaper.

In addition to the afore mentioned renovation project, there are two other big projects in or around the village and I thought a post pointing out the contrasts between these two projects would provoke some interest.  And what would a intriguing story be without a photo or two.  So off I start with a stroll down to the site of the Bay bridge's projected removal do to deteriorating infrastructure.  Mind you this project was decided a few years ago and certainly well before the village dissolved and came under town government's auspices.

The bridge fell/falls under the county highway department and they decided that the bridge, after being sited by the State bridge inspection team to be unsafe that they couldn't afford to spend the funds to bring the bridge back into compliance with the State's guidelines, and so it was decided to remove the bridge.

Since the residents on the other side of the bay would be negatively impacted, especially in regards to fire and ambulance service, it was determined that the village would, with Town assistance, build a road around the south end of the bay to ameliorate, somewhat, the negative impact of removing the bridge.  It must be noted here that interest in building a road around the bay and opening the area up to residential development goes back at least 40 years.

Of course work to remove the bridge couldn't begin 'til the road was built; it's been a few years in the making.  Finally once the road was completed and usable, a time period of at least 3 years, the bridge was closed to traffic.  Nothing obvious happened for another year until this summer. It's now well into fall and the bridge still spans the bay.

after I snap a few shots of the bridge project I decide to walk up and out of the village and along route #37 for about a mile or so to see how the new Dollar store construction project is coming along.  This project started late this past summer, maybe a month ago.  It is well along to completion and according to my neighbor will be ready to open on 5 December of this year.  So approximately 4 months from ground breaking to completion.  Amazing!  I wonder if a cost comparison would show the Dollar store construction to come in as less than the "govamnt job."

Just gonna leave that here for now.

In my return walk through the village I notice a lot that looks to be in the process of being clear cut and wonder what's a foot?

Next, along the path of my return trip, is the local building supply business and I stop in looking for some oakum for a sidewalk repair job I plan on completing once I return home.  "Tracy, do you have any Oakum?"  "Only some spools of small diameter; not what you're looking for I'm thinking?"

"Nope," I say.  "Well let me ask you this; who's clear cutting the lot up the hill next to Dunn's office?"

"Elliot,"  she says.  You know; the guy who lives next to the green apartments, He bought the brown abandoned house on Morris street right behind the lot you're referring to."

"Ah," I say.  "Well thanks for that Tracy."

"Yup, you know Bob, we're a wealth of information" she says smiling.

I browsed around and ended up buying a can of that spray foam stuff; thinking I can use it instead of the oakum.

At home I moved the lawn furniture to winter storage on the closed in porch.  Then did the sidewalk repair job; the foam worked even better than the oakum would have. Then caulked some cracks in the garage floor.  A productive day if I don't say so my self and too boot I got over 11,500 steps.  And, believe you me, my legs are screaming.

I mentioned to Di at supper that once again, as I have been numerous time through-out my life span, I am disappointed that no matter how much you exercise you can't build up any credit; stop working out for a few weeks and when you start back up it's just like starting over.  Took Motrin to facilitate sleeping last night.