Began the day playing Bach’s Toccata in E Minor; and, as I got here –

… to Rehoboth Beach, where they will join friends to see in the New Year. Blogging persists throughout.

… to the land of pumpkin-eating squirrels.

… to frigid, dreary Boston for the holidays.

Though now that she checks the weather, maybe the old joint will crank out some sunshine for a change.

Blogging continues undaunted.

Les UDs finally discovered the precise boundaries of their property; their landscaper had a surveyor do the deed. Turns out we own a good deal more forest than we thought we did, so yesterday UD created a path through the woods, connecting one of our established paths to the new boundary marker. This involved raking up leaves and dirt, plus pulling and tossing dead branches – work UD loves for itself, and also for the way it shapes the land and gives the dog and me more walking space.

It was a clear cold day, full sun, and it took UD very little time to forge a nice wide walkway.

At one point she raked up an old lp.

Why would someone toss/bury a record in the woods? She and Mr UD speculated. An unwanted gift? Did it fall out of a trash bag? But then how would it end up a half acre away, at the very top of the property? What animal would find it worth picking up or nudging?

Something emotional? A favorite track, associated with a love affair gone sour, hurled in rage or sorrow into the void?

***************

Short of sending it to the FBI forensic lab, there was certainly no way of identifying the record. Right?

Wrong. Take a look at the lp’s center, where I’ve focused a light. All it took was deciphering the printed and written language there, and then checking a discography.

VAN GELDER appears on part of the curve; that would be the recording studio; PRLP is I suppose the record label: Prestige. 2934A (I think that’s the written number) is, according to the Prestige Records Discography for 1961, “To Rigmor,” a piece Joe Newman (the whole album is the Joe Newman Quintet, Good ‘N’ Groovy) wrote for his wife.

UD‘s county – Montgomery – barely holds on to its top twenty richest counties in the country ranking.

… has built himself quite the successful restaurant business. (One of the owners lives around the corner.)

… are off for their annual Halloween at the beach thing. Rehoboth, dog parade, costume parade, boardwalk up and back twice a day, dinners with old friends, gazing at container ships through binoculars. Of course UD will continue blogging.