We were standing in a picked-over aisle at the arts-and-crafts store. Just Martha Stewart and me. She was clearly distraught, apparently because of a fight she had with her daughter, Alexis.
I pointed to the empty shelves and said, "I know you're upset but we've got to stock these shelves with new merchandise. Customers won't be able to buy your products unless the items are available on the sales floor. Let's try focusing on that right now."
And then Martha, still teary-eyed, turned toward me and smiled.....
That was the dream I had last night.
You know the arts-and-crafts job is getting to me when it infiltrates my precious sleep!
Aaahhhhhhhh!
Obviously it was a LONG day yesterday. I had to work in the early morning at the crafts store and then the late-night shift at my city job. With about five hours to kill in between both jobs, I decided to spend some quality time on myself.
So I went to the Shedd Aquarium for several hours, just watching and observing the plethora of fish and aquatic life on display there. There were times where it felt rather lonely being the only one among the hand-holding couples and raucous families that littered the area.
But before this blogpost goes on yet another tangent, let me address what I really wanted to get to!
While walking from the aquarium, I spotted these things along the lakefront.....
What in the world?
A grouping of about 60 of them all huddled together.
Thick, heavy chains secured to disk-like blocks of cement and metal. They almost reminded me of UFO's....with an alien, nautical feel to them. So unique and mysterious!
Your guess is as good as mine!
Maybe these are anchors pulled out of Lake Michigan for the coming winter? Does anyone reading this know?
I adore that wave pattern along the edge!
Equally as eye-catching was the deep-orange rust slowly overtaking each one, making them that much more special.
Surely they'd be transported elsewhere soon so I felt compelled to document them with my camera even though I had no idea what they were.
Maybe Martha will tell me the next time we meet in dreamland!
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34 comments:
Dean my friend, next time you see Martha, please ask her to bring back the red damask drapes she made in her very first collection, mine are starting to frey:( and I cant find a replacement .
I love how you view everyday things as magical...:)
cheers
great dream, great story , great photos Dean !
ha ha
Precious Martha not-withstanding: our lives are all about meaning. Where, when, how and why we find it. I love your dream. It's rich with meaning. I found meaning in in-door recess with a group of 11/12 year-old girls playing a card game and speaking smack about one another. Meaning is everywhere. In my new purple Christmas tree, in the seahorse ornaments that I'm creating to give to friends this holiday season, in the melancholy I experience before falling to sleep. Continue to bravely embrace life's meaning. You'll never be without a reason to seek more.
Certainly seems like some sort of anchors, but for what, I don't know. :) Your dream made me smile. Your life is full of drama.... even when you sleep!
They look mooring blocks. They are used to hold things in place in the water. They are put on the bottom of the water (lake or harbor) where people want to keep something. A line (which is what we call a rope on boats and ships) can be attached to the chain and to the object (vessel or float to which boats tie up at a marina). It is heavy enough to hold in place the object on the surface. For marina floats, several may be used. For a single boats moored by itself, one is enough. If a boat is going to use one as a mooring, the line to the chain has a bouyant object (called a bouy) attached to the surface end of the line so that the whole line won't sink when the boat casts off and sails away. The bouy is picked up when the boat returns, and the line is secured to the boat.
The whole apparatus: block, chain, and line (if needed) can be called "ground tackle."
From the apparent size of these, I'd guess they're for a marina.
BTW, I've never even met Martha in a dream (or at least not recently). Should I be envious.
David Waters!
I'll let her know! LOL
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Sandy!
(^_^)
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Randy!
I shall continue to embrace life's meaning!
P.S.: The sea-horse ornaments sound cool!
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sMacThoughts!
Am I really that dramatic?
*gasp*
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naturgesetz!
Aha!
You may be onto something here!
There is a harbor just a couple blocks from this location AND there were buoys in the water right around this area where all the boats would sit.
So maybe the city removes the "ground tackle" before the lake freezes over for the winter.
That must be it! Hooray!!
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It's always a delight hearing from all of you!
-Dean
I love rust! It gives objects character. Like they have survived some ordeal and have lived to tell about it. The wave pattern of rust is ultra cool!
Nice post, Dean!
Fabulous dream and pictures!! I love the one with rust on it that looks like it has waves on it.
No idea what they are.
Glad you had fun at the aquarium. I love Aquariums.
Have a great day!!!
Summer
LOL...I remember going into K Mart, or some such place a number of years ago. There was a long magazine display about four feet high and maybe 30 feet long. And on that display was nothing but Martha's magazine. All different issues. And all having her on the cover with that manic smile on her evil face.
