That time of the month...err, I meant...

Been a little to busy to blog recently. The two monthly newsletters I produce lined up one after the other. I started the church's last Tuesday and did some each evening through Friday night and sent it out for review. The town newsletter I worked on all day Saturday and Sunday then sent that out for proofing. I did the final editing on both last night and am done with them for another month. Carol has been putting in overtime on the household computer so we are getting time together while working in the same room.

Ian left for a week at Scout Camp Sunday. So another busy summer kicks off for him. We will catch up with him when he and Taylor arrive at the camp at Madawaska Lake on Sunday.

UNH Freshman Orientation and the parents get some too

We just spent parts of Monday and Tuesday at the UNH campus for the Freshman and Parents Orientation. Separate programs for both parties. We brought the camper down and dropped it off at a local campground for Carol and I to stay in. Ian got to stay in a dorm with two roommates. So after leaving the campground we go to the campus and drop Ian off at the dorm to stow his overnight gear and we park at a distance lot and grab a shuttle back where we meet up with Ian for lunch at one of the cafeterias. Then it's off in different directions not to meet up again until late Tuesday morning. Carol and my sessions were interesting and well planned out. We were pretty familiar with what was what there from visiting the UNH website but seeing and hearing about what we knew and what we didn't was quite helpful. I'll elaborate more in future blogs.

Our group of parents who's kids were attending the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture are lead to the Parsons building where many of that college's majors are taught. We get to hear from the Associate Dean, Alberto Manola. He gave a terrific overview of the academics of the college.

Carol and I check out the train station on campus. Amtrak's Downeaster makes regular stops here.

This is some serious scaffolding - the landmark building of the campus, the Clocktower getting some major renovation.

The Main entrance to the Memorial Union Building (MUB, referred to as the Mub). There's two more stories below this one. All the sessions but one Carol and I attended took place in the MUB.

We only stayed one night at Forest Glen Campground so we didn't bother getting fancy setting up the campsite. Very nice site though. We were only 10 minutes from the campus.

Happy Fathers Day!

Wishing my brothers and brother-in-laws, friends and colleagues a very happy Fathers Day. I hope you all found a "cool" way to enjoy this sunny, hot and humid day. We spent it at home, Ian returned home from spending Friday night and Saturday at Camp Hinds for the OA Ordeal weekend. He gave me some golfballs and a DVD - Carol gave us both father and sons photos on canvas frames done scrapbooking style.

My Bud and I doing yard business...a couple of years or so ago.

I'm guessing that this picture with my Dad was taken at Three Mile Pond, it's the lattice in the background, typical of a camp. L-R, me, Dad with Kathy and Mom with Dennis.

They say Football, we say Soccer

One thing's for sure, there isn't a lot of talk around the office about the World Cup of Soccer. I'm not much of a soccer fan but when a sport takes on the world stage the drama of competition really kicks in (pun intended). Ian watches some of the games when he's around the house. I've watched a little here and there. Yesterday I checked in on the USA vs Italy game often. Today I actually watched the entire Brazil vs Australia game (Brazil, 2-0). Just wondering, when news coverage of the World Cup began, did you need the talking heads to explain to you that outside of the USA people call it "football" instead of "soccer". Tedious. Rugby isn't burdened by such problems, when is that Rugby World Cup? GO ALL BLACKS!" (look it up).

Graduation Wrap Up

Last Saturday was Ian's high school graduation. It was held at the Civic Center, plenty of seating, we didn't get there early enough to get floor level seats so we did a little climbing and made ourselves comfortable. The program was good - the valedictorian sang the National Anthem superbly, he, the other student speakers and the guest speaker, former Governor Angus King were quite enjoyable. When Ian's time came to receive his diploma he looked great! Tall and walking with a classic stride. Carol and I were very proud. We had quite a group with us. Carol's sisters and husbands, Lois & Jim, Elaine & Steve, Ian's grandmother, Margaret and brother Greg's wife Bev and son Jonathan. The stage pictures were quite blurry so I did the best I could for here on a webpage.

Ian (left of center), Taylor waiting for her turn,
Gov. King waiting for a handshake from my Bud
is to the left.

The seniors marched out after they all had turned

their backs on the audience - donned shades - turned
back and proceeded off the stage.

(L-R) Jonathan, Carol, me, Jim, Lois, and Steve.

Elaine, Margaret and Bev.

I guess we could have rounded up a few more
people but.... you guessed it, "just a little is enough"

Mom, Dad and the lad.

Taylor and Ian - freshly graduated.

The next day (Sunday) we had a Graduation Brunch at our house. Carol made a lot of goodies, Lois and Elaine brought some more, great stuff!

Mom and Ian.

Taylor, Ian and Jonathan having their "third?" dessert.

No offense Ms Manners - mindless blog rambling

There you are, enjoying a leisurely walk outside and as you approach a doorway with say...20 feet or so to go, and there ahead - someone is holding the door for you. Do you: A. Do a quick step so the "polite" person holding the door open doesn't have to wait for you. B. Wave them off. C. Smile at them to acknowledge their courtesy then continue your leisurely pace. I've starting to lean toward C (unless the person is elderly or disabled). I do a lot of walking around downtown Portland at lunchtime and I enjoy the pace I walk at. If I was in a hurry I'd run. Likewise I'm not to fond of running to catch an open door. It works the other way around as well. If I end up holding a door open for someone approaching I don't want them to speed up on my account. I can wait knowing I'm not encouraging someone from rushing unnecessarily. I hate to put anybody out but at the expense of putting myself out for an exchange of a mere moment of reciprocal politeness in many cases with someone I may never come in contact with again.

Just a little is enough of this type of thing to dwell on.

Powerless

The power went out last night. It screws me up entirely. Lights, computers, TV, appliances, etc. all down. I tend to be concerned most about the frig & freezer contents though most of the time the power is out everything is fine if we leave the doors shut. Improving how I react will remain a work in progress. I did set up the generator, because it was getting late I didn't run it very long, it's a noisy thing.

Interesting week for me from the parent of a high school senior point-of-view. Ian had his final classes last week. This week he only goes to school several times for marching practice. Graduation is Saturday night. Yep, I'll blog it.

Family Happenings this week

Today I'll catch up on Family events for the week.

Wednesday Carol, Lois, Jim and I caught up with sister-in-law Bev and nephew Jonathan up from Texas on their way to visit home in Stockholm, ME. We met up at Capt. Newick's Seafood restaurant. It was Jonathan's birthday and he had his first lobster.

Today Carol and I went up to visit Mom. It had been planned that my brothers, sisters and I would paint Mom's garage but it was raining like cats and dogs so that activity has been postponed. Brother Dennis was there anyway because he was going to rebuild Mom's front door steps and this was the only day available for quite sometime, so finding him on his own I pitched in to assist. Dennis' wife had suggested using a couple of canopys they had for some cover over the work area. We still got wet but no where near as bad as it could have been.

Dennis on the left and me to the right.

A couple of early stages of the project.

Sister Kathy stopped by and Mom comes out
in the rain to inspect the completed steps.

Dennis and I, ready to call it a day

Dennis had come to Mom's a few days before with a rented jackhammer and busted up the brick and mortar steps, then when he arrived this morning wheelbarrowed those remains away to a neighbors gully to be used as fill, he did a great job putting this together - considering that he builds houses for a living this wasn't much of a stretch. I was glad I could help, in spite of the rain I thought it was great fun.