“Remoted” – Day 446 (Saturday)

Rollstone Boulder, from a postcard.

Plans had been made for today, and then the plans were altered. The original plan was to go to Fitchburg and take the guided Rock Walk group hike from the Boulder that sits on a small traffic island on Main Street up to Rollstone Hill to the site of the former granite quarries. Yes, there is an actual ten-foot tall boulder on a traffic island in downtown Fitchburg. 

The Boulder once sat atop Rollstone Hill, (which is one of many, many hills in the 'Burg), having been deposited there by a glacier. It served as a landmark and local attraction, and early photos show visitors sitting atop the boulder. When the boulder was in danger with quarrying operations, it was broken apart and reassembled near the Upper Common. 

View from "the Rock", October 2017.

Years later, the tradition of “painting the rock” began where the granite face of the hill was painted by students at Fitchburg High School. The rock was visible from both the "old" high school and Crocker Field, where high school football, soccer, and track events were held. "The Rock" and "The Boulder" are fun landmarks and hard to explain to people not from Fitchburg.

I did the guided walk in October 2017, and it is interesting and informative. The views of the city from the top of Rollstone Hill are striking. Spray paint artists have created an outdoor gallery on granite canvases. For several days, I looked forward to revisiting the quarry on this morning’s walk. Then, like many other times I planned to attend, at the last minute, the plan changed. 

Painted granite atop Rollstone Hill,
October 2017.

Today dawned sunny and warm with a forecast of hot. Dogs were fed and medicated. Coffee was made and somehow screwed up when, for mysterious reasons, some of the hot water sat trapped in the filter basket after providing only four cups of a six-pot measure, so the morning caffeine jolt was lacking. Too much time was spent sitting around trying to wake up and suddenly it was too late to complete all the necessary steps to arrive on time for the walk – specifically, dressing for a hot weather hike, diapering and settling the dogs in the kitchen, and driving the 34 miles to the meeting point on a hot day in a car with currently non-functioning A/C. 

It was decided to skip the walk and stay home and tackle two long-standing items on the house to-do list instead. Long-standing, in this list, means more than two years. A bucket with a vinegar and water solution was prepared. The hose was liberated from the shed. The valves in the basement were opened to provide flow to the two outdoor water spigots. Shorts, a tank top, and flip flops were donned. The washing process began at the side of the house, then moved to the front, where the northern exposure results in dark stains of mildew that contrast unpleasantly with the tan siding. After starting to spray the house, it was noticed a couple porch windows were open and a pause was needed to close those and the bedroom windows upstairs.

The dark spots were scrubbed off with the vinegar water and a brush. From there, the hose was relocated to the spigot at the back of the house for the next phase. Hosing the back of the house began before realizing the kitchen windows were cranked wide open, requiring another pause and trip inside. Before long, all four sides had been cleaned. The front and back dormers were tough, as the water stream lost most of its power by the time it got that high.

After the house, the six-foot fence at the back property line was tackled. Like the front of the house, the fence is north facing and several of the panels were more dark stains than white vinyl. It was especially gross under the tree from the neighboring yard. The lattice sections at the top were extra challenging. It all took some elbow grease, but now the house looks fresh and the back fence is a blinding beacon of cleanliness. The car was also hosed off, freeing it of the latest layer of pollen. This is the type of chore I enjoy – a little bit physical, can be completed in one session, and has visible results. And who doesn’t like playing with a hose on a hot day?