I was so taken aback by this scene, I just stood there staring. Another shopper happened by. She, too, stopped and stared. We both kinda looked at each other and she said "scary isn't it?" I replied, "she's just not right."
It was scary! She's not right! Dreaming of Martha Stewart? No, not a dream, a NIGHTMARE! LOL!!
Rick
Like your delightful comments on the post. Martha invading your dreams, that's a hoot. I have a job that involves a lot of counting of product, have had some form of that enter my dreamland, NO MORE, please!
The pictures are great, especially the last one, attention to details, good eye.
Absolutely they are mooring blocks.
When we have vivid and memorable dreams, I think our subconscious is trying to help us with an issue.
I'm sure Martha knows exactly what those things are. She knows everything, doesn't she?
I'll ask her if she comes to me in my nightmares again :)
But they are lovely, those UFO things. I'd have never realized it if you hadn't pointed it out.
Beautiful & Amazing
I stood behind Dame Judi Dench in a queue at Fortnum & Mason's once when she was buying what I think was parma ham...and that's not a dream, but a very, funny, random memory....the best kind, no?!
http://philosopher-without-a-cause.blogspot.com/
Mooring blocks - my guess as well!
Give my regards to Martha next time you meet her!
Read Aloud Dad
www.ReadAloudDad.com
those pictures of the blocks of cement and metal with chains, just look like an installation, i find it artistic..
fabulous wave pattern... and congrats on being chosen as a blog of note!
I love your post with the Martha story. You had me going. And your photos are brilliant!
Stoppers that prevent the water in the lake from draining out?
They look like plugs. Big lake plugs. For some reason i've just spent about 4/5 minutes scrolling up and down between the first two pictures.
Very spot the difference-ey
Many of those mooring blocks are made from modified railroad car axle/wheelsets...great stuff for us train buffs. Thanks for posting.
Was Martha dressed in black & white stripes?
William!
My thoughts exactly, Bill!
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Alberto!
Thank you!
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Summer!
You have an even better day!
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Rick!
Martha's NOT evil....just misunderstood.
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Stan!
Don't you just hate it when you dream about work?
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Ken!
Oh, I definitely have issues with the arts-and-crafts job so you may be right about that!
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Jason!
Yes, she knows EVERYTHING!
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Hart!
Hooray!
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Elenchus!
In-person is always better than meeting in a dream!
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Read Aloud Dad!
I'll say hi for you.
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Rana!
I thought it looked like an art installation too!
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La Dolce Vita!
I didn't realize I became a Blog of Note until I checked my comments!
WOOT!!
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ABG!
Thanks!
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DMC!
I'm glad to hear that!
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Hamlet!
Hmmm.....
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Capitos!
I couldn't stop staring at them myself!
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Br'er Shaygetz!
Ooooh....from railroad cars? How unique!
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Nick!
She was wearing a neutral-toned cashmere sweater. LOL
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I appreciate everyone's comments on this post!
-Dean
Martha Stewart is scaring the aliens away.
what a huge this are those? i thing those things are havy to carry by one person hahahaha..,
Awesome blog man! Great find.
Hey Dean, had to see what all the buzzzzz was about. Great post. Love the pics. About those thingy's with the chains; I like what one poster called them, stoppers to keep the water in the lake. LOL
Me though, I think, you remember in the movies when they would say don't mess with the mafia or you would end up wearing cement boots. Well they don't use boots anymore!
take care Dean
ab
http://loveofautumn.blogspot.com/
seems like you're sad alot. But I admire your ability to get your feelings out in your writing. Thereby realeasing the pain and pressure from within.
I know the feeling well.
They look like giant plugs for the ocean. Everyone knows it is all a hoax. Deep deep down under the waves, if you dig past the sand and critters of living, you will find...concrete. Those are the plugs. I think it is a perfectly viable solution. :)
I was going to say that they look like buoy anchors, but that got covered already by the mooring line comment. Now though, after going through all the comments, I have another thing to say to you! I LOVE LOVE LOVE how you take the time to interact with your readers and comment to them. This is the first I've looked through your comments section, and I have to say, great job!
Fowl Ideas!
LOL
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positive affirmations!
They must weigh a ton!
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Dylan!
I appreciate that!
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AutumnBoy!
If only those cement-chain thingys could talk! Oh, the stories they could tell!
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Anonymous!
Yep, I'm definitely sad a lot. Sorry to hear you can relate.
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Just another girl!
(~_^)
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C. Alvarez!
I almost wasn't going to reply to your comment just to tease you!
LOL
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Thanks to all of you for stopping by!
-Dean
I hope your more recent dreams have been of glitter without Martha Stewart.
Dean!
I haven't dreamt about her since then. LOL
-Dean
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